Engineering Solutions for Frontline Survival
In a significant development for Ukraine's defensecapabilities, Metinvest Group has begun manufacturing protective screensspecifically designed for Soviet-era MT-LB multipurpose tracked vehicles. Theselightweight armored vehicles, widely deployed for evacuation missions andpersonnel transport on the frontlines, have proven vulnerable to the growingthreat of FPV (First-Person View) drone attacks. The initiative comes as partof the company's broader "Steel Front" military support program, whichfocuses on adapting existing military equipment to meet the evolving challengesof modern warfare. By addressing a critical vulnerability in these otherwiseversatile vehicles, Metinvest's engineering team has potentially extended theoperational lifespan of an important asset in Ukraine's defensive arsenal.
Tactical Innovation Through CollaborativeDesign
The protective solution represents a collaborative effortbetween Metinvest's engineers and the military personnel who operate thesevehicles in combat conditions. The specially designed steel grilles mountdirectly onto the vehicle body, creating a defensive barrier engineered tointercept explosive blast waves before they make contact with the main armorplating. This innovative approach doesn't aim to make the vehicles imperviousto attack, but rather to significantly increase survivability chances for bothcrew members and the vehicle itself when targeted by drone strikes. Thepractical design reflects battlefield realities, with careful attention paid toensuring the screens don't obstruct driver visibility or compromise thevehicle's mobility in challenging terrain, critical factors in combateffectiveness.
Rapid Deployment to Active Combat Units
The program has already achieved tangible results, with 11upgraded MT-LBs returning to active service after being fitted with theprotective screens. Two of these vehicles have been deployed with the 110thBrigade of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, where they primarily serve evacuationfunctions. According to brigade spokesman Andriy Bystryk, the tracked vehicles'particular effectiveness in difficult off-road conditions makes them invaluableassets, especially during winter operations or in muddy terrain where wheeledvehicles cannot operate effectively. The added drone protection addresses whathas become a critical vulnerability in modern combat operations, where small,agile FPV drones pose an outsized threat to armored vehicles designed in anearlier era of warfare.
Technical Approach to Modern BattlefieldThreats
The MT-LB, despite its age, remains a valuable militaryasset due to its versatility and reliability. However, its relatively thinarmor provides minimal protection against contemporary threats, particularlythe precision strikes made possible by FPV drones. Metinvest's protectivescreens are specifically designed to create a standoff distance between thepoint of drone impact and the vehicle's hull. When a kamikaze drone strikesthese screens, the explosive charge either fails to detonate properly or explodesat a safer distance from the vehicle's main structure, significantly reducingthe likelihood of catastrophic damage. This approach mirrors similar protectivemeasures that Metinvest has successfully implemented for other vehicle types,including more modern Western equipment like Abrams and Bradley fightingvehicles.
Expanding Portfolio of Defense Contributions
The MT-LB protection initiative represents just one facetof Metinvest's comprehensive support for Ukraine's defense capabilities.Through its Steel Front program, the company has developed an increasinglydiverse range of protective solutions for military equipment. Beyond the MT-LBscreens, Metinvest has produced steel protective elements for domestic T-64 andT-72 tanks, American M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles,and various modifications of the Leopard 2. The company has also manufacturedprotective shells for Patriot air defense systems and contributed approximately150 tons of steel for the production of over 200 combat buggies used byUkrainian forces for reconnaissance, evacuation, and ammunition deliverymissions.
Industrial Capacity Serving National Defense
"MT-LBs are not new machines, but they are back on thefront line today. Our mission is to make them more resilient," explainedOleksandr Myronenko, Metinvest's Chief Operating Officer. "The protectiveshields we've developed aren't a universal solution, but they offer a chance tosurvive, deliver ammunition, or evacuate the wounded." This pragmaticapproach reflects the company's understanding that in the current conflict,enhancing existing equipment can be as valuable as acquiring new systems. Withproduction facilities operating under wartime conditions, Metinvest hasdemonstrated remarkable adaptability in redirecting industrial capacity to meeturgent defense needs while maintaining essential commercial operations.
Adapting Soviet Legacy for Contemporary Combat
The renewed battlefield relevance of the MT-LB illustratesa broader pattern in Ukraine's defense strategy: the creative adaptation ofSoviet-era equipment to meet the demands of 21st-century warfare. While thesetracked vehicles were never designed to withstand attacks from precision-guidedmunitions or FPV drones, the addition of specially designed protective screenshas given them a new lease on operational life. "The advantages of trackedvehicles over wheeled ones are especially apparent in winter, snow, or muddyterrain where wheeled vehicles can't pass," noted brigade press officerAndriy Bystrik. "Drone protection is now critically important, thesedrones are fast, agile, and deadly. That's why these FPV shields are absolutelyessential." This adaptation process demonstrates how industrial innovationcan help bridge capability gaps when resources are constrained by wartimeconditions.
Key Takeaways:
• Metinvest Group has launched production of specializedsteel grilles for Soviet-era MT-LB multipurpose tracked vehicles, designed toprotect against increasingly common FPV drone attacks on the frontlines.
• The protective screens intercept explosive blast wavesbefore they contact the main armor, increasing survival chances for both crewand vehicle while maintaining visibility and mobility in combat conditions.
• Eleven upgraded MT-LBs have already returned to service,including two with the 110th Brigade, where they serve critical evacuationfunctions in difficult terrain inaccessible to wheeled vehicles.
