Russo-Ukrainian War: T-80BVM with "Hedgehog" Armor

Source: 6TV.ru

     Photographed in early December 2025, a Russian T-80BVM main battle tank shows off its new anti-drone protection which had been fitted to it by a Russian repair battalion. This type of defense has become known as “hedgehog” armor as it has a resemblance to the spines found on the upper bodies of hedgehogs. Personally, I prefer “toilet brush” armor. When first encountered in smartphone videos in 2025, the rolling “bushes” garnered a good bit of ridicule. Except, that ridicule has since dwindled. Why? That is because the “hedgehog” armor, despite how crazy it looks, works and works well. While mostly seen on Russian tanks, “hedgehog” armor is being applied to other tracked vehicles and even civilian vehicles which Russians utilize. Even some Ukrainian vehicles are adopting the defense.

     So, exactly what makes up “hedgehog” armor? Plain steel cabling. Steel cabling is made up of multiple strands of steel wire wrapped around a fiber or steel core. To make one section of “hedgehog” armor, all that is involved is taking a length of steel cable and unraveling the strands then arranging them into a “bush” so that the strands point outwards in multiple directions. The end of the cable is then welded or bolted down to the vehicle hull. Add more and more sections and the result is what is shown in the photograph. The sections overlap, creating a formidable defense against drones. From this side view of the T-80BVM, there are very few gaps a drone can target and those we do see, there are explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks visible which could defeat a FPV drone. The repair battalion encompassed the turret with a metal frame to which the sections are secured. Soft ERA bags can be seen (the light gray colored objects) above the tank's standard turret ERA.

     From a FPV drone operator's point of view, trying to tackle a “hedgehog” equipped tank is a serious problem. For one, the cameras used by FPV drones are not high quality. This is intentional as FPV drones are expendable and thus costs need to be kept low. Anyone who has viewed FPV drone attack videos knows how grainy the feed are. Now, couple the poor video quality and then add the need for the operator to find a gap in the “hedgehog” armor and exploit it. Any mistake and the FPV drone can get impaled on a strand, a strand can catch a part of the drone and damage it, or a strand can set off the FPV drone's warhead by striking it. If the target is actively moving, well, that exploitation chance diminishes even more. There are videos on social media which show Russian “hedgehog” tanks with Ukrainian FPV drones stuck in the strands. These tanks were ultimately defeated but it took a large number of FPV drones to accomplish the task where without the “hedgehog” armor, one or two drones would have been enough.

     “Hedgehog” armor is not without its disadvantages. For one, larger loitering munitions, the speed of attack makes the bendable strands less effective and sheer velocity can win the day. For example, the Russian ZALA Lancet's terminal attack speed is a little over 186 miles per hour. By comparison, the typical FPV drone musters only 62 miles per hour. Another problem is the weight the additional anti-drone defenses add to the vehicle. This added weight, which the vehicle's engine and drive train is not designed to cope with, leads to mechanical failures. In a Soldier of Fortune Magazine article from December 24, 2025 by A.R. Fomenko, he cites a Russian tank driver whose tank has a full “hedgehog” armor set up. The driver said that the added weight crippled his tank and that it was rare his tank made 6 miles before something in the drive train broke. When available, some “hedgehog” armor equipped tanks are moved by tank transporters to get them closer to the front before the tank has to drive on its own.

For further information on the T-80BVM, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/01/russo-ukrainian-war-t-80bvm-obr-2022.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The InterProInvest "Malyuk" Assault Rifle

Source: inukraine.official on Instagram

     A screen capture from a smartphone video showing a Ukrainian soldier armed with a InterProInvest (IPI) “Malyuk” bullpup rifle. The “Malyuk” (“Baby”) is a development of the Kalashnikov AK-74 assault rifle but is also derived from a previous Ukrainian bullpup rifle, the “Vepr” (“Boar”). The “Vepr”, designed between 2001 and 2003, ended up being a victim of circumstances and did not enter service. Interestingly, the “Malyuk” rifle's development commenced in 2005 with the first prototypes appearing in 2008. It would no be until 2015 that IPI received any sort of feedback from the Ukrainian government following tests. Unlike the “Vepr”, the “Malyuk” actually achieved official adoption by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in 2019 and production continues through the Krasyliv Assembly Manufacturing Plant. As a note, the “Malyuk” is sometimes referred to as the “Vulkan” or “Vulkan-M”.

     As mentioned above, the “Malyuk” is a derivative of the AK-74 and it uses the AK-74's standard barrel (to include the mount and muzzle brake), bolt and bolt carrier, and uses much the same action which is a gas-operated, long-stroke piston, closed rotating bolt design. While the action is the same, the “Malyuk” uses its own gas tube (so it is not interchangeable with a AK-74) and removes the integral cocking handle from the bolt carrier (but otherwise, it remains as the AK-74). Instead, the “Malyuk” has a forward, sleeve mounted polymer charging handle. The handle can be mounted to accommodate left or right handed operators but the change requires disassembly of the rifle. To save weight, the “Malyuk” uses as much polymer components as possible and to enhance strength, some of the polymer parts have metal reinforcements embedded in them. The pistol grip is hollow while the top cover has multiple venting holes within it as further weight reduction measures. The buttpad can swivel and inside, there is a compartment for the standard AK-74 cleaning kit.

     The “Malyuk” can be chambered for one of three cartridges: 5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm NATO, and 7.62x39mm. In the photograph, and based on the magazine design, the soldier is using a 5.56x45mm NATO configured “Malyuk”. The rifle can use 10-, 30-, or 45-round box magazines and if chambered for the Russian rounds, the “Malyuk” can use the same magazines as the AK-74. The maximum rate of fire is between 660 to 700 rounds per minute with an effective range in the region of 500 meters. Out of the box, the “Malyuk” is fitted with iron sights but does feature a Picatinny rail to allow for the mounting of optics. The soldier in the image appears to have a Aimpoint Comp™ M4s red dot reflex sight fitted with flip-up lens covers and he is also using a IPI produced suppressor. Also, attached to the rifle's right front side is a flashlight. The rifle's empty weight is 8.4 pounds.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The 9K310 Igla-1 MANPADS

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

     A soldier belonging to Tactical Group Druzhkivka poses with a 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO reporting name SA-16 Gimlet) MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) surface-to-air (SAM) missile launcher. The word “Igla” in Russian means “needle”. Tactical Group Druzhkivka is a Territorial Defense Force unit that operates in and around Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast where MANPADS such as the Igla-1 are useful against UAVs and drones.

     The Igla-1, which first entered service in 1981, is actually a simplified version of the 9K38 Igla (NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) which appeared in service in 1983. The reason for this is that development of the 9K38 was taking longer than expected  and so it was decided to push a less complex system into the field to more quickly replace the aging 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7 Grail) and 9K34 Strela-3 (SA-14 Gremlin) MANPADS.

     That this is a 9K310 Igla-1 is denoted by the 9M313 fire-and-forget missile protruding from the 9P322 fiber-glass launch tube with its distinctive aerospike mounted on a tripod attached to the nose. The later 9K38 replaced this with a longer aerospike attached directly to the missile's seeker head. The aerospike is used to reduce drag during flight. 

     The warhead has a weight of 2.6 pounds of which .9 of a pound accounts for the HE-FRAG (High-Explosive Fragmentation) payload. The missile has two fuzes, one that will detonate the warhead on a direct impact while the second will set off the warhead from a grazing hit on the target. The missile will also attempt to strike the fuselage of the target and to add to the lethality, there is a second charge that will set off any remaining solid fuel for the motor. The seeker head contains two detectors. The first is a cooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) indium antimonide (InSb) detector for target detection and the second is a uncooled short wavelength infrared (SWIR) lead sulfide (PbS) detector which is used to identify decoy infrared flares. Onboard logic circuits evaluate what the detectors are registering and determine if it is the intended target or flares being deployed to confuse the missile. The missile is also resistant to the U.S. built AN/ALQ-144 series of infrared countermeasure devices.

     The solid fuel rocket motor can push the 9M313 missile to a maximum speed of Mach 1.9 while the missile has a operational range of 3.1 miles with a flight ceiling of 11,000 feet. The missile rolls as it flies, imparting stability and the single set of control surfaces is operated by electrically powered pistons, the energy received from a gas turbine within the missile that is fed by a gas generator. This same gas generator can shunt exhaust over the control surfaces if needed when the airspeed is too low for effective steering. The missile's reaction time is between 5 to 10 seconds and it is capable of engaging an oncoming target with an approach speed of 1,017 feet per second or a retreating target with an egress speed of 853 feet per second.

     The bulbous object the operator's left hand is holding contains a thermal battery but more importantly, it contains liquid nitrogen coolant that keeps the MWIR InSb detector in the seeker head at optimal temperature prior to launch. The Igla-1 can be fitted with the 1L14 IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) to reduce the chance of friendly fire. The 9P519 grip stock, which also contains the 9B328 power supply unit, is detachable and can be detached from a spent launch tube and attached to a fresh one to launch another missile as long as the power supply has enough charge.

Waifus with Raifus: The Colt M1873 Single Action Army Revolver

Credit: Mikael Jansson

     In 2000, fashion model (and later actress) Devon Aoki posed for a series of photographs shot by the renowned Swedish fashion and portrait photographer Mikael Jansson in Stockholm, Sweden. The results of the shoot later appeared in the November 2000 Dutch fashion magazine “Dutch”. In this particular shot from the series, Devon wields a Colt M1873 Peacemaker revolver. Given Sweden's strict laws and regulations on gun ownership, what she is holding is very likely a non-firing replica.

     More accurately called the Colt Single Action Army (Colt SAA), the Peacemaker entered U.S. Army service in 1873 until 1892 as the branch's standard issue revolver. Production ended in 1941 and many Colt SAA weapons served through the entirety of World War Two. The popularity of the Colt SAA saw production resumed between 1956 and 1974, again from 1976 to 1982, and for a third time in 1994 and ever since, the Colt SAA has continued to roll off the lines at Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company.

     The Colt SAA has been offered in nearly 30 different calibers (and numerous variants) during its life and even today, it can be had in at least 11 calibers. However, the most common ammunition for the Colt SAA for its initial service career was the .45 Colt round. The 11.43x33mmR (.45 Colt) is a rimmed, straight-walled, centerfire cartridge and was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 for use in the Colt SAA. Originally using 40 grains of black powder (later reduced to 34 grains), the round produced a muzzle velocity between 850 to 900 feet per second. Against a man-sized target, the effective range of the original round in the hands of a trained person was 69 to 91 meters. A skilled marksman could manage 114 to 137 meters of effective range. Of course, today, the .45 Colt ammunition sold in shops for current production Colt SAA models has a far higher grain count which produces a longer range.

     The Colt SAA is a single-action revolver (hence the SA in the name) which means to ready the revolver to fire, the operator needs to cock the hammer/striker first. Pulling the trigger initiates the “single action” of releasing the hammer/striker which then fires the bullet. Total ammunition capacity is 6 rounds in a metal cylinder. The usual barrel length of the Colt SAA is 7.5 inches but the replica looks to be the shorter, 5.5 inch barrel. Empty, the Colt SAA has a weight of about 2.3 pounds.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The M1A1 AIM Main Battle Tank

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

     The impact on tank protection due to the nature of drone warfare in the Russo-Ukrainian War is fully displayed here by a M1A1 Abrams MBT (Main Battle Tank) belonging to the 425th. Assault Regiment “Skelya”. On the turret front, lower front glacis, turret sides, and hull sides are blocks of Kontakt-1 ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor). The blocks are arranged in bolt-on metal frames which are then secured to the turret, hull, and in the case of the sides, to the standard M1A1 side skirt panels. The next layer of protection comes from the rubber panels that hang down almost to the ground on the sides and front of the tank. Another strip of rubber paneling is seen underneath the rearmost frame of ERA on the turret side. Cheap to make and fix to tanks and other armored vehicles, the panels provide a small measure of defense against HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) munitions and older anti-tank rockets. The third layer of defense, meant for drones specifically, is the collapsible metal frame seen over the tank. Shown deployed, the frame supports fishing netting (not fitted here) that serves to impede or defeat an FPV drone from striking the tank. Of interest, along the turret sides, there is framing for netting in front of the ERA. Framing for netting can also be seen on the rear of the tank's hull. As a note, the round object on the left front of the turret is a spare road wheel and the tank sports its original Australian Army three-tone camouflage pattern.

     The M1A1 seen here is former Australian Army. In 2006, the Australian Army purchased 59 M1A1 AIM (Abrams Integrated Management) tanks and replaced the Leopard AS1 then in service by 2007. In June 2022, Australia committed to a purchase of a large number of armored vehicles from the U.S. which included 75 modernized M1A2 tanks. On October 17, 2024, Australia announced it was providing Ukraine with a donation of 49 of its M1A1 tanks and by December 2025, all of them have been delivered. Of this total, it is not known how many are operational as a October 16, 2024 ABC Australia report by Andrew Greene stated some would have required repair and that those tanks may simply be sent to Ukraine for parts rather than be restored to operational readiness.

     It should be noted that the Australian M1A1 AIM, as well as the U.S. provided M1A1 SA tanks, do not feature the high-density depleted uranium (DU) mesh within the composite armor that makes up the tank's defense. The U.S. still restricts the export of M1 series tanks with DU mesh. Instead, the DU is replaced with either tungsten or titanium. This means the M1A1 AIM and M1A1 SA are more vulnerable to kinetic penetrator munitions in comparison to U.S. operated M1 series tanks.

     Power for the 61-ton M1A1 comes from a Avco Lycoming (Honeywell) AGT-1500 air-cooled gas turbine engine that develops 1,500 gross horsepower. This is paired to a Allison X1100-3B hydrokinetic, automatic transmission with a 6 speed gearbox (4 forward, 2 reverse). Steering is via hydrostatic T-bar. The maximum road speed is 41.5 miles per hour with a road cruising range of 289 miles. This relatively low range is due to the high fuel consumption of the engine despite the 505 gallons of onboard fuel carried. The engine is multi-fuel and for maximum efficiency, JP-8 fuel should be used. However, the AGT-1500 can run on standard diesel, gasoline, or even kerosene though performance will be impacted.

     The main weapon is the M256 120mm gun with the stabilized gun mount providing 20 degrees of elevation and 10 degrees of depression. The turret provides the gun with 360 degrees of traverse. A full turret traverse can be accomplished in 9 seconds while the maximum gun elevation can be achieved in under 1 second. Gun laying is electrohydraulic with a manual backup system. Gun loading is manual with a maximum fire rate of 6 rounds per minute. Firing is assisted using a mostly automatic digital ballistic computer. A total of 40 rounds are carried for the M256. As for ammunition, the M256 can fire any NATO compatible 120x570mm round. The M829A1 APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) is able to drill through 650mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 60 degree slope out to a range of 1.2 miles. The M830A1 HEAT-MP-T (High-Explosive Anti-Tank Multipurpose Tracer) has a maximum range of 1.6 miles and features a proximity fuse that is set prior to firing. The aluminum sabot is lighter than that fired by the M829A1, hence the longer range. In addition, the round is usable against armored targets, slow moving aerial targets (such as helicopters), hardened targets (bunkers and buildings), and light armored vehicles. Finally, the M908 HE-OR-T (High-Explosive Obstacle Reduction Tracer) is primarily utilized against hardened targets such as concrete blockhouses and buildings. The round is derived from the M830A1, replacing the sabot and fusing with a hard steel nose that allows the round to punch through concrete before detonating. Other munitions include the M1028 canister round filled with 1,100 tungsten balls (maximum effective range of 500 meters) and the M831 TP-T (Target Practice Tracer) round.

     Secondary armament consists of a coaxial M240 7.62mm machine-gun which is provided with 10,000 rounds of ammunition while the loader is also provided with a M240 outside his hatch on the turret along with 1,400 rounds of ammunition. The commander is provided with a M2 .50 caliber heavy machine-gun on the turret top along with a total of 900 rounds for the weapon. It can be operated from within the turret. Finally, there is provision for a 5.56mm M16A1 rifle with 210 rounds. In the photograph, the M2 is fitted but the loader's M240 is missing from the shielded gun mount.

     For protection, the M1A1 uses welded RHA steel armor on the turret and hull. The front of the turret and hull add composite armor arrays consisting of ceramic blocks set within resin between layers of RHA armor. The exact composition remains classified and neither has the specific protection capability of the M1A1 been released. What follows is a Soviet estimate as provided in Steven Zaloga's M1 Abrams vs. T-72 Ural: Operation Desert Storm 1991. From the front, the turret and hull provides 600mm of protection against APFSDS rounds and 700mm of protection against HEAT munitions. This estimate is based on the standard armor configuration that includes the DU mesh. Other protective features include two smoke grenade launchers (one on each side of the turret, with a total of 24 grenades), automatic Halon fire detection/extinguishing system, ammunition blowout panels (which shunt ammunition explosion forces outside the turret), two manually operated Halon extinguishers, overpressure NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) system, M13A1 gas/particulate filter, M43A1 chemical agent detector, AN/VDR radiac nuclear agent detector, and 1 ½ quart of ABC M11 decontamination fluid dispenser.

     For other systems and equipment, the gunner is provided with a primary and auxiliary sight, azimuth indicator, elevation quadrant, and a M1A1 quadrant which assist in direct and indirect fire. There is also a integrated Hughes (Raytheon) built thermal imaging subsystem (TIS). The driver has three periscopes and one night vision periscope while the commander has six periscopes and his own weapon sight. The loader only has a single periscope. For communications, the M1A1 has either a AN/VRC-12 or AN/VRC-64 radio system. To permit infantry working with the tank to talk with the crew, there is a external interphone box at the rear of the tank which connects to the crew's own internal AN/VIC-1 interphone network (which has four stations, one for each crew member).