The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tanks and the new Leopard 2 tanks of Norway and Germany will soon be equipped with a cutting-edge protection system from Rafael.
Called the Trophy Active Protection System (APS), the technology is expected to provide armored vehicles with “indispensable protection” against modern battlefield threats.
Last week, a joint venture of General Dynamics, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, and Rafael announced that the Trophy APS had been selected as the baseline protection system of the Leopard 2 A8 configuration.
The milestone reportedly makes the Trophy one of the most successful APS integrated into various Western main battle tanks, including the Abrams M1 and the Merkava IV.
Norway recently commissioned 54 Leopard 2s in A8 standard configuration, while Germany will soon take delivery of up to 123 units.
UK Contract
Earlier this month, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded Rafael a 20-million-pound ($25-million) contract to supply the Trophy APS for its Challenger 3s.
The contract follows a rigorous evaluation of the system’s ability to protect British tank operators.
A series of live-fire tests conducted in 2022 reportedly demonstrated the Trophy’s effectiveness as it helped a representative tank endure over 90 percent of simulated attacks.
“The collaboration with the UK MoD is set to continue, propelling further successes in the future, as the project heads towards its third and final phase of integration, instilling greater confidence in TROPHY’s ability to ensure fortified defense for the UK and its troops,” Rafael Vice President Dr. Ran Gozali said.
The Trophy APS
Rafael’s Trophy APS was developed in response to successful anti-armor attacks by enemies.
It can provide “mature, combat-proven” protection against rocket and missile attacks while also pinpointing the source of hostile fire for immediate response.
Additionally, the Trophy increases the survivability of combat forces, allowing them to neutralize more targets.