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Elbit Systems Iron Fist System Wins Over US and Europe at AUSA 2024.
At the AUSA 2024 exhibition in Washington D.C., General Dynamics, in collaboration with Elbit Systems, unveils its Iron Fist (IF) active protection system. This presentation in the United States coincides with the signing on September 26, 2024, by the U.S. Department of Defense for the acquisition of Iron Fist systems intended to equip Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). In August of the same year, BAE Systems Hägglunds secured the system to equip the CV90 vehicles.
Iron Fist is designed to be added to a wide range of armored platforms, from light 4x4 vehicles to medium and heavy armored fighting vehicles (Picture source: Army Recognition)
Iron Fist is designed to be added to a wide range of armored platforms, from light 4x4 vehicles to medium and heavy armored fighting vehicles. Its "hard-kill" concept involves intercepting threats by launching a small warhead that is detonated at a safe distance from the protected vehicle at a precisely calculated moment, thereby neutralizing the threat through a shock-wave effect.
The system provides 360-degree protection for short-range scenarios in both open terrain and urban environments. Utilizing two detection techniques—a search-and-track radar and a fixed infrared sensor—it delivers unique situational awareness with robust and reliable threat detection, accurate trajectory prediction, and short reaction times in all environments.
The design of Iron Fist minimizes the system's dimensions while maintaining operational effectiveness. This scalability allows for rapid integration across the entire range of combat vehicles and opens new possibilities for modernizing existing platforms where size, weight, and power constraints are challenges.
In addition to this presentation, several recent developments underscore the increasing international adoption of Iron Fist. On September 26, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense signed a contract to acquire Iron Fist systems for equipping Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. This contract, awarded to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, is valued at $191.2 million and covers an unspecified number of systems to be installed over three years, with a completion date set for July 31, 2027.
Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist APS installed on a CV90 IFV (Picture source: BAE Systems)
Notably, the funding for this acquisition comes from the budget allocated for assistance to Ukraine. As part of this initiative, the U.S. Army will receive modernized Bradley vehicles equipped with the Iron Fist system, replacing older M2A2 Bradley models in its inventory. The upgraded Bradleys will also feature onboard radar systems capable of detecting incoming missiles, working in conjunction with a combined warning system that includes sensors for detecting laser radiation and an additional module for space monitoring.
Furthermore, on August 8, 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had secured a contract worth approximately $130 million to supply Iron Fist systems to BAE Systems Hägglunds for installation on a European client's CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. Currently, eight European countries operate the CV90: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia have also ordered this type of vehicle. This contract may be related to ongoing modernization programs, such as the one in the Netherlands, where 90 of the 122 CV90s are being upgraded with Iron Fist.
Developed in the early 2000s, Iron Fist is the second-generation active protection system of the Israeli Defense Forces. It is characterized by high performance and low requirements in terms of volume, weight, and power. The system offers 360-degree protection against a wide variety of anti-armor threats, including anti-tank rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, and loitering munitions. Tests are underway to enable it to intercept armor-piercing discarding sabot projectiles, thereby increasing its versatility on the battlefield.
The development and commercialization of Iron Fist by General Dynamics and Elbit Systems demonstrate their expertise in designing advanced protection systems for armored vehicles. The recent adoption of this system by U.S. and European armed forces enhances its proliferation and growing significance in the modernization of defense capabilities worldwide.