SPATEM – Active Protection System Suite from GIAT

The French Department of Defense has awarded a technical evaluation study and R&D contract to GIAT, Thales and the Institute de Saint Louis to develop an active defense system for French future armored vehicles. The system is designed to detection threats at a distance of 50 meters, by electro-magnetic and IR sensors. Upon detection of a threat, the system launches a Rampe splinter charge, detonated at a close proximity to the incoming threat, destroying it at a distance of at least five meters from the protected platform. Sepatem is scheduled for demonstration by 2006 and subsequently will be installed on Leclerc and AMX-30B2 tanks, AMX-10RC and EBRC APCs.