The upgraded active protection systems (APS ) Trophy , made by Israeli company Rafael and the Iron Fist made by Elbit systems have demonstrated their capability to protect tanks from vertical attacks – warheads dropped by drones.
“The initial capability has been proven but work continues to increase it ” a defence source said.
The new threat became very serious in the Ukraine war and in the ongoing war between Israel and the two Iranian proxies in Gaza and Lebanon.
To deal with the threat the Israeli defence forces (IDF) have equipped the Merkava 4 tanks with a “Cope Cage” a metal net protecting the upper part of the tank. This tank is protected by the Trophy but it works against anti-tank weapons launched horizontally.
The U.S is using the Iron Fist to protect its Bradley and recently decided to use this combat proven system to protect the M2A4EI the last version of the Bradley.The Iron Fist was selected to protect the Israeli made Eitan eight wheeled Armored fighting vehicle (AFV)
The system will automatically and autonomously launch an interceptor warhead towards an RPG launch if it detects one.”
The Iron Fist employs radio frequency (RF) radar scanning in conjunction with a variety of integrated detecting techniques, such as E/O thermal cameras.
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for the detection to be achieved in microseconds, followed by the selection of the most efficient method of interception.
A comparable tactic is employed against tank rounds, specifically the most deadly type known as the kinetic-energy (KE) round. This type of round fires a long-rod penetrator at nearly hypervelocity, made of heavy alloys like tungsten or depleted uranium, and is made to penetrate powerful anti-personal spheres as well as any tank. The Iron Fist interceptor considerably reduces the nominal penetration of the KE penetrator to a level that can be absorbed by generating an angle of attack.
The upgrade of the two Israeli developed APS is part of an across the board effort to upgrade Israeli defence system to new threats , most of them of Iranian origin.
These weapons have been supplied mainly to the Hezbollah in Lebanon but on a smaller scale also to the Hamas in Gaza.
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