Explosive modernization, Russian-style: creating a death trap on wheels

Russian field improvisations often come as a surprise. A common tendency is to install explosive Kontakt-1 reactive armor cubes on any moving vehicle. Here's why this approach is dangerous.

It's not the first instance where ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) cubes have been fitted on vehicles not originally intended for them, like the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle or the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier. This also includes the UAZ-452 minibus, commonly referred to as "Buchanka," in production since 1965.

The model shown below is laden with Kontakt-1 cubes, which even obstruct the front window (they're mounted on stands). Such a move is extremely hazardous, as the explosion from even one cube can instantly kill the driver and all passengers.

Any person justifying such a step is probably aiming for protection from an anti-tank grenade from an RPG-7 launcher and improved ballistic shielding. Unfortunately, this move only increases the risk of death to the driver and passengers.

The cubes of reactive armor, usually mounted on tanks, are designed to divert the impact using shrapnel and a shock wave, thereby causing less damage to the basic armor. But it's crucial to note that the armor needs to be robust enough to endure an explosion from a cassette containing 0.57 lbs (rounded from 260 grams) of potent explosive and direct the explosion's energy outwards.

However, if the armor is too weak, as in the case of the UAZ body, the Kontakt-1 cube acts like a HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) deformable warhead. In other words, the shockwave and shrapnel alone could kill everyone inside the vehicle.

Additionally, each Kontakt-1 cube weighs a hefty 13 pounds (rounded from 5.7 kg). Their substantial collective weight, as shown in the photo, can strain the suspension, significantly deteriorating the vehicle's off-road capabilities. This is particularly problematic for the "Buchanka," whose speed is its main defense against destruction.

A smarter choice would be to use armor plates borrowed from some BMP or MT-LB, as this kind of protection doesn't pose an explosion risk on impact. It's also worth mentioning that Kontakt-1 cassettes are highly sturdy and cannot be detonated by shooting with handheld firearms using standard ammunition. To do this, one would need incendiary ammunition or something bigger, like the 2A42 automatic cannon.