US sources inform ''Globes'' that top US Army officers recently asked Rafael Armament Development Authority Ltd. to see whether its Trophy Active Protection System for armored fighting vehicles can be adapted for helicopters.
US forces in Iraq have suffered the loss of seven helicopters in the past two months from ground fire, including machine guns and RPGs.
The Trophy detects and tracks anti-tank threat, classifies it, estimates the optimal intercept point in space and neutralizes at a distance using a countermeasure. The threat detection and warning subsystem consists of several sensors, including search radar located around the protected vehicle, to provide full hemispherical coverage. The incoming threat is neutralized only if it is about to hit the vehicle.
The sources said that Rafael is considering a lighter version of the Trophy for installation on helicopters, without detracting from its capabilities. The US Army’s request was informal, after Rafael had already begun working on a lightweight version of the system.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 21, 2007
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