U.S. Marines with Maritime Raid Force, Battalion Landing Team 2/4 and Logistics Combat Element, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, enter a target area in MRZR D4s during Ground Interoperability Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 27, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nicolas Atehortua)
TAMPA, Fla. — Ukrainian special operations forces (SOF) driving through combat zones in 4×4 all terrain vehicles (ATVs) could soon get some more protection from the ever-present threat from overhead drones courtesy of a new ballistic protection kit designed for the nimble off-road vehicles.
Australian company Andvare VI Defence Industries said it has teamed with specialist vehicle manufacturer Polaris Government and Defense to deliver prototypes of the protection kit to Ukrainian SOF for an operational evaluation in theater, after the Ukrainian SOF requirement had been received through NATO partners in Bulgaria.
The solution, which comprises a series of lightweight armor inserts for the roof section of MRZR D2 and D4 vehicles — and soon to also be rolled out to the MRZR Alpha platform — provides as much as two square meters (22 square feet) of overhead protection, Andvare’s Director Justin Willis explained to Breaking Defense at the SOF Week expo on Thursday.
