A Russian Kilo-class submarine seen in St. Petersburg in July 2016. The Kilo-class submarines of the Russian Black Sea Fleet have reportedly been “up-armored” with improvised mesh armor around their conning towers. (Shutterstock/Sergey Dubrov)

Russia’s Submarines Are Getting a New Accessory: ‘Cope Cages’

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Three out of four remaining Russian submarines in the Black Sea have had protective armor installed on their conning towers, according to the British Ministry of Defence.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian military and security services have been using one-way attack unmanned aerial systems with great effect against Russian military and infrastructural targets. To head off the threat, the Russian Navy has equipped several of its submarines with new anti-drone protection to protect against the Ukrainian kamikaze drone menace—in particular metal mesh armor surrounding the submarine’s vital areas.

This type of armor, derisively referred to as a “cope cage,” is already widely used on tanks and sensitive buildings in the Ukraine war, and has seen increasing use in the Middle East as well as Iran has replicated Russian and Ukrainian drone tactics against its regional foes.

How to Put a Cope Cage on a........

© The National Interest