Tests on BRADLEY Show Success Rate over 95%

On 24 September Leonardo DRS and partner Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced they have successfully completed an extensive live-fire qualification process for key elements of the lighter weight TROPHY Vehicle Protection System (VPS).  

Leveraging material and component upgradesu as well as lessons learned over twenty-plus years of development, TROPHY VPS achieves up to 40% weight reduction and improved power management, depending on how it is integrated on a platform.  The updated system retains its proven ability to protect against the full range of direct fire, anti-armor rocket and missile threats, with performance equal to TROPHY systems currently in the field. 

Conducted at an official test range in Israel, the recent round of testing was monitored by subject matter experts and programme officials from the US, NATO and other allied nations.  It included over 250 live scenarios challenging key aspects of the system’s upgraded hard-kill defeat mechanism, bringing the total number of live tests of TROPHY to over 4,000 since the start of the programme.  Threat defeat performance was in excess of 95% and demonstrated TROPHY’s automatic networked Fire Source Location ability.  Integrated on a BRADLEY Fighting Vehicle for this test campaign, to highlight its immediate relevance for that platform, TROPHY VPS will next be demonstrated in the US on the STRYKER platform at the request of the STRYKER programme office.  Meanwhile, DRS and Rafael are continuing a parallel effort to bring about TROPHY’s compliance with the US Modular APS standard. 

“Leonardo DRS and our Rafael partner have listened closely to our customers and these achievements represent our continuing investment in meeting their needs,” commented Vice President and General Manager of DRS Land Systems division, Aaron Hankins. “We are leaning forward to bring added capabilities to TROPHY for the Army’s Vehicle Protection System programme.”

“Rafael is encouraged by the extensive presence of US and international visitors at the tests,” added Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael’s Land and Naval Division, Moshe Elazar. “It shows the growing understanding that system maturity is not just a phrase. We are guaranteeing lower programmatic risk to our customers by leveraging proven performance and broad integration experience on main battle tanks, IFVs, 8X8s, and other platforms.”