Israeli defense company Elbit Systems announced on Monday that it had been awarded a $228 million contract to supply its Iron Fist active protection system (APS) to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) for its installation on American Army Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).
APS systems protect armored fighting vehicles from threats such as guided missiles, drones, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and more. The Iron Fist was initially developed by Israel Military Industries (IMI) which was acquired by Elbit in 2018.
Iron Fist increases survivability through innovative means
Elbit’s statement describes Iron Fist APS as “designed to enhance the survivability and self-defense capabilities of armored platforms against a wide range of modern battlefield threats,” combining “high performance with a compact design, characterized by low volume, weight and power requirements.”
The system claims to “[deliver] 360-degree protection against various anti-armor threats,” and promises protection against threats ranging “including Anti-Tank Rockets (ATR), Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), loitering munitions, and Kinetic-Energy (APFSDS) tank ammunition, in both open terrain and complex urban environments.”
Speaking to Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post, an Elbit official praised Iron Fist technology for its integrative design.
“Iron Fist is a truly multidisciplinary system, the official said. “It combines all the advanced technologies of sensing, image processing, algorithms, mechanics, electronics, high-voltage power, et cetera.”
“We are developing next generations for Iron Fist, it is already using a very good response or solution for all types of anti-tank threats…, in the last few years we've added the capability against drones and loitering [munitions], and we are [always] improving the system,” the official commented.
Elbit’s technology is used globally
In May 2024, GD-OTS awarded Elbit an initial 24-month contract worth $37 million for delivering Iron Fist systems to Bradley, and Monday’s announcement is an extension of the agreement for another three years.
In November the same year, GD-OTS announced a 34-month extension to the contract worth $127 million, and this week's announcement marks the second time the partnership is extended. According to the Elbit official, the relationship between the Israeli defense firm and the US is as strong as ever.
“We’ve been working with the US Army together with our partner GB-OTS in the US since 2016,” the official said, highlighting the length of the partnership.
“We’ve had a long and trustworthy relationship with the US Army, and the last contract is the third contract we’ve had with Bradley, and we think that the US Army believes in the system. This is an amazing opportunity to work with the most amazing customer in the world.”
Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis lauded the announcement as a step forward for APS technology.
“Our globally recognized Active Protection System continues to demonstrate its technological edge,” he said. “As a leading provider in this field, we are proud of our close and strategic partnership with GD-OTS and the US Army, and of the trust placed in us to deliver systems that enhance survivability and protect the lives of American troops in the field."
Iron Fist adapts to different vehicles
Differing from some other renowned APS systems, Iron Fist is generally suitable for lighter vehicles, such as armed personnel carriers (APC’s), as opposed to heavier tanks.
Active Protection Systems tend to take some sort of residual penetration, meaning that the vehicle under protection still absorbs some degree of force when attacked. This makes it more difficult to adapt vehicles to lighter vehicles.
“In many of the scenarios,” the official said, referencing tests of Iron Fist APSs, “residual penetration is actually zero.”
Having such low residual penetration allows for “integrat[ing] the system also on light vehicles, even very light vehicles, and not only on the main battle tanks, which have heavier protection, heavier armor,” the official added.
The US Army first expressed interest in acquiring Iron Fist technology in 2016, as part of a program for standardizing APS systems in the long-term, and in 2018 it announced the acquisition of the system for the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
Other countries across the world have also shown interest in Iron Fist APSs. In 2021, the Netherlands decided to procure the system, and in 2021 Spanish company Escribano Mechanical & Engineering signed a deal with Elbit to integrate Iron Fist onto its unmanned turret. Earlier this month, Elbit received new contracts, totaling $150 million, from Sweden’s BAE Systems Hägglunds for its Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS) for its integration onto CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) operated by a number of European NATO member states.
“We are very very proud of having this system fielded in many European markets,” the official told D&T.
In September 2025, the Australian defense department agreed to purchase almost $20 million worth of Iron Fist APCs from Elbit for its integration on the Redback, despite a strong governmental opposition to Israel’s war against Hamas.