Israel armour protection system 'revolutionary'

"Most advanced armour protection system in the world"


By ROBIN HUGHES JDW Middle East Editor
Janes, Tel Aviv

Israeli & Global News

September 6, 2005

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) Ground Forces Command and the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD) have unveiled what they describe as "the most advanced armour protection system in the world".

Officially unveiled on 8 March at the 2nd international conference/ exhibition on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) in Tel Aviv, held from 7-10 March, the Trophy Active Protection System (APS) is the result of a 10-year collaborative development programme between Rafael Armament Development Authority and Israel Aircraft Industries/Elta, led by the Directorate of Research and Development in the MoD and funded by the MoD. Rafael is prime contractor for the programme.

The Trophy system can detect, classify, track and destroy all types of advanced anti-armour threats, including anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and rockets at "a significant distance" away from a targeted platform - in some cases destroying the threat without detonation, which means no residual effect on the platform, Didi Ben-Yoash, Rafael's APS business development manager, told JDW. The distance at which Trophy can engage the threats is classified, he added.