Radar, IR and hard kill gives Israeli AFV invisible armor against RPG, ATM, and Mortar attack

Elta System’s EL/M 2133 ‘WindGuard’ radar antenna on left

Windguard Modes & Coverage

Next Big Future: Sensors linked to shotgun like systems defend against rocket propelled grenades

Uploaded on Jul 22, 2006

The Trophy active protection system creates a hemispheric protected zone around the vehicle where incoming threats are intercepted and defeated. It has three elements providing -- Threat Detection and Tracking, Launching and Intercept functions. The Threat Detection and Warning subsystem consists of several sensors, including flat-panel radars, placed at strategic locations around the protected vehicle, to provide full hemispherical coverage. Once an incoming threat is detected identified and verified, the Countermeasure Assembly is opened, the countermeasure device is positioned in the direction where it can effectively intercept the threat. Then, it is launched automatically into a ballistic trajectory to intercept the incoming threat at a relatively long distance.

Merkava 4 Equipped with Trophy Defeats an RPG on the First Combat Engagement of an Active Protection System | Defense Update:

With the deployment of Merkava Mk 4 tanks equipped with Rafael Defense Systems’ Trophy (ASPRO-A) Active Protection Systems (APS) along the Gaza border last month (January 2011), that followed a Merkava tank being hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile fired by the Palestinians, battle testing of the Trophy APS was only a matter of time. Today (1st March 2011), the system was baphtized in combat, proving its worth in a first combat engagement with a hostile RPG, fired by Palestinain anti-tank team from Gaza. The system and crew performed exactly as expected, integrating automatic response to neutralize an immediate threat, rapid situational understanding and decision and forcible response, effectively eliminating the threat.

According to IDF sources, the Merkava tank was patrolling the border with Gaza, when a ‘missile launch’ was detected by the tank’s defensive system. Trophy uses the Elta System’s EL/M 2133 ‘WindGuard’ radar as the primary sensor detecting missiles and RPG threats. When such threat is classified by the system as ‘acute’ (aimeing directly at the protected vehicle), the system alerts the crew and tracks the missile closing-in on the tank. As the RPG enters the system’s kill-zone, Trophy automatically activates its hard kill countermeasure (Multiple Explosive Formed Penetrators – MEFP), destroying the threat at a safe distance from the tank. Some reports indicated the intercept was close enough to trigger the tank’s automatic fire ‘Spectronix’ protection, which have lead to Palestinian claims of actually hitting the tank. Shortly afterwards, IDF soldiers identified several terrorists in the launching area and fired in their direction, scoring a hit.



Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS)

Elbit VWS Duels with IAI-Elta Windguard Radar for APS job | Defense News | defensenews.com
Elbit presented its new vehicle warning radar systems (VWS) at last week’s Eurosatory exhibition near Paris as part of the company’s comprehensive product offerings for force protection.
Now in field tests, the family of vehicle-mounted radars uses technology developed by Elisra, which Elbit acquired in full in February 2011.
Similar to the operational IAI-Elta WindGuard ELM-2133 radar deployed on Israeli Merkava main battle tanks as part of the locally developed Trophy Active Protection System (APS), the Elbit protypes are designed to provide 360-degree protection around light and heavily armored vehicles.
Like WindGuard, Elbit’s VWS is designed to detect and automatically track incoming threats and can be integrated with soft-kill jammers or hard-kill countermeasures. Both systems operate in S band, are compact and lightweight, and are designed to defend against anti-tank rockets and anti-tank guided missiles.
According to Elbit marketing data, the company developed two versions of VWS — one to detect, track and target incoming threats for hard-kill destruction, and a soft-kill version that identifies, tracks and relays specific target data to electronic jammers for threat diversion.