First Tanks with APS

In 1983, the Soviet Union adopted one of the most unusual and technologically advanced tanks of its time: the T-55AD. The decision was unexpected. A vehicle that had already become noticeably outdated was suddenly fitted with highly modern equipment: the Drozd active protection system. Special radars mounted on the turret continuously scanned the area in front of the tank, tracking incoming anti-tank missiles. Once a threat was detected, the system fired a defense charge, destroying the enemy projectile before impact. At the time, no other country in the world was producing such systems in series — not even the United States or Germany, widely regarded as leaders in engineering. The USSR was the first to put what looked like 21st-century technology into practice... and then simply put it on the shelf.