New Russian Tank Design Features 'Cope Cage' and Explosive Reactive Armor

A video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense shows a T-72B3 tank with a metal screen, known as "cope cage," and an added layer of Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) bricks on top. The cope cage is a countermeasure against loitering munitions and drones, particularly the Turkish-made TB-2. The ERA works to defend against attacks by armor-penetrating weapons, such as high-explosive, armor-piercing rounds. It is unclear if the Kontakt-1 bricks could make the cope cage more viable against top-attack capable anti-tank missiles.