The UK Royal Army has granted a £20 million (approx. $26 million USD) contract, securing the hardware for the next phase of tests on a new rocket and missile protection system for Britain’s Challenger 3 tanks.
The Trophy Active Protection System (APS) will be integrated and tested with the Challenger 3 (CR3) tank to provide enhanced defense against rocket and missile threats. It is designed to locate incoming projectiles and destroy them with its own ammunition.
Supplied by industry partner Rafael, the system has successfully completed three weeks of Assessment Phase trials on the CR3 representative system. These trials involved a total of 25 shots, including live intercept shots.
The contract will secure a range of Trophy Systems, Counter Measures, and necessary test equipment for the qualification and integration activities scheduled for the upcoming demonstration phase, stated the official announcement.
“This contract will be a key step towards ensuring our Challenger 3 tanks are equipped with the most advanced protection systems available. Their ability to identify incoming hostile fire and neutralize it in less than a second demonstrates the UK’s ability to consistently acquire the most advanced battlefield equipment,” said UK’s Minister for Defense Procurement, James Cartlidge.
The Demonstration Phase, scheduled to commence in 2024, will be conducted by Rafael Defence Systems and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land, serving as the Design Authority for the Challenger 3 tanks. The testing will take place at Rafael’s facility in Israel as well as at UK test ranges.
