The Ukrainian Defense Forces have widely adopted a lightweight, foldable anti-drone screen for tanks and armored vehicles – nicknamed the “hood” – which Russia has now copied and patented.
According to a report by Defense Express, Ukrainian tank crews use the “hood,” a mesh screen designed to guard against both first-person-view (FPV) drones and munitions dropped from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
“Hood” on a T-64 tank / Photo: AFU’s 17th Motorized Rifle Brigade
The system is praised for maintaining visibility and enabling safe evacuation from a vehicle if needed.
“In Russia, where heavier and more cumbersome solutions are used, they have traditionally stolen the Ukrainian development and even patented it,” Defense Express wrote, citing armored vehicle researcher Andriy Tarasenko.
The Russian patent, registered by the Karbyshev Military Engineering Academy, describes a nearly identical screen designed to protect armored vehicles from overhead threats - including drones and munitions with homing warheads.
This is what the Russian “patent” for a Ukrainian solution looks like / t.me/btvt2019
It emphasizes the screen’s mobility and quick deployment, without compromising the tank’s existing armor.
In fact, the Russian documentation praises the system’s performance, stating it has a 1.2 to 1.5 times higher effectiveness-to-cost ratio compared to other known designs.
“That’s quite an endorsement of the Ukrainian solution,” Defense Express wrote. “But it also means that the Russian military is likely preparing to roll it out in the field, not just patent it.”
Since early April 2024, Russian forces have increased their use of so-called “barn tanks” – tanks modified with bulky metal structures to protect against drone attacks.
These improvised designs, also known as “turtle tanks,” have been spotted during the ongoing Russian offensives in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk, where heavy fighting continues.
Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), told Kyiv Post that these modifications began appearing as Ukraine expanded its use of FPV drones to strike Russian forces more effectively. In response, Russian troops have turned to both electronic warfare and makeshift physical defenses like grills, cages, and barn-like canopies.
Yusov added that while these add-ons currently reduce drone effectiveness, Ukrainian developers are rapidly adapting with new drone tactics and technologies.
The “barn tanks” are often used to breach minefields ahead of armored personnel carriers, though not always successfully. One video showed a heavily modified tank hitting a mine and being abandoned by its crew.
In October 2023, Russia’s Uralvagonzavod rolled out factory-made T-72B3 tanks with built-in anti-drone canopies – standardized versions inspired by earlier makeshift designs.
According to Russian state media, the canopy was developed using frontline feedback to better protect tanks from kamikaze drones and munitions dropped from above.
Rostec, the state defense conglomerate, said the new canopies offer a “simple but effective” solution and are now being installed on new tanks as standard.