Photos released on social media reveal that the Israeli Defence Force is proactively equipping its Merkava 4 tanks with so-called ‘Cope Cage’ protective canopies mounted on the turret, aimed at defeating ‘top attack’ profile drones and loitering munitions.
Apparently taking at least partial inspiration from analysing current operations in Ukraine, the IDF solution offsets at least some of the vulnerability large armoured vehicles have to such attacks. The thinner armour on the top surface of tanks makes the ‘top attack’ profile particularly attractive to adversaries, and this type of partial fix has become almost de rigueur among forces engaging in active conflict, in both conventional and asymmetric warfare scenarios. Even unarmed ISR drones pose a threat with their ability to detect, identify and locate high value targets and cue artillery or LM attacks to them.
Counter-UAS strategies and tactics do not depend solely on active measures such as drone interception and neutralisation – passive measures that interfere with potential attacks and mitigate their effects are also legitimate considerations for the counter-UAS community.
(Image: Merkava 4 tanks are being equipped with turret-mounted protective cages to enhance defences against drones and loitering munitions. Credit: Twitter account @bayraktar_1love)
