Iron Fist (countermeasure)
Hard kill APS designed by IMI for light to heavy vehicles.
Last updated
It combines soft-kill and hard-kill countermeasures to intercept rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank missiles, and other threats.[1] The system is designed to be mounted on light armored vehicles such as infantry fighting vehicles.[1]
Quick Facts
- Field
- Active protection system (countermeasure)
- Nationality
- Israeli
- Designer
- Israel Military Industries (IMI)
- Type
- Hard kill active protection system
- First revealed
- 2006
- Interceptor method
- Explosive projectile using blast effect; casing made of combustible materials
Facts from the source article.
How it changed
In May 2011, the system intercepted kinetic energy penetrators and Metis anti-tank missiles during a test in the United States.[2] Funding for the system's development was terminated by the ministry in November 2010.[3] A competition to pick a single second-generation APS for IDF vehicles took place in early 2013, where the MoD tested both IMI's Iron Fist and Rafael's Trophy.[4] An attempt by the ministry in 2012 to merge the two systems—using Iron Fist's interceptor with Trophy's Elta radar and C3 system—failed because IMI refused to participate, as Rafael would have been the prime contractor rather than an equal partner.[4]
An agreement among Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries, and IMI to jointly create a next-generation active defense system combining Trophy and Iron Fist was disclosed in December 2014.[5] For its Modular Active Protection System program, the U.S. Army decided in June 2016 to evaluate the Iron Fist Light configuration.[6] It was revealed by the U.S. Army in December 2018 that Iron Fist would be placed on M2 Bradleys belonging to one armored brigade.[6] Fielding a brigade set is planned by the U.S. Army for 2025.[7]
What the maker and period sources say
The same article notes that the test phase would pre-qualify the APS against threat specifications determined by the Netherlands' Defence Ministry.[8] The release explains that decoupling the Iron Fist components allows greater design freedom, with radars at the four turret corners and electro-optic sensors on a mast providing 360° coverage.[9] As part of the CV90 midlife update, the Iron Fist LD (Light Decoupled) was incorporated to boost protection without adding heavy armor.[9] Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hägglunds, stated that Iron Fist will provide the Dutch Army with a highly sophisticated defensive tool on its CV90s to counter threats and enhance crew safety.[1]
References
- "CV9035 IFVs from Army of Netherlands to be fitted with Israeli IMI Iron Fist active protection system 12612161", www.armyrecognition.com. facts only, no text reused. armyrecognition.com
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "First Report: Iron Fist System Intercepted Kinetic Shell in a Trial in the United States" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Amos Harel, Haaretz, 10 November 2010; Amos Harel, Haaretz, 24 December 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rafael's Trophy and IMI's Iron Fist to Compete in Early 2013 - Israeldefense.com, 23 December 2012 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rafael, IAI and IMI to jointly develop next-generation of active defense system for vehicle - Armyrecognition.com, 30 December 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: U.S. has chosen Israeli Iron Fist active protection system to secure armoured personnel carrier - Armyrecognition.com, 9 June 2016; "US Army selects Israel Military Industries for APC active protection system", The Jerusalem Post, 2016-06-07; Jr, "Army Bradley Brigade Will Get Israeli Anti-Missile System: Iron Fist", Breaking Defense, 2018-12-14; Judson, "After pumping the brakes, Army moves to field Iron Fist protection system on Bradley", Defense News, 2021-10-12 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Iron Fist (countermeasure)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Judson, "With issues resolved, Bradley to get Iron Fist protection system", Defense News, 2023-01-24 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Judson, "BAE to Integrate Israeli Iron Fist on Dutch Combat Vehicles", Defense News, 2017-01-04. facts only, no text reused. defensenews.com
- "BAE Systems Hägglunds details the Royal Netherlands Army CV90 MLU", 29 January 2021. facts only, no text reused. edrmagazine.eu
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Iron Fist (countermeasure) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Iron Fist (countermeasure) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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