Israeli tanks get anti- missle defense

[bobdina]

JERUSALEM - The Israeli army will begin equipping its tanks with a new anti-missile system, following stinging losses as a result of missiles fired by Hezbollah militants in the 2006 Lebanon war, officials said.

The Trophy system uses radar to track incoming missiles and fires a projectile to explode the missiles before they reach their target, a military official said.

Tests of the system were successful and it will be installed on the latest generation Merkava IV tanks.

According the private television station Channel 10, the system is expensive, costing about $350,000 dollars (245,000 euros) per unit.

Israel has been searching for a new defense against missiles after Hezbollah militants during the Second Lebanon War scored a number of damaging strikes against the Merkavas, considered one of the strongest tanks in the world.

Israel media have reported that of 25 modern guided missiles fired by Hezbollah militants, a quarter penetrated the tank's formidable armor and caused death or injuries among crew members.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4225323&c=LAN&s=TOP

[bobdina]

The Trophy Active Defense System (ADS) was developed by RAFAEL under an Israel Defense Research & Development Directorate (DRDD) support, aiming to provide armored vehicles with a new level of protection against most current anti-tank threats. RAFAEL cooperated with IAI/Elta and has signed a marketing agreement with General Dynamics, offering the system to US and other armies worldwide. GD planned to introduce the system with every new and existing combat vehicle it produces, including Stryker, M-1A2 and FCS. According to GD officials, the system can be adapted to US requirements and enter production within two years. through hundreds of live firing tests with the Israel Defense Forces and abroad, where the system demonstrated effective neutralization of anti-tank rockets and guided missiles, high safety levels, insignificant residual penetration and minimal collateral damage. By mid 2007, Trophy was selected to equip the Israeli Merkava Mk4 main battle tanks, and it is also a candidate for integration into the Namer, the future Merkava based Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The system is also considered to become part of the protection suite of future light armored vehicle (such as the Stryker) when these become operational with the Israeli Army.

During the first months of 2009 the Trophy system went through comprehensive operational testing and was cleared for operational use after a successful operational firing test conducted early August 09. By the end of the year all new Merkava Mk4 tanks will be equipped with the system. Until then, Trophy is being retrofitted to operational tanks.
Trophy APS installed on a Stryker APC tested by the IDF

Firing seequence of the Trophy showing pre-intercept, detonation and sympathetic explosion of the AT-3 Malyutka (Sagger) type threat
The Trophy active protection system creates a hemispheric protected zone around the vehicle where incoming threats are intercepted and defeated. It has three elements providing – Threat Detection and Tracking, Launching and Intercept functions. The Threat Detection and Warning subsystem consists of several sensors, including flat-panel radars, placed at strategic locations around the protected vehicle, to provide full hemispherical coverage. Once an incoming threat is detected identified and verified, the Countermeasure Assembly is opened, the countermeasure device is positioned in the direction where it can effectively intercept the threat. Then, it is launched automatically into a ballistic trajectory to intercept the incoming threat at a relatively long distance.

Specific details about the composition and mechanism of this explosive interceptor device are vague. From the briefing provided by US sources, Defense Update understands that Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 – 30 meters from the protected platform. The Trophy development roadmap considers an enhanced countermeasure unit to be available in the future, and protect against kinetic energy (KE) threats. Trophy was designed to effectively operate in a dense urban environment, where armored vehicles operate closely with integrated infantry forces. Therefore, direction, formation and energy of the fragments are designed to ensure effective target kill with low collateral damage, and low risk to nearby troops. While not in use, the system is maintained in the stowed position, protected by an armor shield. The system has an automatic reload mechanism to handle multiple attacks.
The system can simultaneously engage several threats, arriving from different directions, is effective on stationary or moving platforms, and is effective against short and long range threats (such as RPGs and ATGM). Trophy was designed to be effective in open or closed terrain, including urban area and can be operated under all weather conditions.

[bobdina]

Trophy knocking down sagger

[Cruelbreed]

Awesome pics bob, i'm glad to see it's compatible with US light armory like the Stryker. Love to see weapons that can be used on multiple platforms and useable by our military.

[bobdina]

Learned about adding pic's from the best . (you dummy)

[Cruelbreed]

Learned about adding pic's from the best . (you dummy)

haha, well got an idea for another picture session. Gotta get something on that Merkava tank, i've read some articles on how it was designed to thoroughly protect the crew as the Israelis really want to protect their personelle, something you have to do as a small nation. (Besides creating UAV's that is :))

[bobdina]

Only Main battle tank that's also an APC or casevac vehicle. Moving the engine to the front allowed all that extra room in the back.

[Yono]

Well, there is an APC based around the Merkava's chasis, yes. But the actually tank can't really become a medical transport. There may be some extra room but it isn't much. But like I said, there is an APC based on the Merkava's chasis.

[bobdina]

Not going to argue with ya but during the last operation The media showed guy's on a stretcher being unloaded from a Merkava Tank and they said it was being used to evacuate wounded under fire(could just have been field expedient). And under the specifications cruelbreed posted with his pictures it say's it can carry 3 litter patients. Not the APC but the tank. Or is this all just typical military propaganda to show how good it is(not needed in my opinion ) but would not be the first time an Army did that.

From the specifications
The tank is capable of carrying eight infantry soldiers, a command group or three litter patients (stretcher casualties) in addition to the tank crew of commander, loader, gunner and driver.

http://www.apacheclips.com/boards/showthread.php?p=11030#post11030

[nastyleg]

think they showedthis on futureweapons...either way cant wait to see videos of the trials.

[Yono]

Well, I guess my knowlage of the Israelie military is outdated.

Got to brush up.

[ghost]

Damn. Are they just now starting trials? How old is this article. I've heard of the Trophy system for a long time. The Russians have a similar system too, called Arena. They also have another one called Shtora, which is a device that jams whatever type of signal is trying to target the tank(laser/heat seeker...etc). If a missile is already fired, I guess the missile will lose it's target, and just continue in the same direction, while the tank moves away. The direction of the signals origin is calculated by the system, and then a firing solution is automatically given to the gunner and commander, allowing the crew to react effectively, and return fire.

So is the US military going to be getting this(trophy), or are we still waiting around for Raytheon?

[bobdina]

The first article is new they have completed trials and are installing them. I added the 2nd one in case guy's did not know what the trophy system was.

[bobdina]

Well, I guess my knowlage of the Israelie military is outdated.

Got to brush up.

You may be correct , when the M901 ITV came out that's the tow system in a hammerhead on top of an M113 the U.S. put out a press release stating it could fire the TOW while traveling 30MPH. That was bullshit it has to be stopped to fire because of the wires on the missile and other tech stuff. Just PR trying to scare the bad guy's. This may be the same.

[ghost]

The first article is new they have completed trials and are installing them. I added the 2nd one in case guy's did not know what the trophy system was.


Ah, okay. But do you know if this is planned for the US military, or if we're still waiting around for the system that Raytheon is working on?

[bobdina]

Since all the future combat ground vehicles have been canceled I really don't know. Would be pretty stupid not to put trophy on U.S. vehicles since it's passed trials and now active and we still don't have an active one. However I have seen our Defense Dept./ congress do some stupid things.(saying we need a new uniform but they don't provide the funds) .

[ghost]

Yeah. It's not like the technology isn't there, either. Russia has had their own systems for years. They need to get their heads out of their asses and buy this system, already. We're selling F-35s to Israel, so why can't we do this?