Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. is likely to receive an order worth hundreds of millions of shekels for the supply of defense systems designed to protect tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs). The order is believed to exceed NIS 500 million for hundreds of Rafael's Trophy systems.
Trophy is an active defense system developed and manufactured by Rafael that has been installed on some Mark IV Merkava tanks used by IDF armored forces. The system was in operational use in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge over two years ago. The system is capable of detecting, identifying, and intercepting threats aimed at tanks and APCs, such as advanced antitank missiles and RPG rockets.
Today, every Mark IV Merkava tank coming off the Ministry of Defense Tank Program Administration assembly line has an advanced defense system installed on it, as do the Namer APCs (Merkava APCs).
Implementing lessons
The Ministry of Defense today said that hundreds of these defense systems would be procured in the coming years under the IDF Gideon multi-year plan, according to orders issued by Ministry of Defense director general Maj. Gen. (res.) Udi Adam to the ministry's procurement authority. Even before the decision to procure hundreds of the advanced defense systems, the Ministry of Defense decided to expedite procurement of Namer APCs for IDF infantry units as part of its implementation of lessons learned in Operation Protective Edge. These APCs are regarded as well protected against a broad range of threats, in contrast to outdated APCS still used by infantry forces.
In recent months, IDF ground forces and the Tank Administration have completed a series of tests of the Trophy systems installed on Namer APCs. The Ministry of Defense said that the tests were successful, and that completion of the system's integration had facilitated its decision to procure these systems on a large scale. The Ministry of Defense also said that the system had thwarted attempts by Hamas to attack IDF vehicles using antitank missiles in many cases during Operation Protective Edge. Two months ago, the Ministry of Defense and the IDF unveiled a prototype of a new wheeled APC in the development stages, called Eitan. This APC is designed to replace the aging M-113 used by IDF combat troops. The new APCs will also be protected with Trophy systems.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 10, 2016
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