A video exhibits inside a brand new turtle tank the Russians constructed for the conflict in Ukraine that comes with a fold-out steel mattress

• Russia has constructed a brand new model of the “Turtle Tank” with some new options on it.

• In a video, a Russian soldier exhibits a foldable steel mattress contained in the construction.

• The fixed presence of drones has pressured either side so as to add new protections to their automobiles.

The Russian army has constructed wild-looking “turtle tanks” to defend its weak tanks from the risks of exploding drones. A brand new one confirmed off in a video this week featured a fold-out steel mattress.

The extremely uncommon add-on speaks to how the conflict is forcing variations to the ever-present threat of drones on the battlefield, in addition to how lethal exploding drone strikes on tanks and army automobiles will be.

A video that seems to be from Russian-state media outlet Zvezda started circulating round social media on Thursday. It exhibits a slightly massive steel construction constructed on prime of a T-80 tank. The perimeters are lined aside from the entrance, the place the tank’s principal gun extends out of chains.

The armored shell with the gun protruding, which resembles a turtle with its head caught out, earned the automobiles the nickname “turtle tanks,” although the Russians name them “Tsar Mangal,” referencing the anti-drone armor and previous Russian weapons.

Within the video, Russian troopers speak concerning the adaptation and the way the metal shell protects from drones. At one level, one of many troops exhibits a retractable steel mattress constructed into the aspect of the wall, noting that troopers can relaxation in between fight.

Enterprise Insider couldn’t independently confirm the small print of the video, together with when or the place the video was taken. Footage that includes the identical tank design appeared in a Russian Ministry of Protection video on Telegram earlier this week, and that video has since been shared on YouTube. That video indicated motion someplace round Donetsk.

This new turtle tank design seems to be the newest to return from the Russian aspect, which has been welding unusual armor on its tanks and automobiles to assist shield from drone assaults. Ukraine, too, has additionally been doing this, although not fairly like this.

For either side, drones, significantly small first-person-view drones have turn out to be a persistent drawback, with operators flying them by open tank hatches, causing massive explosions, or immediately right into a car’s most weak areas.

Cage armor started showing on tanks and armored automobiles final 12 months, signaling that Russia and Ukraine had been working to adapt to the rising risk of drones.

Pictures of the primary makes an attempt at cage armor confirmed pretty crude designs, akin to easy netting across the sides and tops of the tanks. The armor has since turn out to be way more advanced, as demonstrated by Russia’s new turtle tank.

The turtle tank, although, stays one of the more unusual designs seen in the war. Though it could be an efficient resolution to the drone drawback, a minimum of among the time, it additionally takes away one of many benefits of Russian tanks, making them easier to spot and shoot on the battlefield.

Learn the unique article on Business Insider