The rise of the 'barbecue': why tanks are wearing cages

Music · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Modern warfare has shifted toward low-cost, high-impact drone strikes. To survive, multi-million dollar military assets are being wrapped in metal lattices. These 'barbecues' represent a desperate, pragmatic evolution in defense, where simple geometry is used to defeat sophisticated aerial munitions.

The proliferation of anti-drone meshes, colloquially known as 'barbecues,' 'mangals,' or 'cope cages,' is a direct response to the widespread use of multirotor drones and cheap barrage munitions like FPV drones and Russian Lancets. These drones can cost between several hundred dollars and tens of thousands of dollars, yet they are capable of destroying military equipment worth millions. The primary goal of these metal lattices is to provide 'spaced armor' protection, designed to induce premature detonation or malfunction of incoming munitions before they hit the primary hull.

The practice gained significant visibility during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In August 2021, reports emerged of Russian tanks being fitted with grilles welded onto their turrets to defend against Javelin missiles and Bayraktar TB2 combat drones. While effective against small UAVs, these cages have trade-offs: they can hinder crew operations and increase the vehicle's visual outline. To counter these defenses, adversaries have developed methods such as using lidar for remote detonation of shaped charges, which can bypass the physical barrier of the mesh.

The technology is rapidly spreading beyond the conflict zone. By early 2025, the British Defense Ministry announced trials of anti-drone cages on Challenger 2 tanks, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force showcased cages on Type 90 and Type 10 tanks. The defense is also appearing on naval assets, including Delta IV-class nuclear submarines and Grachonok-class patrol boats. Beyond active combat, these cages are being used for infrastructure protection, such as shielding oil tanks and fuel storage at airports, reflecting a global shift in how high-value assets are shielded from aerial threats.

Innovation continues to iterate on these designs. Russia began fitting vehicles with 'oduvanchik' (dandelion) protection, which uses branching glass fiber rods, and some units have adopted massive superstructures that almost completely cover the vehicle from above and the sides. These developments highlight a rapid, reactive engineering cycle where the primary objective is to create a physical buffer against increasingly accessible aerial technology.

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