A Polish-made Rosomak armored personnel carrier fitted with a ZSSW-30 turret will make its first public appearance with physical anti-drone protection at the Polish Armed Forces Day parade. The move is part of a broader Polish effort to improve the survivability of armored vehicles on the battlefield.
Alongside active protection systems, Poland is also exploring simpler physical protection measures. The newly fitted Rosomak appears to be one such solution.
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Photos of the protected vehicle were published by Defence24.pl, which suggested that the design could be experimental. Its purpose may be to determine what an effective anti-drone structure should look like while minimizing its impact on the vehicle’s combat and operational capabilities.
The Rosomak has received protective screens along its sides and partially across the upper glacis. The ZSSW-30 turret is covered by a so-called “barbecue” cage.
This type of cage can provide some protection against drone-dropped munitions, but it is far less effective against FPV drones. An FPV operator can choose a specific vulnerable point on an armored vehicle and guide the drone directly toward it.
Similar “barbecue” cages became widespread on armored vehicles in 2022. russia was already experimenting with the concept in 2021, when such structures were intended to protect armored vehicles against anti-tank guided missiles and attacks by Bayraktar TB2 drones.
The battlefield has since changed considerably. Ukraine, russia and an increasing number of other countries are now experimenting with a much wider range of physical protection systems designed specifically to counter drones.
One notable approach to protecting armored vehicle turrets is the Ukrainian “hood”, a folding anti-drone structure designed to shield the turret from above. Variations of the concept have since appeared in russia, China and other countries.
Other designs aim to protect the turret not only from above but also from the sides. One example is a Leopard 2A4 operated by Ukraine’s 33rd Mechanized Brigade:
Some units have gone even further, installing large structures designed to protect much of the entire vehicle. One example is this Ukrainian BTR-4E operated by the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade:
A similar approach can be seen on a Puma infantry fighting vehicle operated by Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade:
One of the main problems with physical anti-drone protection today is the sheer variety of improvised and purpose-built designs. This “zoo” of solutions is not unique to Ukraine. russian forces have also fielded a wide range of protective structures on their armored vehicles.
The russians have also extended this approach beyond armored vehicles. Similar protective structures have been installed around submarines and even entire industrial facilities. In those cases, however, their actual effectiveness is much more questionable.
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