Germany has unveiled the first Leopard main battle tank equipped with the Trophy Active Protection System (APS).
An agreement to upgrade 17 Leopard 2 A7A1 tanks of the German Army with the Trophy was signed with Israel in 2020.
The deal was reportedly around 40 million euros ($43 million), including ammunition.
The tank is set to enter service in 2025 with Germany’s 203rd Armored Battalion, which is planned to be deployed with a German combat brigade stationed in Lithuania.
It is an interim solution until the more advanced Leopard 2A8 enters service, which is expected to feature a lighter Trophy APS.
Trophy APS
The Trophy APS system offers greater protection to tanks and other armored vehicles against threats, including recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles, high-explosive tank rounds, and rocket-propelled grenades, according to developer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Externally, it features AESA radar antennas and a launcher platform, while internally, it is equipped with a fire control unit and a power supply integrated into the turret and chassis.
The radar sensors scan the landscape around the tank for potential threats, while the fire control unit classifies the object and assesses whether it poses a threat.
When a threat is confirmed, the launchers fire a project-forming charge (Multiple Explosively Formed Projectile) at a safe distance to avoid damaging the tank.
The Trophy has been operational with the Israeli Army since 2011 on Merkava main battle tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers, clocking around 500,000 operational hours.
It is installed on 17 military platforms around the world, including the US Abrams main battle tank, and it is being integrated with the upcoming Challenger 3 tank of the British Army.