New Defense Technology: Leopard 2 Tanks to Get Trophy Systems
In a major advancement for armored warfare technology, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Croatia are set to enhance their Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks with Trophy active protection systems. This development comes as part of a €300 million ($351 million) contract unveiled by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The contract will be executed by EuroTrophy GmbH, a joint venture involving General Dynamics European Land Systems, KNDS, and the Israeli developer, aimed at marketing these advanced systems to European nations.
First demonstrated in October 2021 on a German Leopard 2, the Israeli Trophy system has also been successfully integrated with other Western armored platforms, including the American M1 Abrams and the Israeli Merkava tanks.
Rafael has announced plans to integrate the Trophy system on various vehicles, including the K2 Black Panther tanks and lighter armored vehicles such as the Boxer, Patria AMV, and Namer.
Marketed as a combat-proven solution, the Trophy system is designed to detect, track, and neutralize anti-tank threats in real-time. Comprising sensors, a search radar, a firing computer, and an interceptor launcher, the system can handle multiple threats and operate effectively in all weather conditions.
The system demonstrated its effectiveness during the Iron Swords war, where the Israeli military reported intercepting thousands of Kornet missiles and RPG rockets with an estimated success rate of 85%.
