Rafael’s Trophy APS on Leopard MBT.
Rafael EuroTrophy-KNDS Deutschland Trophy APS for Leopard MBT: Tel Aviv — Israeli defence company Rafael has announced the signing of a major multi-nation contract under which EuroTrophy GmbH, its European joint venture, will supply Trophy Active Protection Systems (APS) for the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank programmes of Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Croatia.
Valued at approximately €330 million, the agreement was signed between EuroTrophy and KNDS Deutschland, the manufacturer of the Leopard 2 A8. The contract covers the delivery of Trophy APS units, spare parts, training packages and comprehensive logistical support to ensure long-term availability and through-life sustainment of the systems.
Under the agreement, Trophy will be integrated as part of the Leopard 2 A8’s standard configuration, ensuring a high degree of interoperability and commonality across the participating NATO forces. This common configuration is expected to simplify logistics, training and operational cooperation among allied armoured units.
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Growing European Confidence in Active Protection
Meir Ben Tzook, Chairman of the Board of EuroTrophy, said the joint decision by multiple European NATO nations underscored the growing importance of active protection in modern armoured warfare.
“The selection of Trophy by multiple European NATO nations reflects a clear and shared confidence in the system itself,” Ben Tzook said. “Trophy has demonstrated that it delivers the level of survivability, reliability and interoperability modern armoured forces require. Through EuroTrophy, European armies benefit from a combat-proven active protection system that is produced, integrated and sustained in Europe, while fully aligned with NATO operational standards. This agreement firmly establishes Trophy® as a cornerstone capability for Europe’s armoured forces.”
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Combat-Proven Survivability
Rafael’s Executive Vice President Tzvi Marmor, Head of the company’s Land & Naval Systems Division, highlighted the broader implications of the deal for NATO armoured forces.
“The joint selection of Trophy by four NATO nations reflects a clear consensus that active protection has become a foundational requirement for modern armoured forces,” Marmor said. “As the world’s only combat-proven APS, Trophy provides comprehensive survivability against advanced anti-tank threats while enhancing situational awareness, interoperability and operational freedom across main battle tanks and lighter armoured platforms.”
Developed by Rafael, Trophy APS is designed to detect, track and neutralise modern anti-tank threats in real time, significantly increasing the survivability of armoured vehicles in high-threat environments. In addition to its hard-kill protection capability, the system provides critical situational awareness to crews, enabling faster decision-making and improved mission continuity in dense and complex combat scenarios.
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Broad Adoption Across Armoured Platforms
Trophy APS has already been integrated on several leading Western armoured platforms, including the Leopard 2, M1 Abrams and Merkava main battle tanks. It has also been selected for integration on next-generation platforms such as South Korea’s K2 Black Panther, reflecting its growing acceptance as a standard element of modern tank design.
Beyond main battle tanks, the system is increasingly being adopted on lighter armoured vehicles, including the Boxer, Patria AMV and Namer armoured personnel carrier, highlighting the evolution of active protection from a niche capability to a core requirement across a wide range of armoured formations.
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EuroTrophy’s Role in Europe
EuroTrophy serves as Rafael’s European hub for the Trophy APS, providing localised vehicle integration, lifecycle management and customer-specific services tailored to European operational and industrial requirements. By anchoring production and sustainment in Europe, the joint venture supports national industrial participation while ensuring compliance with NATO standards.
The €330 million Leopard 2 A8 contract further strengthens Trophy’s position in Europe at a time when NATO countries are prioritising survivability and interoperability in response to evolving battlefield threats. With multiple nations adopting a common active protection solution, the programme represents a significant step toward a more integrated and resilient European armoured capability.
