IAI has supplied nearly 400 WindGuard (ELM-2133) radar systems to DRS Land Systems for the US Army’s Abrams tanks as part of the Trophy (WindGuard) protection system. The Army tested the Trophy system in 2017, to be fielded within two years as an interim capability until the Modular Active Protection System (MAPS) program produces a system. A 193 million dollar contract for Trophy was awarded to Leonardo DRS, Rafael’s American partner, in June 2018, in order to equip a significant number of Abrams M1A1/A2 MBTs with Trophy. In January 2021, Rafael and Leonardo DRS completed urgent deliveries of enough Trophies to the U.S. Army to equip all tanks of four armored brigades.
The EL/M-2133 WindGuard Radar is a four-faced distributed active electronically scanned array Pulse Doppler radar designed to detect and automatically track Anti-Tank Rockets (ATRs), Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) and Tank Rounds. Once a threat is detected, it tracks it and guides the countermeasure system to intercept and neutralize it before the platform is hit. The ELM-2133 WindGuard Radar can be integrated with any soft-kill and hard-kill countermeasures. After becoming operational in 2009 as part of the Trophy active protection system, WindGuard recorded multiple successful operations in combat environments. For their efforts, the system’s developers received the Israel Defense Prize.
Aaron Hankins, Executive VP and General Manager of Leonardo DRS Land Systems line of business, said, “Achieving 100% on-time delivery performance in the immensely challenging environment of the past year is nothing short of amazing. Elta’s commitment to the program and to our mutual customers has been exemplary, and we look forward to more success in the future.”
Yoav Turgeman, IAI VP and CEO of ELTA, said, “The strategic partnership between Israel and the USA is reflected in IAI’s commitment to providing our American customers with the most advanced systems to protect their troops in the field. We are pleased that DRS Land Systems and the US Army were satisfied with our ability to meet their shipment schedule. ELTA attaches the utmost importance to complete the project successfully and will continue to collaborate closely with our American customers in the future.”
IAI’sELTA Systems Ltd (ELTA) is an Israeli provider of defense products and services specializing in radar, ELINT, COMINT, C4ISTAR, Electronic Warfare, Communication, Autonomous Ground Systems and Cyber products. ELTA, a group and subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, is one of Israel’s major defence electronics companies specializing in a variety of fields. The group operates as a designer and manufacture of defence systems house with products based on electromagnetic sensors and on other advanced technologies. ELTA products are designed for use in Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), early warning & control, homeland security (HLS), self-protection and self-defence, fire control and Cyber Defense . ELTA operates a worldwide marketing network, which includes customer service and after-sales facilities.
