EuroTrophy GmbH, the German subsidiary of Israel’s defense group Rafael Advanced Defense Technologies, announced that it had signed a €330 million contract with KNDS Deutschland to supply its Trophy active protection system (APS) for the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank programs of Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Croatia.
APS systems such as Trophy are designed to detect and intercept any anti-tank threats before hitting the platform, including anti-tank guided missiles, RPGs, drones and more. Developed as a result of cooperation between the IDF and Rafael, the company describes it as “the world’s only combat-proven active protection system.”
According to the statement, the contract includes the delivery of Trophy APS systems, spare parts, training packages, and comprehensive logistical support to the four NATO European nations. Integrated into the Leopard 2 A8’s standard configuration, the systems are meant to “enabl[e] interoperability and commonality across the participating NATO forces,” the statement said.
Zvi Marmor, senior vice president and head of Rafael's Land and Naval Systems Division, said that Trophy is "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."
Trophy tech used internationally
Trophy has been operational since 2011 and according to Rafael’s website, the company has sold over 2,000 platforms which have seen over 2 million hours of operations.
Installed on the Merkava IV and Namer APC, Trophy was used extensively by the IDF, especially during the recent Israel-Hamas War. The system has also been installed on over a dozen different platforms around the world including the US Army’s Abrams MBTs, the UK’s Challenger MBTs as well as the Boxer, Patria AMV and others.
Due to its success in Israel, the system has been in high demand by countries who are modernizing their armored fleets with field-proven systems, and Rafael has signed deals with numerous allies in Europe and beyond.
Germany for example, which relies heavily on the domestically-built Leopard 2 tank, has already integrated the system into its newer variants. In September, Rafael and Hyundai Rotem Company (HRC) signed a strategic teaming agreement to integrate the TROPHY onto South Korea’s K2 Main Battle Tank. In May, EuroTrophy (a joint venture of Rafael, German company KWM and General Dynamics) announced a contract to integrate Trophy onto Finland’s Patria AMV XP 8x8.
APS systems as a “foundational capability”
A Rafael official told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post that APS systems like Trophy are becoming a basic capability for armored maneuvering on the battlefield.
“Trophy has demonstrated that APS is not merely a last line of defense, but a mission-enabling system that allows armored forces to maintain freedom of movement and operational tempo in high-threat environments” he said.
Emphasizing the importance of APS, the official told D&T that recent armed conflicts have “fundamentally reshaped the understanding of tank survivability, clearly demonstrating that passive armor alone is no longer sufficient against the density and sophistication of modern anti-armor threats.”
“Survivability is now measured by the ability of armored units to continue maneuvering, fighting, and holding ground under constant threat, rather than by armor protection alone,” he added.
As threats to armored vehicles evolve, from RPGs to advanced anti-tank guided missiles, the integration of active protection systems like TROPHY is seen as essential for maintaining battlefield dominance.
According to the official, APS systems will be “increasingly embedded” as a standard requirement in the coming years across armored fleets and will be “treated as an essential element of modern land warfare. The focus will shift from whether to field APS to how effectively systems such as Trophy are integrated, sustained, and leveraged as part of a wider system-of-systems approach to battlefield survivability.”
Dubbing Trophy “a central pillar” of NATO’s capabilities, the official underscored the importance of “immediately deployable, combat-proven solution to the realities of modern high-intensity warfare.”
“Trophy, as the only APS with extensive operational experience, has demonstrated its ability to significantly reduce vulnerability and protect high-value armored platforms without waiting for new vehicle generations,” he said.
Trophy delivers
Meir Ben Tzook, Chairman of the Board of EuroTrophy, hailed the announcement as a sign of trust in Rafael’s technology.
“The selection of Trophy by multiple European NATO nations reflects a clear and shared confidence in the system itself,” he said, adding that “Trophy has demonstrated that it delivers the level of survivability, reliability, and interoperability modern armored 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 armored forces.”