US Army relaunches study for new Active Protection System for Bradley IFV.

U.S. Army relaunches the study for a new APS (Active Protection System) for its Bradley tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). On December 11, 2018, the U.S. Government Contracts website issued a draft request from Department of the U.S. Army for proposal to collect information from industry to determine current market manufacturing capability to produce a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 APS for the Bradley IFV.

Israeli Company has tested its Trophy Active Protection System mounted on the hull of a Bradley tracked armored IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle (Picture source print screen Rafael video)

The Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems, Product Director Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) will conduct a market survey to collect information from industry to determine current market manufacturing capability to produce a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 Active Protection System (APS). This APS shall have been proven and characterized on the Bradley Family of Vehicles (FOV). This will be accomplished through the procurement of a B-Kit, consisting of the system and countermeasures.

On October 12, 2016, in support of the European Deterrence Initiative, the U.S. Army G-8 issued a Directed Requirement to procure and rapidly field (by FY20) Non-Developmental Item (NDI) Active Protection Systems (APS) to one Armored Brigade Combat Team (Abrams and Bradley vehicles) of pre-positioned stocks and to one Stryker battalion task force.

The Army intends for APS to improve the survivability of combat vehicles against anti-tank guided missile, rocket-propelled grenade, and recoilless rifle threats by using kinetic “hard kill” options to intercept and disrupt/defeat the incoming threat warhead.

On February 18, 2017, the Army Acquisition Executive approved an Acquisition Decision Memorandum authorizing expedited installation and characterization of three NDI “hard kill” APS to assess maturity, performance, and integration risk. The following systems were selected: Rafael Trophy APS for the Army Abrams M1A2 and Marine Corps M1A1 tanks, the IMI Systems Iron Fist APS for the Bradley vehicles, and the Artis Iron Curtain for the Stryker vehicles.

In October 2017, during AUSA Association of United States Exhibition in Washington D.C., General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has announced that the Iron Fist was selected by the US Army to be the next generation of APS mounted on the Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting vehicle). The system will not replace the standard armour protection of the vehicle but will increase the protection using new technologies.

In September 2018, Leonardo DRS and Israel’s Rafael completed successful live-fire qualifications for a lighter version of their Trophy active protection system (APS), demonstrating potential for future integration on smaller Army vehicles, including Bradley and Stryker.

The Israeli company has already been chosen to field Trophy on four brigade sets of Abrams tanks, and the U.S. Army continues to analyze lighter version of the system for the Bradley and the Stryker combat vehicle. In this context, the service is reportedly qualifying IMI System’s Iron Fist on the Bradley.

In July 2018, the Israeli company has been chosen to field Trophy APS on four brigade sets of M1 Abrams main battle tanks, and the U.S. Army continues to analyze lighter version of the system for the Bradley and the Stryker combat vehicle.