Israel’s Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that the German Federal Ministry of Defense signed and signed a government-to-government (G2G) agreement to supply Israeli designed Trophy active protection system for their fleet of Leopard-2 main battle tanks.
Within the agreement, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will supply Trophy Active Defense System (ADS) to equip 17 Leopard-2 tanks. It includes the provision of systems for a company of tanks, interceptors, and spare parts as well as operational and technical training. The systems will be delivered over the next several years.
The beneficiary unit is expected to be combat-ready by 2023 and join Germany’s deployment to NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).
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As noted, Germany’s Bundeswehr operates 328 Leopard 2 tanks of three types – the 2A6, 2A6M, 2A7, and Rafael expects that Germany will also procure additional Trophy systems to equip more its Leopard2 tanks.
The Israel Ministry of Defense and German Federal Ministry of Defense signed a G-to-G agreement to supply @RAFAELdefense TROPHY active protection system to the German military for their fleet of LEOPARD 2 tanks. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/oA592e0GaY
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) February 23, 2021
Trophy creates a neutralization bubble around the vehicle. It rapidly detects, classifies and engages all known chemical energy (CE) threats – including recoilless rifles, ATGMs, AT rockets, HEAT tank rounds, and RPGs. It increases the lethality of a formation/force, successfully neutralizing the enemy’s anti-tank teams.
It can locate the fire source, enabling the crew to return fire effectively with the Remote Weapon Station, or by interfacing with other fighting platforms via the BMS network.
Trophy has proven itself as a life-saver and is the only operational, combat-proven APS in the world. Installed on over 3 brigades of the Israel Defense Forces Merkava MBTs and Namer IFVs, and since 2016 is in a process of being installed on the advanced combat fleet of the IDF, Rafael presents Trophy as a corner stone for a suite that will provide a comprehensive approach for today’s theater challenges.
The U.S. Army announced in October 2017 its decision to purchase Rafael’s Trophy APS for the first Abrams M1A2 MBT brigade
The recent U.S. decision follows a long series of extensive field trials in the US, which lasted 2 years, in which Trophy intercepted dozens of RPG’s and ATGM’s, in the most challenging scenarios.
