Russian Tank Losses Grow Due To Explosive-Reactive Armor Failures

Those metal boxes on the front of the Russian tank captured by Ukrainian troops are explosive reactive armor, which is designed to make incoming antitank missiles explode before prematurely, causing less damage. 

Experts now believe the Russians are not very good about attaching it, which is contributing to the astounding tank losses they continue to suffer. JL 

Harry Adams reports in Forces.net, image Serhiy Nuzhnensky, RFE/RL:

Explosive-Reactive Armor (ERA) works by using plastic explosives placed in between two metal plates, then fitted to a tank. When hit with a missile, the ERA explodes, detonating the missile before it enters the tank, protecting it from more serious damage. The British MOD also said it was "highly likely that many Russian tank crews lack the training to maintain ERA" – resulting in the poor fitting of ERA or it being left off Russian tanks completely. (Also) Russian commanders fail to "enforce low-level battle discipline – such as the use of ERA". These shortcomings have seen widespread turret ejections

Russia is losing Main Battle Tanks in Ukraine due to its failure to provide sufficient Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said.

ERA works by using plastic explosives placed in between two metal plates, which is then fitted to a tank.

When hit with a missile, the ERA explodes, detonating the missile before it enters the tank, protecting it from more serious damage.

When used correctly, ERA decreases the effectiveness of missiles just as they strike a tank.

According to the MOD, Russian forces have had a "poor" culture of using ERA "which dates back to the First Chechen War in 1994".

Russia's shortcomings with ERA has seen widespread turret ejections – with the turret thrown into the sky when severely hit (Picture: Yuliia Bilousova/Alamy Stock Photo).

In an intelligence update posted on Twitter, the MOD also said it was "highly likely that many Russian tank crews lack the training to maintain ERA" – resulting in either the poor fitting of ERA or it being left off Russian tanks completely.

These shortcomings have seen widespread turret ejections – a design in the Russian T-72 tank that sees the 12-tonne turret thrown into the sky when they are severely hit.

The MOD said that the war has also seen Russian commanders fail to "enforce low-level battle discipline – such as the use of ERA".

"The cumulative effect of these failures is likely a significant factor behind the poor performance of Russia's forces," the MOD added.