A rarely seen variant of the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) has been spotted near the battlefield in Ukraine, as depicted in footage shared by Russian telegram channels.
This newly spotted modification features additional explosive reactive armor (ERA), marking a potential upgrade to enhance its defensive capabilities.
It is speculated that the BMP-3 has been equipped with the 4S24 ERA kits, specifically developed to address the vulnerability of light vehicles within the framework of the “Karkas-2” program. The 4S24 system offers comparable anti-cumulative protection to the 4S20 Kontakt explosive reactive armor while containing half the explosive material.
To prevent damage to the lightly armored hull, the dynamic protection elements are housed in a container between layers of foam polymer material, ensuring controlled deceleration of the detonated metal plates that penetrate light armor. This design aims to disrupt the cumulative jet while maintaining its primary function of mitigating penetration.
Russian sources claim that the Karkas-2 dynamic protection system has successfully prevented detonation transfer between protection elements, providing crucial defense against the impact of cumulative jets.
The BMP-3 has been outfitted with 4S24 blocks along its sides and frontal projection. However, these measures do not shield it from the threat posed by Ukrainian suicide drones, highlighting ongoing challenges in enhancing vehicle protection amid evolving battlefield technologies.