Aptly dubbed the “dandelion anti-drone system” on social media, Russia’s newest idea of dealing with remote-controlled drones has been getting a lot of attention online. A lot of people just can’t get over how weird it makes tanks look, while others are comparing the design to that of anti-bird metal spikes for buildings.
Russia’s newest anti-drone defense system consists of dozens of branching metal florets attached to the tank so they can trigger enemy FPV drones before they reach the vehicle’s hull. The rods are made of flexible material and interconnected into a branch-like system using easily detachable coupling elements.
“The tree-like structure comprises multiple tiers. Each tier contains flexible rods of varying lengths and cross-sections,” X user AndreiBtvt wrote on the popular social network”. The upper tiers are made of thin-section rods, while the lower tiers consist of thicker-section rods. The number of rods increases from the bottom tier to the top.”
No dandelion tanks have been spotted on the front lines in Ukraine, but some experts expect the system to be tested by Russian forces in real-world conditions soon. In theory, the system seems like it could work, but only in the case of FPV drones. Anti-tank missiles and Baba Yaga drops would render it completely useless.
If there is one thing that everyone seems to agree on, it’s how ugly dandelion tanks look covered in these dozens of florets.
