Features of the Iron Fist
The Dutch Ministry of Defense has awarded a contract to BAE Systems for a test and verification campaign of the Iron Fist active protection system from the manufacturer Israel Military Industries (I.M.I.) on its CV9035NL combat vehicles. BAE Systems, as the manufacturer of the Dutch CV9035 vehicles, will be the prime contractor for the integration and, if the tests are successful, will also be responsible for the installation of this system that increases the level of protection of the vehicle and its crew. The final decision is expected to be made in early 2018. The CV90s developed by BAE Hagglunds, part of BAE Systems, have been configured in multiple versions, including the CV9035NL for the Netherlands that integrates a manned twin turret with the Bushmaster III 35mm cannon and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The Royal Netherlands Army ordered 184 of these vehicles in December 2004 for €749 million, with deliveries taking place between 2007 and 2010.
The Iron Fist is the active protection system for armored vehicles developed by I.M.I. and employs both radar and electro-optical sensors. It integrates a “soft kill” solution using laser jamming that has proven its effectiveness against AT-7 Metis missiles. As detection radar it uses the RADA Electronic Systems Ltd. RPS-10, of the AESA type and member of the Compact Hemisferic Radar (CHR) family of radars. It also has an electro-optical warning system designed by Elisra, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems. As a “hard kill” solution, it has two steerable towers, each equipped with two launchers that fire stabilized projectiles that explode as the threat passes. I.M.I. has developed versions for heavy and light vehicles as well as for fixed sites and at Eurosatory 2012 presented the Bright Arrow, the result of combining the Iron Fist with a remotely operated weapon station in such a way that the steerable tower is equipped with a laser disruptor as a soft-kill and the hard kill launcher together with a machine gun that can be automatically aimed at the point from which the threat is emanating.M.I. offers the Iron Fist not only on new vehicles but also as part of modernization programs such as the Dutch CV9035. It has also offered it as an upgrade for veteran battle tanks such as the Israeli Magach, itself a modernized M60. The U.S. Army also included it in the evaluation carried out between 2009 and 2011 at the Aberdeen proving ground with a view to its installation on MRAP or M-ATV (MRAP all-terrain) type vehicles. It was also expected to be installed on some of the Israeli Army’s Namer heavy transport vehicles, but it was recently announced that these would be equipped with Rafael’s Trophy, just like the Merkava, after having proven its effectiveness in combat. (Jesús.R.G.)
