Iran Fits M60A1 Main Battle Tanks with Foldable Anti-Drone Canopies

Recently leaked imagery confirms that the Iranian military has fitted its M60A1 main battle tanks with foldable anti-drone canopies, a modification aimed at improving vehicle survivability in drone-contested environments.

Design Mirrors Ukraine's 'Turtle Shell' Approach

The canopy-style protection closely mirrors the so-called 'turtle shell' slat-armor structures that have become commonplace on the Ukrainian battlefield. Faced with a sustained threat from FPV loitering munitions diving onto the thin top armor of armored vehicles, Ukrainian forces progressively began welding metal grilles and folding roof covers over their tanks and armored personnel carriers as a passive countermeasure.

Drone Attacks Have Become a Defining Threat on the Modern Battlefield

In recent years, low-cost, single-use FPV drones have emerged as a significant asymmetric threat due to their affordability, maneuverability, and ability to exploit the relatively thin top armor of conventional armored vehicles. In response, militaries around the world have been actively upgrading their legacy platforms with improvised protective solutions.

Iran's decision to retrofit the M60A1 — a platform originally designed in the United States during the Cold War and now decades old — with foldable anti-drone canopies underscores how the proliferation of drone threats is compelling armed forces to pursue low-cost modifications to existing equipment rather than waiting for next-generation replacements.

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