The Metinvest Group, acting as part of Rinat Achmetov's "Steel Front" military initiative, began mass production of protective screens for Stryker armoured transporters, which are in the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The structures created by Metinvest aim to increase the resilience of armored vehicles to kamikaze drone attacks, which are 1 of the key threats in the modern battlefield.
The fresh protective shields are the consequence of close cooperation between metallurgists of the Metinvest Group and Ukrainian soldiers and engineers. They were designed to address the challenges of the modern battlefield and the threats faced by Ukrainian troops on the front line on a regular basis.
– The Stryker armored transporter is simply a technologically advanced vehicle, but in modern war even the best equipment needs additional protection. We have developed a solution that increases the crew's chances of endurance during the FPV drone attack and have already started mass production of specified systems – said Oleksandr Myronenko, Operations manager of the Metinvest Group.
The U.S. Stryker armored transporters, which went to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of military assistance from the United States, stand out for their advanced mobility and their advanced electronic control systems. At the same time, their vulnerability to drone attacks forced Ukrainian engineers to urgently make and install additional safety features.
The Steel Front already has experience in creating akin systems for Abrams and Leopard tanks, as well as M113 and Bradley armoured transporters. According to analysts, the protective grates created for these vehicles proved to be highly effective during actual usage on the battlefield, which most likely affected the decision to adapt this solution for Strykers.
The first upgraded Stryker transporters with fresh shields are expected to be tested in combat conditions in the close future, which will further increase the protection of Ukrainian soldiers.
In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Metinvest Group has allocated 8.4 billion hryvians (nearly PLN 800 million), of which 4.4 billion hryvians (nearly PLN 420 million) were allocated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of Rinat Achmetov's military initiative "Stall Front".
