Surviving the City Fight

21st Century Armor in the Urban Canyon

By John Antal

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An American soldier moves through an urban training facility and uses simulated rounds to enhance the
training's realism on Fort Hood, Texas. Training for urban warfare as cities grow around the world has
become a pressing skill needed by every army. (Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Banzhaf)
High resolution Photo location: https://www.defense.gov/observe/photo-gallery/igphoto/2002034045/

Future wars will be fought in cities and megacities. These complex battlefields absorb
combat power like a sponge to water. Military strategists from Sun Tzu to the current day
have warned commanders to avoid urban combat whenever possible. Today’s megacities
are the focus of political, economic, military, and human power. In 2019, nearly 55% of
the world’s population lives in urban areas. By 2050, the United Nations projects that
68% of all humans will live in cities. In the wars to come, it will be nearly impossible to
avoid the concrete and steel battlefield of urban combat. Modern cities are often
composed of buildings that are 20-70 stories tall. Fighting to take a vigorously defended
modern city will require a tremendous investment of combat power and will most likely
result in heavy casualties to both friend and foe. Sieges may become the preferred tactic,

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but in every fight, military forces must think carefully about how to improve the
survivability of their forces in urban combat.

Urban terrain poses challenges to military operations, diluting the range, precision,
sensing, communication, and protection advantage of modern military forces. Successful
military operations in cities require a well-trained and properly equipped combined arms
team. There are no easy, high-tech, bloodless solutions to this kind of battle. In addition,
anyone who has studied urban combat knows that the central element of any combined
arms team is the main battle tank (MBT). Tanks, therefore, are vital to winning in urban
combat. Tanks provide mobile precision, high-caliber, highly destructive firepower,
command and control, networking, and cooperative engagement capabilities -- a term
that is becoming known as mobile striking power. Only tanks can provide this mobile
striking power and maneuver over and through the ruined city-scape in urban warfare
while protecting their crews. MBTs today, however, are optimized for open terrain, long-
range combat, and not the close-in battle of the urban canyon. An urban canyon is a place
where the street is flanked by tall concrete and steel buildings on both sides, creating a
man-made canyon-like environment. In this terrain, tanks and armored infantry fighting
vehicles are easy prey for short-range attacks by rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) and
antitank guided missiles (ATGMs).

The traditional method of increasing the survivability of armored vehicles is to add more
armor, but the weight of the current generation of main battle tanks is now so heavy that
adding additional armor is no longer practical. Other means of enhancing armored
vehicle survival involve active and passive protection against attack. Recent
technological advancements are now addressing some of the limitations of armor
survivability in the steel of concrete canyons of modern cities. Let’s look at some recent
technical developments in active protection systems and reactive armor that can improve
the survivability of armored vehicles in city fights.

Active Protection Systems

Active protection systems (APS) are designed to automatically acquire, track, and
respond with hard or soft kill capabilities to incoming threats. APS technologies have
been employed for decades on some armored vehicles and have recently been employed
and proven on battlefields in Iraq, Syria, and Israel. There are two general categories of
APS: “Hard-kill” and “Soft Kill.”

A hard-kill APS detects, engages, and destroys or neutralizes an incoming threat by

firing some type of projectile before the threat can strike a protected vehicle. There
are many hard-kill APS systems. The best APS defeat laterally fired RPGs, ATGMs,
and tank projectiles. Only a few of the hard-kill APS that are currently deployed will
defeat top-attack munitions, and this is an important discriminator. The most

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prominent hard-kill systems are Trophy, Iron Fist, the Active Defense System (ADS),
Arena, and Afghanit.

• Trophy is an APS that is produced by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense

Systems Ltd. Rafael produces the Iron Dome system that is battle proven in
defending Israeli cities from rocket and missile strikes. The Trophy APS is the
second operational system ever deployed (the first was the Russian Drozd APS
developed in the 1980s) and is battle-tested. Trophy is comprised of three
elements: an advanced detection system using a EL/M-2133 four-faced
distributed active electronically scanned array Pulse Doppler radar; a
sophisticated tracking system; and automated hard-kill countermeasures. The
automated hard-kill countermeasure consists of two containers that fire
explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) to explode near the incoming warhead to
deflect it from the intended target. With two containers mounted on the M1A2
SEPv3 MBT, and each container holding two sets of countermeasures, Trophy
can stop four incoming attacks. According to Rafael, this provides the vehicle
with “360-degree protection in azimuth, as well as extensive high elevation
coverage.” Upon an attack, Trophy alerts the crew with an instant indication to
identify the source of hostile fire. It operates on the move, protects the vehicle
against both long and short-range RPG, ATGM, and tank High Explosive Anti-
Tank (HEAT) rounds. It can also defeat multiple attacks from several
directions. Trophy is operational on many of Israel’s Merkava Mark-IV MBT
and is being installed on four brigades of US M1A2 SEPv3 MBTs Trophy has a
proven capability to fully operate with other radio frequency (RF) systems in a
close proximity which helps to limit interference from other APSs operating in
multiple vehicle formations. Trophy cannot stop kinetic energy (KE) tank or
artillery rounds. In addition, a pre-defined safety zone for friendly troops on
the ground should be set to preclude casualties from friendly APS fire.

• Iron Fist is an APS designed by Israel Military Industries (IMI) for light 4x4
vehicles, to medium and heavy armored vehicles. The Iron Fist uses a multi-
sensor early warning system, consisting of infrared and radar sensors, to detect
the threat and activate multi-layered defenses, comprising electro-optical
jammers, instantaneous smoke screens and, when necessary, automatically fire
an explosive projectile interceptor to defeat an incoming RPG or ATGM. The
Iron Fist effectively protects against the full spectrum of Anti-Tank (AT) threats
including AT Rockets fired at short range, in open area or urban environments,
AT Guided Missiles, tank launched High Explosive AT rounds. IMI also claims
that Irion Fist can stop KE rounds. The Israeli Defense Forces have installed
Iron Fist on the Namer armored personnel carrier. In May 2019, the US Army
and the UK Ministry of Defense announced plans to test a version of the Iron
Fist (designated as Iron Fist Light Decoupled [IF-LD]) active protection
system (APS). "These items will be installed on Bradley Fighting Vehicles

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(IFV) for testing and as needed to meet the demands of the European
Deterrence Initiative," the US Army announced in May 2019.

• Active Defense System (ADS) is an APS designed by Germany’s Rheinmetall

Defense. ADS is one of the fastest and lightest APS and uses “directed energy”
to destroy incoming projectiles. This isn’t “directed energy” in the form of a
laser. The Rheinmetall “directed energy” system is a closely guarded secret, but
it seems to be a system where a tungsten powder or other metal powder is fired
in a jet-stream-like counterstrike against the incoming threat. Rheinmetall
states that the ADS “is based on the hard-kill principle, in which incoming
projectiles are detected and instantly – i.e. within microseconds – destroyed by
“directed energy” immediately before reaching their target. It is the only high-
performance close-in defense system which minimizes collateral damage in the
vicinity of the vehicle.” Rheinmetall declares that this APS is a critical
capability for urban combat where engagement ranges are close and every
sharp corner could hold an ATGM ambush. ADS is the only known system
that, according to Rheinmetall, “can defeat any threat which is launched from
closer to 10-15 meters. This is achieved by a Micro-Second System which
works with ultra short System Reaction Time (SRT).” The system consists of a
central computing unit, countermeasure boxes, pre-warner sensors, and electro-
optical sensors. In addition, ADS lowers collateral damage by destroying the
threat projectile “fragment free,” except for the fragments caused by the
explosion or deflection of the incoming projectile. The system defeats
improvised explosive devices (IEDs), RPGs, ATGMs, or KE projectiles. ADS
can be coupled with Rheinmetall's "Rosy" smoke/obscurant protection system
to render ground vehicles nearly invisible in the event of an attack.

• Arena is a Russian APS developed in 1993 by the Kolomna, Moscow region-

based Engineering Design Bureau. Arena uses a multi-function Doppler radar
system to detect, track an engage an incoming RPGs and ATGMs by firing
rockets that detonate in proximity of the incoming missile and destroy the
threat within about 50 meters of the protected vehicle. It has greater than 22
protection rounds, has entirely automatic (crew-unattended) operation, is all-
weather capable, and can work on the move and during turret rotation. Arena is
mounted primarily on the T-90, T-80U and T-72 MBTs, and the BMP-3 IFVs.

• Afghanit is an APS produced by the Russian Instrument Design Bureau (KBP)

based in Tula, Russia, about 173 kilometers south of Moscow. Russian news
agency Izvestia claims that Afghanit is capable of intercepting both tandem
ATGM warheads and tank fired depleted uranium Armored Piercing Fin
Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) projectiles. Afghanit uses millimeter
wave radar to detect, track, and engage incoming projectiles. The Afghanit APS
is mounted on the new Russian T-14 Armata MBT and T-15 Heavy IFV and is

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planned for the T-90M MBT. Afghanit does not protect the vehicle from top-
attack munitions.

A soft-kill APS uses electronic countermeasures and other means to protect the
vehicle. The defeat mechanism usually involves several soft-kill effects such as the
automatic employment of multi-spectral smoke and the automatic jamming of the
electro-optical/infrared (OE/IR) signal of the incoming threat. The best-known soft
kill systems are the Russian Shtora and BAE’s Raven system.

• Shtora (Штора or Curtain in Russian) is a soft kill system developed by

Russia in the late 1980s. Shtora employs an electro-magnetic jammer to disrupt
the laser designators and laser rangefinders of incoming Semi-automatic
command to line of sight (SACLOS) ATGMs and guided munitions. Shtora is
mounted on the Russian T-90 and T-80 MBTs and on the on the BMP-3M
infantry fighting vehicle. You can identify the Shtora dazzlers as the “eyes” on
the left and right side of the T-90 turret. These dazzlers fire a beam of intense
directed radiation toward the target to blind the attackers’ sights. When Shtora
senses an attack, the dazzlers emit, grenade launchers discharge smoke
grenades, and an automatic alarm is sounded to the vehicle crew. The two
dazzlers continue to emit infrared jamming until the attacking ATGM is
neutralized. Shtora can operate continuously for up to six hours.

• Raven Multi-Function Counter-Measures (MFCM) is a soft kill jamming

system developed by BAE. The Raven is an example of aircraft technology
applied to ground combat vehicles. Essentially an electronic jammer, Raven
broadcasts a wide spectrum burst of electromagnetic energy to disrupt the
incoming missiles targeting signal. In 2019 the US Army decided to mount
Raven on the M2 Bradley IFVs that were upgraded with the Iron Fist APS.

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M1A2 Abrams MBTs are being upgraded with Trophy APS to meet current threats in Europe. In this
photo, a Soldier from 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Brigade, 1st Cav. Div., ground guides a M1A2 off of
U.S. Naval Ship Carson City in Constanta Romania, Aug.24, 2018. The T-EPF is a high-speed vessel used
to rapidly deploy and redeploy units and cargo between small shores across various areas of operations.
(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Deomontez Duncan)
Image location: https://cdn.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/photos/1808/4676626/1000w_q95.jpg

Reactive Armor Systems

Reactive armor creates greater protection by adding additional armor that reacts to an
attack in some fashion to minimize the damage from the impact of an RPG, ATGM, or
tank launched HEAT or APFSDS round. Reactive armor can be explosive and non-
explosive. Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) is the most common form of reactive armor.
ERA is composed of explosive tiles that are placed on the armored vehicle and generate a
counter-explosion when penetrated. This counter-explosion disrupts the attacking
projectile, either by diffusing the chemical warhead effects of an RPG, ATGM, or HEAT
round, or by deflecting the path of a KE penetrator. The Russians have used ERA on their
armored vehicles since the 1950s. The US started using ERA in 2006 during the Iraq War
on the M1A2 TUSK Urban MBTs and are now installing ERA on the M1A2 SEPv3 MBT
and M2 Bradley IFVs. European armies also have various forms of reactive armor. New,
non-explosive reactive armors, such as electric reactive armor are is under development
but hasve not yet been fielded. Two of the most common ERA-type systems are the
American XM-19 and the Russian Kontakt-5 and Relikt ERA.

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• XM-19 Abrams Reactive Armor Tile (ARAT) system, designed by Ensign-
Bickford Aerospace and Defense, has recently been installed on US M1A2
SEPv2 MBTs that are operating in Europe. The XM-19 tiles cannot be set off
by small arms fire and require a 23mm caliber shell or higher to detonate. In
the past decade, in the fighting in Iraq, XM-19 was battle tested and saved lives
when M1 Abrams MBTs were struck by enemy IEDs, RPGs and ATGMs.

• Kontakt-5 is a Russian integrated ERA system that is currently available for

all Russian MBTs. Developed by NII Stali (Research Institute of Steel), the
leading Russian developer of applique protection packages Kontakt-5 can
defeat HEAT and APFSDS rounds. According to NII Stali: “The system
reduces armor piercing capabilities of ATGM by 60%, of RPG by 90% and of
kinetic energy AT ammunition (APFSDS) by 20%. The key component of the
system is the 4S22 ERA panel.”

• Relikt ERA is a multi-purpose ERA system and the most modern in the
Russian Army. Relikt uses new ERA tiles of armor plates that detonate in
opposite directions to protect Т-72, Т-80, Т-90 MBTs. NII Stali reports that
Relikt will break the penetrator of KE rounds and protect Russian tanks against
all available and future KE and HEAT threats, including tandem HEAT
warheads. Relikt also works against low and high velocity missiles. NII Stali
claims that Relikt ERA will defeat the M1A2 Abrams' M829A3 Depleted
Uranium APFSDS, with a segmented penetrator designed to counter the
Kontact-5 ERA.

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Armored vehicles are being fitted with both soft and hard-kill APS to provide a layered
defense. Image location: https://www.baesystems.com/cs/Satellite?
blobcol=urldata&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1434684851017&ssbinary=true

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The heavily populated, highly urbanized urban canyon is the battlefield of the future. As
General Mark Milley, then Chief of Staff of the US Army and the future Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff recently said: “In the future, I can say with very high degrees of
confidence, the American Army is probably going to be fighting in urban areas. We need
to man, organize, train and equip the force for operations in urban areas, highly dense
urban areas, and that’s a different construct. We’re not organized like that right now.” If
the US Army is not prepared for urban combat, NATO is even less ready. It is time to face
the possibilities and prepare.

There will never be enough infantry to take or defend a modern major city, and even if
there were, the casualties would most likely be so high as to be prohibitive. Winning the
urban fight will require capable combined arms units, centered upon tanks, IFVs, and
armored vehicles. These vehicles will provide protection, firepower, mobility, and more.
Creating those units will require armored vehicles that can survive because they are
enveloped in layers of integrated active and passive protection systems. Soft Kill APS
should provide the first line of defense, since a soft kill system is less likely to run out of
ammunition. The second line of defense is the hard-kill APS, with a limited number of
shots, followed by reactive armor systems, and then, ultimately, the strength of the
vehicle’s primary steel. Upgrading sufficient armored vehicles now could boost
deterrence, provide confidence to the crews, and will provide a means for realistic
training. Most importantly, generating the foresight, willpower, and resources to provide
this type of layered defense today may determine the outcome of the high-intensity
battles in the urban canyons of tomorrow.

John Antal is a military affairs expert, the author of hundreds of articles and fourteen books on military
leadership, technology, tactics, and warfare. He served thirty years in the US Army as a tank and cavalry
officer. His latest book, 7 Leadership Lessons of D-Day; Lessons from the Longest Day, June 6, 1944, was
published in September 2017.

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