Active Vehicle Protection Comes to the Forefront as Trophy and Iron Fist Secure Contracts

Why It Matters

The contracts signal heightened demand for survivability upgrades on MBTs, reshaping defense procurement priorities and expanding the APS market globally.

Key Takeaways

• Trophy and Iron Fist win new defense contracts
• APS adoption rising due to battlefield experience
• Systems are modular, vehicle‑agnostic, and retrofit‑ready
• EuroTrophy JV sells Rafael Trophy with General Dynamics
• Israel leads global APS market, influencing tank survivability

Pulse Analysis

The evolution of active protection systems (APS) reflects a broader trend in modern warfare: protecting high‑value assets from increasingly sophisticated threats. While early Soviet designs in the late 1970s offered rudimentary hard‑kill capabilities, Israeli firms Rafael and Elbit transformed the concept into a modular, sensor‑driven shield that can intercept rockets, missiles, and kinetic projectiles. This technological leap coincided with NATO’s emphasis on force protection, prompting armies to prioritize APS integration alongside traditional armor upgrades.

Trophy and Iron Fist exemplify the new generation of APS, featuring multi‑spectral radars, rapid‑fire interceptors, and open‑architecture software that allows seamless integration with legacy platforms. Their modular design means they can be bolted onto existing main battle tanks, such as the Leopard 2, without extensive redesign. Recent contracts, facilitated through Rafael’s EuroTrophy joint venture with General Dynamics Europe, demonstrate strong market confidence, while Elbit’s Iron Fist is gaining traction across European defense ministries seeking interoperable solutions that meet NATO standards.

The strategic implications extend beyond individual procurement decisions. Widespread APS adoption forces adversaries to reconsider munition tactics, potentially accelerating the development of counter‑APS munitions and shaping future battlefield doctrines. For defense manufacturers, the surge in demand creates a lucrative revenue stream and incentivizes further R&D into directed‑energy and AI‑enhanced threat detection. As global powers modernize their armored fleets, APS will likely become a baseline requirement, cementing Israel’s leadership in this critical defense niche.

Active vehicle protection comes to the forefront as Trophy and Iron Fist secure contracts

By Damian Kemp

Trophy is shown here fitted to a Leopard tank with radars on the turret to left and right of the barrel. (Photo: Rafael)

Experience on the battlefield is accelerating the adoption of active protection systems as technologies continue to evolve to reflect shifting global defence needs.

Active protection systems to defend large vehicles and main battle tanks (MBTs) first appeared as Russian systems in the late 1970s and 1980s, before truly coming to the forefront of technology through Israeli efforts in the 2000s.

The majority are modular and agnostically designed to allow them to be bolted on, federated or integrated, with two Israeli systems – Rafael Armaments Development Authority’s Trophy and Elbit Systems Iron Fist – proving particularly popular.

The Rafael system is sold through EuroTrophy, a joint venture with General Dynamics Europe Land Systems, which along with Iron Fist has announced contracts in the past.