UK orders Trophy APS for further testing on Challenger 3 tank

The UK has awarded a GBP20 million contract to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for Trophy-MV APSs for testing on the Challenger 3, a prototype of which is shown at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2021 show, fitted with a mock-up of the system. (Janes/Riccardo Cociani)

The UK has awarded a GBP20 million (over USD26 million) contract to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for the Trophy active protection system (APS) for testing on the Challenger 3 main battle tank, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in a press release on 13 July.

The MoD reported that three weeks of assessment phase trials had been completed on the Challenger 3, with a total of 25 firings, including live intercepts. It said “a number” of Trophy systems and countermeasures and test equipment would be procured for qualification and integration of the APS during the demonstration phase starting in 2024. Testing will be conducted at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in Israel and on UK test ranges.

Dan Kalfus, managing director of EuroTrophy, a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), told Janes on 17 July that the APS ordered for the Challenger 3 was interoperable and its parts interchangeable with the Trophy systems on the Leopard 2A8 and Leopard 2A8 NOR tanks being procured by Germany and Norway, respectively.

He said the APS ordered by the UK was the Trophy-MV (Medium Vehicle). The Leopard 2A8 and Leopard 2A8 NOR have been shown equipped with the Trophy-HV (Heavy Vehicle). Both versions of the APS have identical radars, launchers, and operating modes, but the HV variant has more reloads for effectors than the slimmed-down MV version.