Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded an approximately $82 million contract from BAE Systems Hägglunds AB (“BAE Systems Hägglunds”) to supply the Royal Netherlands Army (“RNLA”) with Active Protection Systems (“APS”) and electro-optical commander sights. The contract will be performed over a period of four and a half years. Under the contract and as part of the modernization program led by BAE Systems Hägglunds, Elbit Systems will equip CV90 armored combat vehicles of the RNLA with Iron Fist APS and Commander Open Architecture Panoramic Sights (“COAPS”).
Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land, said: “We are pleased with the opportunity to cooperate with BAE Systems Hägglunds and to support this important modernization program of the RNLA.
Iron Fist (Hetz Dorban) is a hard-kill active protection system (APS) designed by Israel Military Industries (Elbit Systems completed acquisition of IMI Systems and then renamed it as Elbit Systems Land). Iron Fist is a lightweight system that uses optical sensors, tracking radars, launchers and countermeasure munitions to defeat threats at a safe distance, with negligible residual penetration. COAPS is a modular dual-axis stabilized sight that facilitates fire control computation and long-range target acquisition in day and night, in both stationary and mobile situations.
In December 2016, BAE Systems received a contract from the Netherlands to test the Iron Fist on their CV9035 infantry fighting vehicles. A decision for procurement was made in January 2021. Through a midlife update program all Dutch systems will be provided with this system. The test phase will pre-qualify the APS against threat specifications determined by the Netherlands’ Defence Ministry, which will tee up a decision on the next phase of the program in early 2018, Hans de Goeij, project manager at the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation.
