Russia Has Turned A Captured Ukrainian Tank Into A Remote Killer With FPV Eyes

Social media users have been able to view footage of Russian engineers experimenting with remote-controlled tanks, which represents a major development in military technology. The video shows the engineers utilizing handheld control pads and first-person view (FPV) headsets to operate what appears to be a captured Ukrainian T-72AMT major battle tank (MBT).

The video shows the tank being remotely operated by engineers who are using FPV technology to do it. Although their precise function is unknown, these modified tanks might be employed for mine clearance operations. The footage’s timing and location are still unknown, and publications like The War Zone (TWZ) haven’t independently confirmed it.

Russia has reportedly captured at least six Ukrainian T-72AMTs, with sources like Oryx suggesting the true number might be higher. The T-72AMT, a variant of the Soviet-era T-72 MBT, was developed by the Kiev Armored Plant and received by Ukraine around 2017. This variant features improvements in lethality, survivability, and systems, with a driver’s cab at the front, a fighting section in the center, and a power pack at the rear.

The T-72AMT has a crew of a driver, a gunner, and a commander. It is 31 feet (9.5 meters) long, 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide, and 7.2 feet (2.2 meters) high. It has a 125mm smoothbore gun that can fire six to eight rounds per minute. These rounds are high-explosive anti-tank fin-stabilized (HEAT-FS), high-explosive fragmentation fin-stabilized (HE-FRAG-FS), and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS).
In the video, a Russian soldier is seen controlling the top turret of the tank with a remote controller while standing on the edge of a field. It’s unclear if the tank’s armaments can be fired remotely, but it looks like one person can operate the main turret while another drives the vehicle.

It is not the first time that MBTs have been modified to operate remotely. In the past, the U.S. military has outfitted tanks, like the M60A3 Panther and M1 Panther II Mine Detection & Clearing Vehicles (MDCV), with remote controls to facilitate mine clearance operations. It is unknown what Russia plans to do with its new remote-controlled armor, but it is possible that it will use it for explosive-packed kamikaze drones or for risky operations like storming Ukrainian strongholds.