UK Defence Intelligence recently published satellite images of what it said were Russian submarines that have been fitted with counter-unmanned aerial systems (counter-UAS) cages.
The agency said that counter-UAS cages have been fitted on three of the four Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines currently assigned to the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet in response to recent long-range drone strikes being conducted by Ukraine.
The cages have covered the submarines' conning towers, which would remain exposed as they are above the waterline whenever the boats are submerged while in port.
The submarines were at the Port of Novorossiysk along with a number of surface vessels at the time that they were photographed on June 13. The Black Sea Fleet's fourth Kilo-class boat was also present at the port on the same date, though images showed that it did not have the same counter-UAS cages as her sisters.
Defence Intelligence first reported in July that the Black Sea Fleet's Kilo-class boats were being fitted with the cages based on satellite imagery of Novorossiysk taken between June 6 and 9.