Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a contract worth $193M to provide the U.S. Army with TROPHY active protection systems (APS) for its Abrams tanks in support of immediate operational requirements. The Army selected the TROPHY APS to equip tank battalions of two armored brigades operating M-1A2 SEP2 tanks, following extensive tests that proved the maturity and readiness of the system. Under the terms of the contract, Leonardo DRS will provide the Army with APS systems, countermeasures, and maintenance kits. “We are actively investing to ensure TROPHY provides a solid, American-made foundation for the Army’s coming Vehicle Protection Suite program,” said Aaron Hankins, Vice President and General Manager of the Leonardo DRS Land Systems division.
TROPHY, a combat-proven APS was developed in Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and is currently fielded with several armored and infantry brigades under an ongoing large-scale fielding plan that will include about a thousand systems, protecting all major current and future ground combat platforms.
The establishment of a production facility in the USA opens new opportunities for Israel, for continued acquisition of APS with US military aid, once the new agreement comes into effect. This agreement grants $38 billion military aid to Israel over the next 10 years but precludes Israel’s from using US$500 million in local defense spending, that was part of the previous agreement. The new reality is a great concern to Israel’s defense industries, that are required to establish manufacturing facilities and employ American workforce to win US-funded contracts.
“The majority of TROPHY components are manufactured by the American defense industry and we are excited by the opportunity to increase manufacturing in the U.S., including for Israeli systems, as the U.S. acquires additional systems,” said Moshe Elazar, Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael’s Land and Naval Division.
