Report: Rafael Upgrades Trophy APS to Counter UAVs and Top-Attack Missiles

Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has upgraded its Trophy Active Protection System (APS) to counter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and top-attack missiles. This, according to a report by Janes. However, the Rafael representatives declined to provide details on how these enhancements were achieved.

Trophy was originally designed to detect conventional anti-tank projectiles using four radar antennas positioned around the turret, providing 360° coverage. The system, however, was not initially equipped to counter newer threats that attack from higher altitudes, such as small UAVs that drop or carry anti-tank warheads toward armored vehicles. To address this vulnerability, some Israeli armored battalions have fitted the turrets of their Merkava tanks with overhead cage armor for operations in the Gaza Strip over the past year.

According to Janes, top-attack anti-tank missiles are also becoming increasingly prevalent, with Hezbollah using the Iranian Almas missile, a copy of Rafael’s Spike missile. These missiles follow lofted trajectories, allowing them to dive onto armored vehicles and target their thinly armored roofs.