Russia's BMD‑4 to be repurposed as anti-drone arsenal
The Rostec corporation has announced efforts to adapt BMD-4 vehicles for use as anti-drone systems. Although the BMD-4 was originally designed for entirely different roles, the Russians are looking to utilise its formidable armaments to destroy drones.
The BMD-4 is a light infantry fighting vehicle intended for use by airborne troops. Like the rest of the BMD family, it is lightly armoured, contributing to its low weight of around 14 tonnes.
This allows the vehicle to be transported by air and even airdropped with parachutes, with the crew inside. Upon a successful landing, combat operations can commence almost immediately.
The strength of the BMD-4 lies in its powerful weaponry—similar to the BMP-3—making it arguably the most heavily armed infantry fighting vehicle in the world. Its arsenal includes a 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon, a 100mm 2A70 gun that also functions as a launcher for 9M117 Bastion/Arkan anti-tank missiles, and two machine guns.
BMD-4M as a drone hunter
The BMD-4 is equipped with formidable armaments but offers only modest protection for its crew. In Russia, it's grimly nicknamed as a shared tomb for paratroopers, highlighting the risks faced by those operating it. The inability to use these vehicles as intended has prompted Rostec to explore utilising the current BMD-4M version as a base for an anti-drone system.
To this end, the vehicle is to be modernised and adapted to use programmable ammunition, significantly increasing its effectiveness against small, agile targets such as drones. The modernised BMD-4 will also be fitted with an anti-drone jammer.
However, in presenting its proposal, Rostec did not address the known limitations of the BMD-4. One such limitation is the low elevation angle of its armament, which at 60 degrees is inadequate for anti-aircraft purposes.
The Russian corporation also makes no mention of sensor replacements or upgrades to the fire control system. Although the BMD-4 is equipped with the modern Bachcha-U turret system featuring an advanced fire control system, the current version can only target relatively slow airborne objects, like helicopters, and not dynamically manoeuvring drones.
