Cate's Research-Investigation Bureau

At this year's "Army-2024" military expo, several state contracts were signed. One of these contracts involves retrofitting T-90M MBTs with T09-A6-1 "Arena-M" active protection systems.   For over 20 years, the "Arena" APS series has been in limbo. As it was installed on vehicles such as T-72s, T-80s, and BMP-3s, no signs of small-scale procurement or customer acquisition were seen.   Since the contract has only been confirmed, it is difficult to determine how many T-90Ms will receive this APS. Besides this recent news, a production patent was filed more than 2 years ago for a T-90M equipped with "Arena-M" Patent drawings of T-90M with "Arena-M" The last thing to do is wait and see if it comes to fruition.  Taken from:  TASS Patent

 Earlier this year I covered the implementation of a variety of new things on batches of newly made T-80BVM tanks. A new Combat Approved - "Военная Приёмка" episode dedicated towards the T-80BVM has provided further footage, which expands on some previously covered topics centred around the tank. This episode featured closeups of several improvements made to the T-80BVM. One of the more interesting showcases was the anti-drone/top-attack cage. As stated in an earlier blog post  ( Combat experience application to the newest batch of T-80BVM tanks ), the cage uses gabled protective plates, which are hollow. Also, the new cage uses 2 hinge mounted panels, which use a steel mesh material as a solution to stop threats from above.  Close-up view of the gabled plates  The gabled plate design is presumably made using steel sheets which are separated by a layer of air, which is intended to act as spaced armour to combat shaped charge munitions. In the aforementioned bl...

TV Zvezda has released new footage covering the production of BMP-3 IFVs. Showcasing various footage of hull and turret production along with how factories refurbish/repair old or battle-damaged hulls and turrets to make new vehicles. The footage presented does not reveal any major changes in the production scale of BMP-3 IFVs.  This post expands on the topic of up-armouring vital components of the BMP-3 carried out by Kurganmashzavod.  The previous article can be found  here .  This article will not cover the armour packages presented in the analysed footage!  A double-shutter mechanism is used in the housing, which has two functions. The small shutter protects the optics from direct hits and can be opened/closed during combat or marches. The small openings have special cutouts, which minimize the chance that the optics (laser channel, day channel and thermal imaging channel) are hit by shrapnel or bullets.  The large shutter, which holds the small sh...

 LLC "PPSh Laboratory" a participant in the "Army-2023" expo, has provided a small glimpse of their newest EW module, which is made to combat FPV drones.  According to the manufacturer "PPSh Lab", the "Triton" EW module is one of several newly developed products aimed at combating FPV drones. Minor information regarding the frequency waves it can jam is also revealed. It is also revealed that the module can be operated using a remote system to protect the operator. The system can also operate fully autonomously using an onboard battery or directly connected to a vehicle's power distribution source.  In the promotional material, the manufacturer also advertises this module as something that can be mounted on AFVs. It is unknown whether the Russian MoD is looking into buying this equipment as a solution against drones.  Reference:  "PPSh Laboratory" Telegram

Dear readers of CRIB Blog. With more free time on my hands this summer, I am pleased to announce the following blog updates. Firstly, I want to address the current state of certain large Collection pages represented on this blog. With varying degrees of quality and variety, some pages will be reworked, primarily focusing on the quality and accuracy of the information presented.  Following affected pages:  Soviet/Russian tank sight collection  Comprehensive Soviet/Russian vehicle collection  Russian naming abbreviations  Most of the effort will be going towards reworking the Soviet/Russian vehicle collection, this is because it is poorly assembled with a mix and mash of all AFV-related vehicles. This leads to the next goal of making a separate list, solely for lightly armoured vehicles like the BMD, BMP and their derived variants.  The aforementioned pages will remain available for a certain period before being taken down and updated. Sadly, I cannot provid...

The Ministry of Defence has published video footage of T-80BVM MBTs production. The MIC is pushing for more standardization across all tank platforms. The new batch of T-80BVM tanks is now closely following the adaptations present on newly made T-72B3M tanks with the introduction of additional ERA around the commander's cupola. Along with covering up less armoured turret parts, a new protective cage now comes standard from the factory with similar mounting points as seen on T-72B3M tanks.  Interestingly enough, the cage is shaped to not obstruct the crew from quickly leaving the turret and features plexiglass/mesh panels positioned right above the hatches. The protective measures have also been altered and now the cage features gabled protective modules which are presumably hollow.  Additionally, the MIC has now started to procure the Nakidka multi-spectral masking tarp on the T-80BVM, which was previously exclusively mounted on the T-90M MBT.  Taken from: RF MoD Telegr...

Kurganmashzavod continues to report on BMP-3 IFV production. In the latest video, KMZ showcased the latest changes to the BMP-3. The newest change is the reworked armoured housing for the gunner's main sight. The old housing used on the PPND "Sodema" utilized a dual shutter mechanism. The updated housing utilizes a double shutter mechanism. The small shutter placed in the centre is intended for in-combat use to reduce shrapnel damage to vital components. It is operated using a pull-string mechanism. The sight opens using a spring-loaded hinge which forces open the shutter if the pull-string is not actuated.  It is unknown what the purpose of the large shutter is. However, it is worth pointing out that it does not have any mechanism to open and close it. It can be observed that there is a bolt in the top left corner. This might indicate it is a general service shutter for maintenance or repair.  In addition, the spokesperson in the video states that an additiona...

The Sprut-SDM1 (2S25M) was recommended to be adopted by the Russian army. Kurganmashzavod claims it is ready to put the 2S25M into serial production.  During a briefing between Rostec and the Russian MoD in which the following was stated:  "The 2S25M self-propelled anti-tank gun has successfully passed state tests and is recommended for adoption by the Russian army. In the near future, we are ready to start serial production of the product, relevant studies are underway with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation." Taken from:  Lenta.ru

Having covered the new T-72B3M batches quite extensively over the last couple of blog posts, more images have been released, clearing up one of the far-fetched speculations written by me.  As mentioned in these blog articles: " New UVZ assembly line video footage showcasing new T-72B3M and T-90M changes " and " New T-72B3M modernization batch " , the unidentified stubs mounted next to the gun breach that I called part of an electronics suite are not what they seem to be. Initially, they resembled some type of receiver that could have been part of GLONASS.  Images released from the " 61 Bronetankovyy Remontnyy Zavod" - 61st tank repair factory, have shown that these stubs are for mounting "cope cages" as users of the Internet call them. An improvised cage that is intended to protect the turret roof from loitering munitions or RPG-style munitions fired from higher elevations.  The presence of these 4 stubs completely rules out the idea of it being ...

On the 23rd of December, President V.V. Putin visited the KBP Tula factory. Several new projects were shown. Various guided munitions, Krasnopol guided artillery shell, Kitolov and the Kornet ATGM were lined up to be showcased. Some Pantsir vehicles also made an appearance.  Various guided munitions and ATGMs. Alongside the already existing Kornet ATGMs, a new variant that was previously shown in August reappeared. It differs from older units by utilizing a new nose module. Only a few details have been released regarding this change, but it is worth speculating that this module could either be a TV/TI-guided or a GLONASS suite. This would allow drones carrying this Kornet variant to strike targets reliably by using a TV/TI channel or with the use of coordinates.  Kornet ATGM with new nose module. Kornet ATGM with new nose module. Blog article mentioning the ATGM in August.  Additionally, newly made Pantsir SAM systems appeared. One of them is a new variant shown earl...

Denis Petrov, Chief Engineer of the Omsktransmash joint-stock company, said that to date, work is underway in the Russian Federation to increase the area of damage, the firing range and the accuracy of the 'Solntsepyok' system.  "At the moment, work is underway to increase the firing range, accuracy, and simplify the process of target acquisition and mission completion. And first of all to improve on the area of damage." - Denis Petrov Taken from: TV Zvezda -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Discord --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A live news report was published recently, covering the work process of the 130th Factory Assembly hall (Lower Tagil). The video report showcased the assembly of new T-90M and T-72B3M tanks. At first glance, UVZs aim is to unify certain features across several MBT variants.   One of the first notable changes is the integration of a spring-loaded housing for the thermal sight , which was previously present as a standard feature on BMPTs and T-90M variants exclusively.  Another significant change, additional ERA bricks have been placed in parallel with the gun barrel. These ERA bricks traverse together with the gun and seem to protect the mantlet and breech. Two additional ERA bricks were placed next to the upper mantlet part to protect the weakspot from potential top attacks. This design choice might have been influenced by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  Along with the reactive protective measures, UVZ seems to have integrated several short antennas mounted on the...

TSNIITOCHMASH, the developer of the newest 120-mm self-propelled artillery gun 2S42 "Lotus", developed for the VDV (Airborne Forces), has begun manufacturing a second prototype of the SPG to participate in state trials. The preliminary testing phase was completed in August of this year. The prototype of the Lotus SPG, which has completed preliminary tests, is currently undergoing a design rework based on the experience gained during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to an informed source, the onboard electronics, the fire-control system and the suspension needed revision. At the same time, the production of the second prototype of the SPG began, which will also take part in state tests, scheduled for the end of 2023. Taken from: Topwar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Discord ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------...

NII Stali provided their last premier video showcasing their ERA package intended to be mounted on the BMP-3. This post follows up with a previous post , covering the 4S24 ERA performance showcase. NII Stali provides more details about the protection package.  The ERA package is based on a newer generation ERA called 4S24.  Additional armour protection covers 62% of the side armour.  Additional armour protection covers 36% of the front armour.  Additional armour protection covers 70% of the turret armour. The total package weight is 4200kg. 4S24 ERA can function in temperatures ranging from -50C to +55C. Each slab weighs 1,36kg.  Dimensions:  131,9mm wide  251,9mm long  13mm thick  The ERA package provides protection against:  Monoblock RPGs B-32 AP rounds  23mm API-T rounds  30mm AP rounds      The ERA blocks do not detonate when hit with:  API-T rounds  30mm calibre rounds  Fragmentation hits fro...

The production of the "Typhoon" family of armoured vehicles in 2023 will be carried out using entirely domestic components. This was reported to TASS by the chief designer of JSC "Remdiesel" Igor Zarakhovich. "Everything that we have in Typhoons is now in the process of full import substitution. Next year, the state (defence order) will be carried out with completely replaced machines," he said. Earlier, during the Army-2022 forum, the company presented a protected 3-STS "Akhmat" vehicle, built on a serial chassis without using imported components. Taken from: TASS