IIRC the Russians have put once a show for the press where they did ignite the fuel cells over the fenders on a T-80U (or were that Ukrainians? Same difference in fact) and the tank remained fully operational, the ERA also didn't go off IIRC.
This being said, I frankly dunno what that thing on CR2 front is. It looks like ERA but so can NERA look like so I am waiting till somebody discloses the Truth(tm)
