US Army examines Israeli-made Active Protection Systems

The US Army is considering four different APS intended to provide advanced protection for its combat vehicles. Two of them are IMI's Iron Fist and Rafael's Trophy

US Army examines Israeli-made Active Protection Systems

The US Army is expected to make key decisions on a way forward to integrate Active Protection Systems (APS) onto a variety of combat vehicles next summer, reports Defense News

The service will characterize APS offerings on Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker combat vehicles starting in January, said Maj. Gen. David Bassett, the program executive officer for Army combat vehicles. 

According to the report, the systems are intended to provide advanced protection for the Army’s combat vehicles against rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank guided missiles, and other threats.

The US Army intends to install a range of matured and improved commercial APS solutions across the ground combat portfolio. By prototyping combinations of systems and vehicles cooperatively with the service’s science and technology branch, the Army hopes to reduce both acquisition and operational risk and get solutions fielded quickly. 

The Army is looking at four different APS offerings, three of which are foreign, two are from Israel. The first, Trophy – designed and manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, has been battle tested during border patrols in the Gaza Strip as well as during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. The other Israeli systems is IMI's Iron Fist. The German company Rheinmetall Defence also offers an active defense system, as well as the US-based Artis Corporation, with its Iron Curtain.