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Russia’s Next Tank? Patent Reveals 152mm Urban War Machine With Drones and Flamethrowers
Faced with battlefield realities that have rendered traditional tanks increasingly vulnerable, Russian engineers are proposing a radical sci-fi makeover for Cold War–era armor—one that swaps brute force for lasers, drones, and flamethrowers.
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A Russian design patent filed on June 18 outlines a radical transformation of legacy Russian tanks into heavily armed, drone-resistant assault vehicles tailored for urban warfare, defense media outlet Army Recognition reported on July 17.
Developed by engineers affiliated with the Yuri Gagarin State Technical University in Saratov, the proposed design combines a short-barreled 152 mm howitzer, onboard UAVs, an autonomous laser defense system, and a remote weapon station armed with a 30 mm cannon and thermobaric flamethrowers.
The patent suggests Russia is attempting to leapfrog current tank design limitations by evolving its fleet into hybrid assault vehicles capable of operating in the drone-saturated, irregular battlefield environments seen in Ukraine.
Kremlin turns to sci-fi upgrades for aging T-72 and T-90 tanks
The design, if implemented, would upgrade existing T-72, T-80, T-90, and T-14 tanks into multi-role vehicles capable of reconnaissance, breaching, indirect fire, and counter-drone operations, Army Recognition wrote.
It marks a strategic attempt to adapt Russia’s aging armored fleet to the realities of modern warfare, particularly in dense urban and mountainous terrain, where traditional tanks often struggle.
Urban warfare, Russian style—with flamethrowers and laser beams
The patent’s centerpiece is a compact 152 mm low-ballistic gun with a muzzle brake, capable of elevating up to 60 degrees for indirect fire. That steep angle enables targeting of enemies on upper floors or in elevated terrain—areas that conventional tank guns, typically limited to 15 degrees of elevation, cannot reach.
According to Army Recognition, shortening the barrel reduces muzzle energy and weakens armor-piercing capabilities. The designers claim this is offset by the increased destructive power of high-explosive fragmentation shells, which at 152 mm caliber are estimated to be 2.5 to 3 times more effective than the standard 125 mm rounds.
In addition to unguided shells, the system supports precision-guided munitions, including self-homing projectiles using inertial or active radar guidance.
These rounds, launched from either the main gun or external containers, are designed to strike targets from above using parachute-retarded descent, radar/infrared seekers, and stabilizing fins—similar in concept to South Korea’s KSTAM system for the K2 Black Panther tank, Army Recognition wrote.
To support indirect fire and real-time targeting, the patent includes a reconnaissance-fire complex that incorporates telescopic electro-optical sensors and onboard UAVs.
These drones, which can carry either surveillance payloads or small weapons, scout for targets and transmit coordinates to the fire control system. Upon receiving target data, the tank can fire a guided projectile that autonomously homes in using its onboard seeker.
The targeting system is integrated into both the commander’s and gunner’s control stations, expanding the tank’s operational envelope beyond traditional line-of-sight engagements.
Retrofit design includes lasers, flamethrowers, and a bulldozer blade
Mounted atop the turret is a remote weapon station that houses a 30 mm automatic cannon and rocket infantry flamethrowers—likely RPO-A Shmel or its modernized variants.
The module rotates independently and is capable of engaging drones, helicopters, and threats located in elevated positions, such as rooftops or mountainsides. Integrated with active protection systems like Arena-M or Drozd-2, the turret can be cued automatically to counter top-attack munitions and loitering drones, Army Recognition noted.
One of the most distinctive features is an autonomous active laser countermeasure system embedded in the weapon station.
Equipped with a quantum laser generator and rangefinder, the system can blind or disrupt the targeting sensors of incoming missiles and drones. It also functions as an active scanner, detecting threats by analyzing laser reflections to determine direction, speed, and type, enabling preemptive engagement via cannon, laser, or thermobaric launcher.
The laser module operates independently and augments the active protection system with 360-degree threat coverage.
Aimed at countering drones and fighting in dense urban terrain
For close-quarters survivability, the design adds a bulldozer blade with built-in dynamic protection—metallic containers meant to detonate or absorb incoming rounds before they strike the hull. This armor add-on is tailored for street-level breaching operations and is designed to counter anti-tank weapons commonly deployed in urban combat scenarios.
The assault tank remains compatible with standard Russian munitions and includes a 7.62 mm machine gun alongside its main weapons.
A horizontal autoloader replaces the traditional vertical type, and the weapon station can operate independently of turret movement, giving the crew greater flexibility in responding to multi-directional threats.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia has lost more than 4,000 tanks in its war against Ukraine, according to data compiled by the independent military analysis group Oryx. The figure includes tanks that were destroyed, abandoned, or captured, and is based solely on photo and video documentation.
