In recent conflicts, advanced armies such as the Israeli army have employed active protection systems to enhance the survivability of their soldiers. These systems, including Iron Fist, utilize tiny precision-guided rockets to intercept and destroy incoming threats from all angles. As a result, vehicles like the M-2A4E1 have become more resilient to attacks from various directions compared to older models.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has further highlighted the need for active protection on combat vehicles, as drones pose a threat from various angles where armor is typically thinner. While the US Army has no plans to deploy forces to Ukraine, the evolving landscape of warfare with the rise of inexpensive attack drones fuels this need. Equipping combat vehicles with active protection will be essential for US soldiers to counter this evolving threat.
The initial deployment of the M-2A4E1 with active protection is just the beginning, and as more vehicles are equipped with these systems, US soldiers will be better prepared to face the challenges of modern warfare. The introduction of active protection on vehicles like the M-2A4E1 marks a crucial step in enhancing the US Army’s capabilities against threats like explosive drones used in conflicts such as Russia’s war on Ukraine.
