General Dynamics to supply Trophy APS Active Protection System kits for M1A2 SEPv2 and M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams MBTs.

The U.S. Department of Defense on July 7 announced that General Dynamics Land System was awarded a $280,112,700 firm-fixed-price contract to procure trophy kits for the M1A2 SEPv2 and M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Family of Vehicles.
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M1A2 SEP V2 Abrams fitted with a Rafael Trophy APS Active Protection System displayed at MSPO 2021 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 7, 2027. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

The Trophy APS is a situational awareness and Active Protection Hard Kill (HK) System that is available in three main configurations: HV (Heavy armored Vehicle), MV (Medium and Light Armored Vehicle) and LV (Light Armored Vehicle). Both configurations dramatically boost the force’s survivability and provide a vital add-on capability for the maneuvering combat teams.

Trophy-HV protects heavy (>30 ton) and medium weight (>15 ton) armored vehicles from a wide variety of threats ranging from rockets, ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) and platform-fired High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds. Trophy-HV offers 360° protection in azimuth, as well as extensive elevation coverage, while maintaining a pre-defined safety zone for friendly troops on the ground. The neutralization process is initiated only if the threat is about to hit the vehicle.

The first battlefield success of the Trophy occurred on March 1, 2011, when the system knocked out a rocket-propelled grenade fired at close distance to an IDF (Israeli Defense Force) Merkava Mark-IV tank close to the Gaza border. The Trophy system was also effective during other operations, including Operation Protective Edge in 2014, when no Israeli tanks were lost in Gaza.

On September 8, 2021, Army Recognition published that General Dynamics was presenting for the first time to the public the M1A2 Abrams SEP V2 fitted with a Trophy APS (Active Protection System) designed and manufactured by the Israeli company Rafael, at MSPO 2021, an international defense industry exhibition that was taking place in Kielce, Poland.

Rafael Trophy APS active protection system fitted on an M1A2 Abrams main battle tank (Picture source: Rafael)