A series of trials of Israel Military Industries' (IMI) active protection system (APS) codenamed "Spurred Arrow" was recently completed successfully. The trials were carried out by the Department of Defense in the US. In the trials, several scenarios of fire at armored vehicles were examined to check the effectiveness of the APS and its ability to meet a wide range of threats.
The system is at an advanced stage of development at IMI, and is intended to protect tanks and armored personnel carriers from damage by anti-tank missiles and weapons such as rocket propelled grenades. Defense officials say the system is capable of protecting armored fighting vehicles even from Russian-made laser-guided Kornet and Metis anti-tank weapons, possessed by the Syrian army and Hezbollah. During the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah fighters used the weapons against Israeli armor, and managed to inflict serious damage, despite the latter's advanced armor plating.
IMI's system comprises many sensors installed on an armored vehicle operating in a combat zone. In the event of fire at the vehicle, the sensors are capable of detecting the threat and of attempting to use electro-optics to disrupt it. If this fails, a rocket interceptor is launched that neutralizes the threat. The interceptor is fired automatically at the threatening missile, and, a short distance away from it, it creates a small explosion that sterilizes the target missile, ensuring that its warhead does not explode and expose the forces in the vicinity to injury.
In the trials that took place last week in the US, "Spurred Arrow" systems were installed on American MRAP vehicles, of the kind in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. IMI said that the system proved capable of protecting the vehicle in all the scenarios that were rehearsed. Following the success of the trials, IMI plans to present the innovative system at a security exhibition to be held in the coming weeks in Washington, along with other active protection systems it has developed in recent years, mainly after the Second Lebanon War.
Senior IDF officers have announced that IMI's "Spurred Arrow" system will be used to protect a heavy armored personnel carrier based on the Merkava tank that is already being introduced into service with ground forces. The Ministry of Defense recently chose to move the main production of parts for the APC to the US, in order to be able to buy them with US military aid. The APC will be assembled in Israel. According to estimates, over the next decade, the IDF will procure approximately 800 APCs of this type, and they will gradually replace the armored vehicles currently serving its infantry forces.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 4, 2010
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