Anti-drone meshes (commonly nicknamed "barbecues" or "mangals"[a] inRussian andUkrainian or "cope cages" in English[1]) refer to metal lattices that surroundground military vehicles to provide additional protection fromdrone strikes, a practice which became widespread during theRussian invasion of Ukraine. Such protection uses aspaced armour approach, and is designed to induce the premature detonation or malfunction of incoming munitions.
In August 2021, Ukrainian sources first reported that Russian tanks were beginning to be equipped with special grilles (nicknamed "barbecues" or "mangals" by Ukrainian sources) welded onto theirturrets.[2] Tanks amassed by theRussian military for itsinvasion of Ukraine also frequently had these grilles. They were likely inspired by anti-drone measures adopted as response to the drone problem in Syria,[3] but media adopted the alternative explanation that they were intended to protect the tank from attacks from above, which could be inflicted by Ukrainian-acquiredJavelinanti-tank missile systems andBayraktar TB2 combat drones.[4][5] Ukrainian military media outlet Militarnyi considered their effectiveness in preventing Javelin strikes to be questionable, and noted they also hindered crew operations and increased the size of the tank's outline.[6][7][8]
PT-91 tank with anti-drone metal mesh in the Ukrainian 117th Heavy Mechanized Brigade
With the beginning of the extremely widespread use ofmultirotor drones that drop ammunition and small, cheapbarrage munitions, such asFPV drones and RussianLancets by both sides of the war, there was a need to protect military equipment from such warfare. This was especially the case due to such drones frequently costing between several hundred dollars to several tens of thousands of dollars being able to destroy military equipment worth millions of dollars. One of the most common means of protection was a variety of nets and grilles to stop the fall of afree-falling munition, cause a premature explosion of theshaped charge of the drone, or prevent its detonation.[9][10][11]
The simplest such protection developed was ametal net stretched over branches or a frame, not attached to the equipment and installed above firing positions or encampment. Several instances of equipment saved by simple netting during the war were reported.[12][13]
More complex solutions involved welding nets or cages directly to the equipment. For example, the Russian "mangals", turned out to be effective at protecting equipment from small UAVs. Later, both the Russians and Ukrainians began to actively install lightweight metal fencing on their own equipment, includingself-propelled artillery, tanks, andmultiple rocket launchers.[14][15][16] Metal nets have also been installed on Western military equipment transferred to Ukraine, such as theChallenger 2.[17]
To circumvent the protection of the grids, it is possible to use remote detonation of a shaped charge. For example, in November 2023 Russian Lancets were able to attack Ukrainian equipment equipped with metal netting usinglidar.[18]
In April 2024, Russians began using tanks with massive superstructures that covered them almost completely from above and on the sides. Some were equipped withelectronic warfare and/ormine trawls.[19][20][21] Ukrainian military and media mockingly dubbed these tanks ‘blyatmobiles’ (Блятьмобиль),[22] ‘assault garages’ (штурмовые гаражи), and "turtle tanks", among others.[23]
Based on the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war, anti-drone "mangals" have become widespread in other countries. For example, they were used onMerkava tanks used by Israeli troops during theGaza war.[1]
Similar solutions were also reported onIndian andChinese military equipment.[24][25]
On 21 January 2025, during DefenceIQ’s International Armoured Vehicles exhibition and conference, the British Defense Ministry announced that it was trialing Challenger 2 tanks equipped with anti-drone cages.[26][27]
Several similar nets also appeared in September 2023 at Russian airfields after Ukrainian drone strikes to protect against them.[29] In March 2024, a "barbecue" installed on aDelta IV-class nuclear submarine was spotted nearGadzhiyevo.[30]
^"Ланцет: застосування та протидія" [Lancet: application and counteraction].Мілітарний. Чесні новини про армію, війну та оборону. (in Ukrainian). Retrieved2025-01-25.
^"Сітка врятувала САУ Krab від "Ланцета"" [The net saved the Krab self-propelled gun from the Lancet].Мілітарний. Чесні новини про армію, війну та оборону. (in Ukrainian). Retrieved2025-01-25.
^"Росіяни від дронів на САУ наварюють решітки" [Russians weld grilles on self-propelled guns from drones].Мілітарний. Чесні новини про армію, війну та оборону. (in Ukrainian). Retrieved2025-01-25.
