DEFEA 2023: EODH presents new-generation protection upgrade kit for Le…

EODH presented its ASPIS armour-protection system upgrade kit for the Leopard 2 MBT at DEFEA 2023. (Dmitrios Mitsopolous)

EODH, the Greek supplier and producer of protection systems for army vehicles, presented its Advanced Shielding Platform Integrated System (ASPIS) Modular New Generation (NG) kit for the Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) at Defence Exhibition Athens (DEFEA) 2023 from 9 to 11 May. The ASPIS Modular NG was demonstrated on a Hellenic Army Leopard 2A4 MBT provided to EODH for testing and exhibiting.

Athanasios Grammatikos, responsible for communication and business development at EODH, told Janes that ASPIS Modular NG provides a holistic approach in protection against threats such as anti-tank guided missiles with tandem-charge warheads, new-generation armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds, loitering munitions, and top-attack missiles.

The hybrid protection solution for the Leopard 2 uses different modular tiles. Passive protection and double-layer explosive reactive armour (ERA) modules protect the MBT's hull and turret mainly in the front, while active armour modules (radar-based fragmentation mines) protect the roof of the turret against top-attack threats, as well as the rear section of the turret, which also includes cage armour. Each active armour module contains a sensor and a charge, and five such modules are on the top of the turret, one on the rear of the turret, and two on its sides.

Made of next-generation materials, all modules have small dimensions and are low weight to allow easy and quick maintenance and replacement by the tank's crew on the battlefield. Grammatikos told Janes that the new multilayer armour can sustain multiple hits and offers a favourable performance-to-cost ratio, while it is flexible and can be modified or expanded depending on user requirements.