Russia showcased its Arena-E active protection system (APS) for armored vehicles at a recent international arms fair, but there is no evidence of APS use on Russian equipment in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on March 3.
"This is likely due to Russian industry's inability to manufacture high-tech systems at scale, a problem which is exacerbated by the effect of international sanctions," reads the ministry's latest intelligence update.
The Arena-E system is designed to protect armored vehicles from destruction.
The ministry cited the system's promotional materials stating that it "defeats the threats that are most dangerous for armored vehicles…if you value your armor and crews, you need Arena-E."
Meanwhile, Russia has lost 6,673 armored fighting vehicles in Ukraine since the beginning of the all-out war in February last year, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
