General Dynamics Participates in Successful Trophy Active Protection System Experiments at DoD Test Facility
 (Source: General Dynamics Land Systems; issued March 30, 2006)
 

 
DAHLGREN, Va. --- The first tests of the Trophy Active Protection System in the U.S. were successfully completed today by the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center. Conducted at the request of the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Office of Force Transformation (OFT), the tests certify comprehensive experiments conducted by the Israel Defense Forces, validating Trophy's ability to detect, track and destroy incoming rocket propelled grenades (RPG) at safe distances from the host vehicle.  

A Stryker eight-wheeled combat vehicle equipped with Trophy underwent U.S. validation testing in support of OFT's Project Sheriff, or the Full-Spectrum Effects Platform (FSEP). FSEP program officials seek to meet urgent operational requirements for a range of lethal and nonlethal technologies on a rapidly deployable platform. Trophy was selected in 2005 to be FSEP's active protection solution.  

The Dahlgren tests culminated in a live-fire demonstration March 30 for various U.S. and international military dignitaries. Trophy detected, tracked and defeated an inert incoming RPG while the Stryker combat vehicle was on the move. Similar tests were successfully conducted in Israel in late February.  

"Our mission is not to discover the 100 percent solution, but to find the best solution that can meet warfighter needs today," said Marine Corps Col. Wade Hall, transformation strategist at OFT. "Currently, the warfighters' only counter to the RPG threat is armor, more armor and more armor.  

"As demonstrated today, the Department of Defense now has at its disposal technology that allows U.S. Forces to defeat both the 'archer and the arrow.' As General Patton once said, 'A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future.' OFT and the Full-Spectrum Effect platform are executing today," Hall added.  

General Dynamics Land Systems and Rafael Armament Development Authority, Ltd. entered into a teaming agreement in 2005 to introduce Trophy in the United States for possible integration on ground vehicle fleets.  

OFT advocates and seeks to catalyze experiments that get nascent capabilities into the hands of warfighters to create new knowledge and learning. The FSEP will integrate new weapons and sensor technologies onto current platforms in a spiral development approach, and will ultimately field increasingly advanced capabilities. U.S. test certification concludes the Trophy FSEP's Spiral 0 efforts. Spiral 1 includes developing an autoloader for the Trophy Active Protection System.  

Israel Defense Forces' Merkava 4 main battle tanks will feature Trophy as part of their survivability suite. Trophy could also meet lightweight armor requirements for a variety of military ground vehicle survivability upgrade programs worldwide. Offered as a kit, Trophy would increase lightweight armored vehicles' survivability and enhance mission profiles. Under the General Dynamics Land Systems-Rafael teaming agreement, General Dynamics serves as the prime contractor for related U.S. Department of Defense programs.  

Bonus info.....

Trophy Active Protection System RAFAEL (system) / IAI Elta (threat detection) Trophy Active Defense System (ADS) is marketed by General dynamics, based on a system designed in Israel by an industry consortium headed by RAFAEL, including IMI and IAI/ELTA. After evaluating several systems available in the world market, General Dynamics selected the system for further improvement and is offering a version of the system to the US Army and other customers. GD plans to introduce the system with every new and existing combat vehicle it produces, including Stryker, M-1A2 and FCS. According to GD officials, the system can be adapted to US requirements and enter production within two years. The system has completed hundreds of live test with the Israel Defense Forces and demonstrated effective neutralization of anti-tank rockets and guided missiles, high safety levels, insignificant residual penetration and minimal collateral damage. The system is in full scale engineering phase for inclusion on Merkava Mk. 4 tanks and the future light armored vehicle (Stryker). The Trophy system 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. Specific details about the composition and mechanism of this explosive interceptor device are vague. From the briefing provided by US sources, Defense Update understands that Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 – 30 meters from the protected platform. The Trophy development roadmap considers an enhanced countermeasure unit to be available in the future, and protect against kinetic energy (KE) threats. Trophy was designed to effectively operate in a dense urban environment, where armored vehicles operate closely with integrated infantry forces. Therefore, direction, formation and energy of the fragments are designed to ensure effective target kill with low collateral damage, and low risk to nearby troops. While not in use, the system is maintained in the stowed position, protected by an armor shield. The system has an automatic reload mechanism to handle multiple attacks. The system can simultaneously engage several threats, arriving from different directions, is effective on stationary or moving platforms, and is effective against short and long range threats (such as RPGs and ATGM). Trophy was designed to be effective in open or closed terrain, including urban area and can be operated under all weather conditions.

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Quoted: Bonus info..... Trophy Active Protection System RAFAEL (system) / IAI Elta (threat detection) Trophy Active Defense System (ADS) is marketed by General dynamics, based on a system designed in Israel by an industry consortium headed by RAFAEL, including IMI and IAI/ELTA. After evaluating several systems available in the world market, General Dynamics selected the system for further improvement and is offering a version of the system to the US Army and other customers. GD plans to introduce the system with every new and existing combat vehicle it produces, including Stryker, M-1A2 and FCS. According to GD officials, the system can be adapted to US requirements and enter production within two years. The system has completed hundreds of live test with the Israel Defense Forces and demonstrated effective neutralization of anti-tank rockets and guided missiles, high safety levels, insignificant residual penetration and minimal collateral damage. The system is in full scale engineering phase for inclusion on Merkava Mk. 4 tanks and the future light armored vehicle (Stryker). The Trophy system 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. Specific details about the composition and mechanism of this explosive interceptor device are vague. From the briefing provided by US sources, Defense Update understands that Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 – 30 meters from the protected platform. The Trophy development roadmap considers an enhanced countermeasure unit to be available in the future, and protect against kinetic energy (KE) threats. Trophy was designed to effectively operate in a dense urban environment, where armored vehicles operate closely with integrated infantry forces. Therefore, direction, formation and energy of the fragments are designed to ensure effective target kill with low collateral damage, and low risk to nearby troops. While not in use, the system is maintained in the stowed position, protected by an armor shield. The system has an automatic reload mechanism to handle multiple attacks. The system can simultaneously engage several threats, arriving from different directions, is effective on stationary or moving platforms, and is effective against short and long range threats (such as RPGs and ATGM). Trophy was designed to be effective in open or closed terrain, including urban area and can be operated under all weather conditions.

I wish we had more detail, it sounds very cool!  I understand why we don't want to publicize the details though.

So that's what was going on here yesterday.

Well common Vito and all you other Jew haters, let's here it!

[sissy voice, smaking lips, limp wrists]Honestly...isn't Isreal (note spelling) going to sell this to the whole world [/sissy voice, smaking lips, limp wrists]


WRONG! you fricken brain surgeons they plan to shove it up your bums

Quoted: Well common Vito and all you other Jew haters, let's here it! [sissy voice, smaking lips, limp wrists]Honestly...isn't Isreal (note spelling) going to sell this to the whole world [/sissy voice, smaking lips, limp wrists] WRONG! you fricken brain surgeons they plan to shove it up your bums

Guy, let's keep that bs out of the thread and keep it to the technical merits of the system.

Fine.  It works.  Quit talking, quit showing off to the press.  Even it only works sometime get the thing in Iraq and A-stan NOW.  Work on improvements and development in the interim.

I wondered what the extra security was for yesterday. I came back from a medical appointment at a nearby base and noticed increased security. A Master Chief I work with asked what was going on; he had to alter his normal jogging route. I remember hearing boom-booms in quick succession yesterday at varying intervals, but since we have an active gun line here that's not unusual.

WOW that is some SERIOUS use of tech.  Looks like a great system.  

Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments

Um, how about the grunts and other dismounted soldiers around the vehicles?

Quoted: Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments Um, how about the grunts and other dismounted soldiers around the vehicles?

Well if they're dismounted then they have extra motivation to suppress the enemy AT teams.

Wonder how long til Israel sells it to the Chinese?

That reminds me alot of a defense system David Drake had in several of his Hammer's Slammer's novels.  It was a ring of ball bearings launched by explosives to stop RPG's and infantry.  Ohhhhh...Scifi coming true!!

Quoted: That reminds me alot of a defense system David Drake had in several of his Hammer's Slammer's novels.  It was a ring of ball bearings launched by explosives to stop RPG's and infantry.  Ohhhhh...Scifi coming true!!

I was just about to post that!

Drakes stuff was just claymore mines placed around the skirt of the tank. This thing seems like it aims itself... Gotta think that it would still make a good close in anti-personnel weapon though

Note that the pics are not from Dalhrgen,Va. but are from an Israeli test. I figure most knew that but wanted to make sure.

Quoted: Note that the pics are not from Dalhrgen,Va. but are from an Israeli test. I figure most knew that but wanted to make sure.

I had wondered when Israel started selling the Merkava to us…

A radar controlled claymore huh?

It may be "off the shelf" but its inferior to Raythons "Quick Strike" mini-missile system.  Not the least of which is its safer to be around.

Quoted: A radar controlled claymore huh? It may be "off the shelf" but its inferior to Raythons "Quick Strike" mini-missile system.  Not the least of which is its safer to be around.

I think Ratheon's Mini-missile is still a ways from being producable.

This is inferior, for certain, but can be deployed faster.  The Mini-missile is probably the Next Generation - if it's deployed at all, Laser's could conceivably come on line fairly soon, also.

An Israeli RPG defense system protecting American vehicles. I'd deploy it just to piss off the terrorists!

Maybe we can develop this to a point where it automatically engages the RPG gunner too?

What happens to dismounted infantry when this thing goes off?

Quoted: What happens to dismounted infantry when this thing goes off?

Nothing. Our infantry will be firing from the vehicle via ports, remote turrets, windows, etc. Kinda like the Thunder Run to Baghdad. Any civilians that are milling around and not pointing out the bad guys are screwed.

Quoted: What happens to dismounted infantry when this thing goes off?

Ours or theirs?