Viet Nam International Defence Expo 2024 will be held in Gia Lam Airport of Hanoi in December between the 19th and 22nd. The indoor space is expected to see the participation of more than 140 exhibitors from 28 countries, with an increase of 208 booths compared to 2022, surpassing the target of 183 booths. 56 international delegations from 36 countries have registered to attend the event, including eight defense minister-level delegations and five delegations at the Chief of the General Staff/Chief of the Armed Forces level, among others. Defence manufacturers from leading exporting nations, including the USA and Russia have registered to showcase their weapons and equipment at the outdoor display space. According to the organizing panel, Russia will showcase a range of equipment, including a BMP-3M infantry fighting vehicle, and an RB-504P-E anti-UAV system.
BMP-3M infantry fighting vehicle
This model was designed to engage both ground and aerial targets in various conditions, including while stationary, on the move, or afloat, representing an evolution in the BMP vehicle series. Being a major IFV of the Russian Army, the BMP-3 has been exported to a dozen of countries. Moreover, the successful operation of the IFVs in combat maintains sustained international interest in this model.
The participants and visitors of the Viet Nam International Defence Expo 2024 will see the latest version of BMP-3 with improved mobility and security characteristics. The BMP-3 with an additional protection kit was showcased for the first time at ARMY-2024. The displayed IFV’s kit included armored and lattice screens, an upper hemisphere protection kit, and a so-called anti-drone brazier capable of withstanding UAV attacks. Despite the increase in weight by two tons, the improved BMP-3 retained mobility and capability to overcome water obstacles on the fly: the maximum speed on the highway is 65 km/h, and the speed afloat is 8 km/h. In addition, the BMP-3 received an improved video surveillance system, which increases the visibility of the terrain.
The BMP-3 receives special capabilities when equipped with robotic equipment. In this case, the vehicle can operate normally under the control of the crew, remotely – from a remote control, and automatically – according to a specified algorithm. At the ARMY-2024 the plans were also announced to modernize BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles by equipping them with mini-drones, thereby enhancing their tactical capabilities and crew safety on the battlefield.
RB-504P-E set for countering radio-controlled aircraft models
Recent armed conflicts have demonstrated the critical importance of having the capacity to counter or defend against the threat from UAS used for reconnaissance, targeting, and kamikaze attacks. Analyzing the conflict in Ukraine, international media highlighted “the increasing ability of Russian EW to counter the multitudes of cheap unmanned aerial vehicles that Ukraine has been using for everything from battlefield reconnaissance and communications to exploding on impact against targets such as tanks or command nodes”. No wonder the successful combat experience of Russian-design EW equipment is fueling interest to from potential customers worldwide, including in Southeast Asia. According to the statement of Alexander Mikheev, CEO of Rosoboronexport, at the recent Airshow China, Russia’s exclusive defense exporter “is conducting pre-contract work with more than ten partners from Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the CIS countries on the sale of the Product RB-504P-E drone swarm suppressor”.
The set is designed for detection and radio-electronic influence on the control and data transmission channels of UAVs and their onboard receivers of satellite radio navigation systems. The set features a range of radio-electronic influence on control channels and satellite radio navigation systems of UAVs of no less than 1.8 km. It can simultaneously generate 4 influences on control channels and 2 influences on the satellite radio navigation systems’ channels. The RB-504P-E set is capable of carrying out both sectoral and omnidirectional electronic suppression to counter both single UAVs and their “swarm”.
