Russia’s Kurganmashzavod has delivered a new batch of BMD-4M and BMP-3 airborne infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), now enhanced with survivability upgrades to better counter the threat posed by drones in Ukraine, according to a 7 May announcement on the Rostec website.
Images published on 18 May show these vehicles equipped with bar armour on the sides of the hull and upper hemisphere protection, including a cage over the turret roof. Chains hang from the highest and lowest parts of the cage. Bar armour is a form of statistical protection, meaning it affects an RPG-type projectile in a percentage of strikes but doesn't guarantee consistent protection. Unlike conventional steel armour, which always offers a level of defense unless it fails completely, bar armour relies on the projectile striking a gap in the armour. This structure can crush the walls containing piezoelectric crystals, causing a short circuit that prevents the fuse from operating, leading to reduced penetration or failure to form a jet. However, bar armour is less effective at angles greater than 30 degrees.
The cage aims to deflect and degrade the impact of small drones, which Ukraine increasingly uses in some frontline areas. Observed attack methods include munitions dropped by drone or FPV drones with PG-7 warheads flown directly into vehicles. While the cage provides some protection against these threats, it is not a complete solution, but it can complicate successful drone strikes and mitigate some impacts.
Additionally, the vehicles are equipped with the Nakidka thermal camouflage system to reduce their thermal signature. Revealed by developer NII Stali in 2009, Nakidka was claimed to reduce a vehicle’s probability of detection by infrared imagers (3.5–5 μm and 8–16 μm) by 200%, and by day cameras by 30%, also decreasing radar detection likelihood. Weighing 2 kg per square meter, Nakidka can take up to an hour to fit per square meter. Although not widespread in Russian units during the initial invasion of Ukraine, Nakidka’s serial production and delivery to other Russian defense enterprises were reported in June 2023, coinciding with increased thermal imager availability on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Russia’s defense industry appears to be mobilizing and adapting to wartime conditions in Ukraine, fielding developments to improve vehicle and crew survivability. Many home-made solutions to the FPV threat resemble the factory-produced vehicles presented by Rostec. Other Russian units have added the RP-377VM1L jamming system to their vehicles to disrupt the command link between drones and their operators. A May interview with a Russian T-90M commander, published by Russian state media, indicates Ukrainian units typically launch 4–5 drones per flight, prompting the activation of the vehicle’s jamming system and a tactical withdrawal.
The BMP-3 and BMD-4M, armed with a 100 mm 2A70 main gun and a 30 mm 2A72 coaxial cannon, provide significant firepower for offensive and defensive operations. However, their base armour is weaker than that of tanks or some Western IFVs, making them vulnerable to RPG-7-type threats. The upgrades announced by Rostec aim to address these vulnerabilities and suggest increased deliveries, though it remains unclear whether these are upgrades of existing platforms or newly built vehicles. Kurganmashzavod’s regular deliveries of BMD-4Ms prior to the war suggest an active production line capable of producing new platforms.
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