Four NATO member states – Lithuania, the Netherlands, Czechia, and Croatia – have finalized agreements to integrate the Trophy active protection system ("Iron Wind") into Leopard 2 A8 tanks that will enter service in the coming years. The deal, estimated at approximately 330 million euros ($347 million), aims to upgrade the protection level of European armored forces.
The agreement was signed by EuroTrophy and German tank manufacturer KNDS Deutschland and includes the delivery of active protection systems, spare parts, training, and logistical support. The system will be integrated into the tank's baseline configuration, not as a dedicated addition, a step designed to create uniformity among participating countries' armored fleets.
Zvi Marmor, senior vice president and head of Rafael's Land and Naval Systems Division, said, "The only active protection system in the world that has proven itself hundreds of times on the battlefield, Trophy provides comprehensive survivability against advanced anti-tank threats while simultaneously improving situational awareness, joint operational capability and freedom of maneuver – both in main battle tank fleets and in light armored platforms."
Meir Ben Tzook, chairman of EuroTrophy and vice president and head of the Survivability and Maneuver Administration at Rafael, stated, "The decision to integrate Trophy into Leopard 2 A8 tanks reflects a profound shift in the defense concept of NATO countries in Europe. Against the backdrop of the evolving security environment, countries seek not only advanced technological capability, but also a solution that can be fully integrated into operational concepts, logistics, and multinational cooperation."
The Trophy system ("Iron Wind"), developed and manufactured by Rafael, is the world's only active protection system proven operationally on the battlefield and provides real-time detection, tracking, and neutralization capabilities against various threats to armored vehicles.
The system provides armor crews with critical situational awareness, contributing to mission continuity and operational effectiveness in dense, threat-saturated combat environments. Trophy is installed on leading Western armored platforms, including Merkava tanks, Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, as well as lighter armored vehicles such as the Namer APC and Boxer. Approximately three months ago, Rafael signed a strategic agreement with the Korean company Hyundai Rotem to integrate the Trophy ("Iron Wind") system on the advanced Korean K2 tank.
