The first combat debut of the Russian "Arena-M" system against FPV drones ended in failure – Defence Blog
Kyiv • UNN
A Ukrainian FPV drone struck a Russian T-72B3A tank equipped with the "Arena-M" system near Donetsk. This is the first public evidence of the system's failure in real-world conditions.
The first publicly documented combat use of the modernized Russian active protection system "Arena-M" against FPV drones ended in failure. This was reported by Defence Blog, citing "Militarnyi," writes UNN.
Details
In the published video, a Ukrainian FPV drone struck a Russian T-72B3A tank equipped with the "Arena-M" system. The hit landed on the rear part of the vehicle, which remains the most vulnerable, as the radar and launchers of the system primarily cover the frontal and side projections of the tank.
According to "Militarnyi," the episode occurred during an assault near the settlement of Mayak in the Donetsk region, involving a column of ten Russian tanks. The publication notes that it is currently impossible to determine why the system did not work: it may have failed to intercept FPV drones despite Russian claims, been turned off, or already used its entire stock of counter-munitions by the time of the attack.
As Defence Blog recalls, in early 2026, Russia announced the modernization of "Arena-M," which was supposed to receive a special mode for countering drones. At the same time, Russian military experts previously acknowledged that the system's radar has difficulty detecting small FPV drones due to their low speed, chaotic flight trajectory, and the complexity of distinguishing them from ground clutter.
The publication notes that this incident became the first public evidence of "Arena-M" failing in real combat conditions against an FPV drone. Although a single episode does not allow for a final assessment of the system's effectiveness, it casts doubt on Russian claims about its ability to reliably protect armored vehicles from modern drones.