Tel Aviv: Israeli company Elbit Systems was awarded an initial contract of approximately $37 million to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems (APS) to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) for upgrades to the US Army’s Bradley M2A4E1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). The contract will be performed over a period of 24 months.
The Iron Fist APS is an advanced Hard Kill system aimed at enhancing the self-defence capabilities of armoured platforms against modern battlefield threats. It is the Israel Defence Force’s second-generation APS and is characterised by high performance and low volume, weight and power requirements.
The system provides armoured platforms with 360-degree protection from a wide variety of anti-armour threats, such as Anti-Tank Rockets (ATR), Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM), UAS and Loitering threats, in both open terrain and complex urban environments.
Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager Elbit Systems Land commented, “Our Iron Fist Active Protection Systems represent the highest level of innovation, offering comprehensive protection against evolving threats on the modern battlefield. Through this strategic collaboration with GD-OTS, we are honoured to contribute to the enhancement of the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, further empowering the US armed forces with enhanced capabilities to fulfill their missions effectively and safely.”
The unique interception method of Iron Fist APS reduces dramatically the residual penetration of the intercepted threat and has minimal collateral damage.
With a modular design and open architecture, it can be integrated on a wide variety of combat vehicles, including lighter platforms. The Iron Fist APS can be installed as an add-on to a pre-prepared platforms and has a minimal impact on the vehicle’s external silhouette.
The Iron Fist APS sensor suit combines the dual technologies of search-and-track radar and infra-red cameras with data fusion algorithms, allowing for the rapid, reliable and accurate threat detection, identification and tracking. It does not impede or limit the range of operations of the battle management systems (BMS), fire control systems (FCS) and Elbit Systems’ Iron Vision technology “see through armour” -rather it effectively augments them.
The system destroys threats by launching an explosive charge toward the incoming threat’s vicinity and exploding it to create a shock wave that breaks apart or deflects the threat at a safe distance from the protected platform.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
