Metinvest, within the framework of Rinat Akhmetov's Steel Front, has started producing special steel screens for armored personnel carriers. This will significantly reduce the threat from enemy kamikaze drones. To date, 14 such screens have been produced, suitable for M113, FV432, and YPR-765 vehicle models.
The protective screens are mounted on the top of the armored personnel carrier, creating a remote barrier in front of the vehicle’s hull. When impacted by a kamikaze drone, the charge either fails to detonate or explodes at a safe distance, preventing critical damage to the vehicle and its crew. Similar structures produced by Metinvest are already successfully used on Abrams, Bradley, and Leopard tanks.
The M113 armored personnel carrier is one of the most widespread and proven combat vehicles in the world. Developed in the USA in the 1960s, it is actively used in more than 50 countries. The M113s arrived in Ukraine thanks to international partners, including the USA, Lithuania, Denmark, and Spain. The main advantage of the M113 is its high mobility and ease of maintenance. Thanks to its aluminum hull, the vehicle is much lighter than most armored personnel carriers, allowing it to maneuver quickly even on difficult terrain. However, this lightness is also its vulnerability: the basic armor of the M113 cannot withstand modern munitions, especially kamikaze drones, which have become one of the biggest threats on the battlefield.
"We have already produced hundreds of such screens for the Ukrainian defense forces. They have proven themselves excellently, saving tanks and armored personnel carriers. Most importantly, they save the lives of the crew. Therefore, we are constantly expanding production: now we are creating protection for dozens of different vehicle models", said Oleksandr Myronenko, Chief Operating Officer of Metinvest
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FPV drones have become one of the most dangerous tools on the modern battlefield. They can hit moving targets with high precision, often bypassing traditional air defense systems. Lightly armored vehicles like the M113 are particularly vulnerable to air attacks. Enemy kamikaze drones often strike from the upper hemisphere, where the armor of most vehicles is the thinnest. Even a small charge can cause critical damage to the crew and disable the vehicle.
Currently, the Steel Front is actively distributing protective screens to military units using M113s on the front lines. At the same time, the team is working on improving the design, testing different materials and screen shapes to achieve maximum efficiency.
