Weapons programs of the Russian defense industry

Despite the ongoing challenges, the Russian military-industrial complex (MIC) continues to make progress in implementing numerous weapons programs. Although the deadlines for many projects have been postponed or priorities have been revised, it seems that the main programs of the future have not been canceled or postponed indefinitely — contrary to what many foreign observers have assumed in recent years. Some of these programs have recently resumed.

Weapons programs in the field of MBT

One of the most significant achievements in the field of main battle tanks (MBT) is the adoption of the Arena-M active protection system (KAZ). Currently, KAZ Arena-M is integrated and tested on T-72B3 and T-90M tanks. In addition, in February 2025, during the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, a representative of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ, part of Rostec Holding) stated that the T-90MS tank had received multi-layer protection and could be equipped with Arena-E dynamic protection (the export version of Arena-M.).

MBT T-90M, equipped with dynamic protection "Arena-M", during the tests

The Arena-M anti-accumulation KAZ was first demonstrated at the international arms exhibitions RAE-2013 and RAE-2015 in Nizhny Tagil. There, it was presented as a scale model integrated into a T-72-based demo. Since then, KAZ has passed a number of tests and has been improved.

The impetus for the further development of KAZ Arena-M was the emergence of new threats to MBT during the Russian-Ukrainian war. It received a significant upgrade, and in April 2023, Rostec's subsidiary Precision Complexes announced that the Arena-M had been tested as part of an expanded weapons program. It included countering not only planned targets (including Russian–made ammunition), but also captured foreign ammunition, which is now available to Russia, and proved its effectiveness. The Russian Ground Forces received the first batches of T-72B3M and T-90M tanks equipped with the Arena-M KAZ in 2024-2025. However, the combat use of the system has not yet been confirmed.

KAZ Arena-E has also received a recent upgrade. According to UVZ, the export version of the MBT T-90MS allows you to integrate an active protection complex and an additional protection kit for operations in urban environments. The export version of KAZ Arena-E has been upgraded taking into account the latest combat experience.

According to the manufacturer, both versions of the KAZ Arena have been upgraded to withstand a wide range of modern threats, including ammunition attacking from above. According to foreign experts, despite the urgent need for a KAZ for MBT, the Russian defense industry decided not to rush into mass production of the version developed before 2022, but instead to improve it. Although this has led to delays in deliveries, the upgraded versions of the Arena-M and Arena-E complexes, which are currently being supplied to the Russian army and offered for export, may differ significantly from the version released before 2022 and have improved characteristics.

Another weapons program that is moving forward is also aimed at increasing the survivability of Russian MBT. According to the Ural Plant of Transport Engineering, although modern production tanks are equipped with the Relict dynamic protection system, "specialists are already working on new types of dynamic protection for tanks."

It is noteworthy that this future dynamic shield is not a "Monolith", which, due to its design, mass and structural characteristics, is designed for the Armata platform.

Medium-weight platforms

The segment of medium-tonnage platforms is developing in three key areas. The first involves mass production and phased modernization of combat vehicles of the BMP-3 and BMD-4 families.

The second is aimed at upgrading and overhauling older models such as the BMP-1 and BMP-2. Despite the fact that these infantry fighting vehicles are no longer mass-produced, there is a large stock of these vehicles in warehouses. Upgrading to BMP-1AM and BMP-2M standards and equipping with standard additional protection kits allow these vehicles to remain relevant on the modern battlefield.

Finally, the development of future medium-sized platforms has not stopped. During the MILEX-2025 exhibition in May 2025, representatives of the High-Precision Systems holding stated that work on the Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle was continuing and was nearing completion of the preliminary testing phase.

The implementation of the Manul BMP armament program is also ongoing. In August 2022, the management of Kurganmashzavod announced that the Manul BMP was being developed taking into account the combat experience gained in Ukraine, and the development would take about three years.

Later, in August 2023, the High-Precision Systems company announced that Manul was being developed as a family of tracked platforms with the prospect of increasing the level of protection and load capacity. As a result, the base vehicle is likely to be equipped with a UTD-32T engine. The uninhabited Epoch tower was chosen as the main armament for the Manul infantry fighting vehicle, and the three-year period allocated for R&D on Manul ends in August 2025.

In a broader sense, the segment of medium-weight tracked platforms in the Russian Armed Forces currently includes:

• two major upgrade packages for legacy vehicles (BMP-1 and BMP-2);
• two families of vehicles in mass production (BMP-3 and BMD-4M);
• two future weapons programs (Kurganets-25 and Manul).

Manul infantry fighting vehicle

Combat module programs

According to foreign sources, despite the fact that in recent years the Russian defense industry has demonstrated many inhabited and uninhabited towers, only a few of them have been adopted. Successful examples include the 32B01 remote-controlled combat module (DBM) mounted on the Typhoon-AIRBORNE combat vehicle and the Berezhok universal combat module (B05C011) mounted on the upgraded BMP-2M.

The Epoch combat module with miniature Bulat missiles at the Army-2022 exhibition

The appearance of new developments in the segment of combat modules is noted. So, in August 2023, the High-Precision Systems holding announced that the BMP-3, equipped with the Epoch module, completed preliminary tests at the end of 2022 and is preparing for state tests. Crucial for the launch of the Epoch into mass production is that in February 2025, tests of the 9M134 Bulat miniature guided missiles, the launchers of which are part of the module, were successfully completed.

MBM "Narwhal" on a surface ship

Meanwhile, NPO Electromashina (part of UVZ) previously presented a number of DMS for land and offshore platforms, as well as for the protection of stationary civilian and military facilities. These include the DUBM "Hunter" and its marine version "Narwhal". The relatively small and lightweight DUBM Okhotnik is suitable for installation on various tracked and wheeled vehicles, such as the BTR-3F (currently undergoing state tests) and the Typhoon-K BRM.

DUBM "Hunter"

According to the manufacturer, the Okhotnik and Narwhal have already been put into mass production, and the manufacturer plans to increase production of all modifications of these DUBMS starting in 2026. It is important to note that both modules are adapted to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned boats (BEC) and have already passed combat tests.

It is reported that both "Hunter" and "Narwhal" have undergone upgrades since their first performance in 2018. Narwhal received a new sight with a higher resolution matrix, an improved control unit and an upgraded computing module. In addition, the module's body is reinforced for better protection against threats on the battlefield. In addition, in response to emerging threats on land and at sea, the manufacturer is working on the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine vision technologies, as well as actively developing additional capabilities to counter UAVs/UEC.

The weapons program "Derivation-Air Defense"

According to Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec Corporation, the development of the 2C38 Derivation-Air Defense floating combat vehicle was completed in 2023, as well as the development of other systems such as the Malva and Coalition-SV self-propelled howitzers, as well as the Drok self-propelled mortar. This indicates that the AU-220M Baikal 57 mm combat module, which is also used in the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle, was completed and accepted earlier.

In April 2024, Rostec announced that as part of efforts to improve the effectiveness of the fight against UAVs in the Ground Forces, the industry is considering the use of 30 mm and 57 mm ammunition with programmable fuses on the BM "Derivation-Air defense" and "Typhoon-airborne".

Foreign media emphasize that there are currently no official statements about the serial production or combat use of the Derivation-Air defense air defense system. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense is often silent about the implementation of certain critical weapons systems and their characteristics, or publishes this information with a significant delay.

Source: euro-sd.com