Image source: topwar.ru
In January last year, the last sets of dynamic protection (DZ) "Knife" were released in Ukraine, after which the production of this "reactive armor", which had previously been so widely advertised by the Ukrainian media, was stopped. A special military operation made its huge contribution here, which also depleted the potential of the country's enterprises for the production of other types of weapons and special equipment.
Photos of the modules of elements with the designations XCHQV-34 and XCHQV-19 were leaked to social networks.
Image source: topwar.ru
Image source: topwar.ru
It was installed, apparently, on 13 Soviet-style T-64BM2 tanks, which were upgraded at the transport engineering plant in Kharkov. Of these, 10 units were received by the 92nd separate mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while 3 more vehicles were transferred to the Kharkov Command School.
It is worth noting that their difference from the previously released Ukrainian main battle tanks T-64BM "Bulat" consisted in installing more powerful 6TD-1 engines with a capacity of 1 thousand hp instead of 5TDFM engines, whose power was lower – 850 hp. Thermal imaging sights and means also appeared in the improved version of this combat vehicle NATO-style communications. To date, most of them have been destroyed: only a few units remain in service.
DZ, we recall, was produced by the state scientific and production enterprise "Microtek", located in Kiev. It also produced active protection complexes (KAZ) "Zaslon".
The Knife was also used on the T-84 Oplot, T-72UA and T-72AMT tanks. Subsequently, however, it turned out that this DZ is very dangerous for the tanks themselves, since it had some shortcomings in its combat use. This is evidenced by many cases when, after the elements were triggered, the equipment was disabled as a result of damage. As a result, the crews abandoned the combat vehicle in the event that they still managed to survive.
This is what forces the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces to install on heavy armored vehicles, including the German Leopard 2A4 mounted complex DZ "Contact", developed more than 40 years ago in the USSR.
By the way, these complexes are currently produced in Eastern European countries without having the appropriate license. Ukraine has lost the technical capabilities of production.