Leonardo DRS and Rafael test lighter Trophy Vehicle Protection System for smaller platforms.

Leonardo DRS and partner Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel announced today that they have successfully completed a lengthy live-fire qualification process for key elements of the lighter weight –yet equally performing – Trophy Vehicle Protection System (VPS).

Trophy Vehicle Protection System (VPS) succesfully tested on lighter platform (Picture source: Rafael)

Leveraging material and component upgrades, as well as lessons learned over twenty-plus years of development, Trophy VPS achieves up to 40% weight reduction and improved power management, depending on how it is integrated on a platform – with no reduction in its proven ability to protect against the full range of direct fire, anti-armor rocket and missile threats. “DRS and our Rafael partner have listened closely to our customers and these activities represent our continuing investment in meeting their needs,” said Aaron Hankins, Vice President and General Manager of the DRS Land Systems division. “We are leaning forward to bring added capabilities to Trophy for the Army’s Vehicle Protection System program.”

Conducted at an official test range in Israel, the recent round of testing was monitored by subject matter experts and program officials from the US, NATO and other allied nations. It included over 300 live scenarios challenging key aspects of the system’s upgraded hard kill defeat mechanism, bringing the total number of live tests of Trophy to over 4000 since the start of the program. Threat defeat performance was well over 95% and demonstrated Trophy’s automatic networked Fire Source Location ability. Integrated on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle for this test campaign to demonstrate its immediate relevance for that platform, Trophy VPS will next be demonstrated in the US on the Stryker platform to the Stryker program office. Meanwhile, DRS and Rafael are continuing a parallel effort to demonstrate Trophy’s compliance with the US Modular APS standard.

“Rafael is encouraged by the extensive presence of US and international visitors at the tests,” said Moshe Elazar, Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael’s Land and Naval Division. “It shows the growing understanding that system maturity is not just a phrase. We are guaranteeing lower programmatic risk to our customers by leveraging proven performance and broad integration experience on main battle tanks, IFVs, 8X8s, etc.”