A 3D rendering of a Russian Borei-class submarine at sea. Russia’s submarines are vulnerable to Ukrainian drone attack in port, leading Russia to pursue novel measures to protect them. (Shutterstock/DMG Vision)

Ported Russian Submarines Get a Fancy New Accessory: Anti-Drone Nets

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The nets are designed to keep attacking drones away from the most vulnerable parts of the submarines—a sea-based equivalent to the “cope cages” atop tank turrets in Ukraine.

Soon after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military faced major setbacks, both on the battlefield and thousands of miles away from it. It encountered unexpected resistance, and the conflict ushered in a new form of warfare: the use of unmanned aerial systems. Relatively low-cost drones exploited the Achilles’ Heel of main battle tanks (MBTs): the top, where the tank’s armor is thinnest. Russian tank crews attempted to adapt by applying so-called “cope cages” over the hulls to counter the drone threat.

The improvised armor has sometimes given the tanks a decidedly unusual appearance. Some Russian tanks have been up-armored with shipping containers—a choice that........

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