A set of electro-optical (EO) sensors is under development for the EuroTrophy active protection system (APS) that will enable it to operate without activating its phased-array doppler radars. The development follows work in Israel to equip Merkava Mk 4 main battle tanks and Namer armoured personnel carriers with a variant of the Trophy-HV APS that also utilises EO sensors. Janes reported that technical details regarding the EO sensors – dubbed ‘Othello’ – were not released, but it was disclosed that they can be used in conjunction with or in place of Trophy’s Elta EL/M-2133 doppler radars. EuroTrophy was established as a Joint Venture of three leading organizations in the global defense industry – GDELS, KMW, and RAFAEL.
Trophy (Israel Defense Forces designation “Windbreaker”) is a military active protection system (APS) designed to protect vehicles from anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), anti-tank rockets, and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. A small number of explosively formed projectiles destroy incoming threats before they hit the vehicle. Its principal purpose is to supplement the armour of light and heavy armored fighting vehicles. Trophy protects against a wide variety of anti-tank threats, while also maximizing the vehicle’s ability to identify enemy location to crews and combat formation. The system is designed to work against all types of anti-tank guided missiles, rockets, and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, including handheld weapons such as rocket propelled grenades and recoilless rifles.
The design includes the Elta EL/M-2133F/G band fire-control radar with four flat-panel antennas mounted on the vehicle. When a projectile is detected, the internal computer calculates an approach vector before the projectile arrives. Once the incoming weapon is classified, the computers calculate the optimal time and angle to fire the counter-measures. The response comes from two rotating launchers installed on the sides of the vehicle which fire a very small number of a MEFPs (Multiple Explosively Formed Penetrators) which form a very tight, precise matrix, aimed at a specific point on the anti-tank projectile’s warhead. The system is designed to have a very small kill zone so that it does not endanger personnel near the protected vehicle. Trophy is a modular system that enables connectivity to other systems, such as soft-kill, C4I systems, remote-controlled weapon stations, etc.
EuroTrophy GmbH is the European hub for the marketing, sale and production of Trophy® Active Protection System (APS). Based in Germany, the company provides high-end, state-of-the-art Active Protection Systems that substantially enhances the protection level of armored vehicles, thus safeguarding their crews. Trophy APS has been integrated on multiple armored platforms around the world and is the only fully-integrated, NATO-fielded APS. The system has been supplied to four US Army Abrams tanks, has been installed on Israel Defense Forces’ Merkava tanks and Namer APCs. It has been integrated and tested on the Bradley, LAV-III, and Stryker. The German Ministry of Defense announced in 2021 that Trophy APS will be supplied to the German Bundeswehr for installation on the Leopard 2 MBTs. In addition, an integration with the UK Challenger 3 MBT is currently in process.