Private paramilitary support organization Steel Front has begun integrating 430-kilogram (947-pound) steel grid screens into Ukrainian Leopard main battle tanks to protect them against first-person view (FPV) drones.
The shields are a response to the continuing threat of drone attacks on the military’s ground-based platforms since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
FPVs use video-based piloting technology commonly attached to the user’s headgear to maneuver a radio-controlled drone for surveillance, kamikaze attacks, or other penetrating methods that could damage heavy vehicles.
Steel Front noted that its grid screens, sourced from Ukrainian mining conglomerate Metinvest, cost $20,000 or about 0.03 percent of the value of a Leopard main battle tank but are being supplied for free in support of the military’s missions.
The structures are currently fitted with in-service Soviet T-64 and T-72s, American M1 Abrams, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
Hundreds of the solutions are available at several repair bases for integration into frontline vehicles, with each preparation requiring 10 to 12 personnel over approximately 12 hours.
“The primary goal of these screens is to protect the equipment without compromising its functionality, crew safety, or maneuverability,” Metinvest Group Chief Operating Officer Olexander Myronenko explained.
“The screens are designed in a way that doesn’t affect the equipment’s performance. Otherwise, their use would be unjustified and unnecessary.”
“The guys note that the survivability of the equipment increases by 30-40%. We’ve seen real cases where a vehicle was hit on the battlefield, but thanks to our screen, the crew survived unscathed. The soldiers were able to get out, and later, the vehicle was recovered for repairs.”
Partnership With Metinvest
Metinvest, owned by Ukrainian businessman and Steel Front leader Rinat Akhmetov, started the production of the steel screens for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in May.
In previous projects supporting the military, Metinvest developed decoy weapons that copy howitzers to trick Russian forces into wasting their resources attacking the replicas.
In July 2024, the company also produced an FPV counter-unmanned aerial system kit pairable with Kyiv’s Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and distributed Swedish-made tactical boats for warfighters.
Two months later, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense inaugurated a Metinvest-assembled underground medical center for the military’s frontline operations against Russia.