Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will be participating in the upcoming Army International Land Defense Expo in Brisbane, Australia.
The demonstrated RAFAEL system provides the Australian Ministry of Defence with the ability to enhance the mobility, survivability and lethality of the Australian Armed Forces. The TROPHY Active Protection System, along with other technologies showcased at this event, are operational and field-proven on the battlefield.
RAFAEL delivers state-of-the-art defence innovation to Australia through Varley Rafael Australia (VRA), a joint venture between Australia’s oldest defence business, The Varley Group and RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems. The joint venture supports regional supply chains by producing and assembling locally in Australia, while supporting the local economy by creating jobs.
Systems on display include RAFAEL’s family of SPIKE missiles, including LR2, NLOS, ER2 and SR configurations, as well as SPIKE FIREFLY loitering munitions. This family of systems provides the tools to be successful in a variety of missions. Another system of focus is TROPHY APS, the only active protection system in the world that saves lives on the battlefield; this advanced system is used on the American Abrams main battle tank and can be integrated into any armored fighting vehicle superior.
With more than 70 years of pioneering work in defense technology, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems continues its tradition of developing the latest technological advancements while bringing new systems and solutions.
Key systems:
Spike NLOS: SPIKE NLOS (non-line-of-sight) is a 6th generation electro-optically guided multipurpose missile with a range of up to 50 km, precise positioning and mid-course navigation. The weapon system can be launched from land, air and sea platforms. Equipped with multiple warheads, wireless data links to missiles, unique advantages against non-line-of-sight (NLOS) targets, and the ability to switch between targets and abort missions – SPIKE NLOS can operate in both offensive and defensive scenarios. In addition to attacking hidden targets, SPIKE NLOS can provide real-time tactical intelligence and damage assessments. Designed for integration into the modern battlefield, Spike NLOS can receive target positions from embedded TAS systems, external sensors, C4I centers, or drones.
Spike LR2: Ready to fire in seconds, this SPIKE variant offers a maximum range of 5.5km with pinpoint accuracy. The SPIKE LR2 has multiple modes of operation, including shoot and forget, shoot and watch, and shoot to target coordinates. In addition, the reduced weight of the system allows a soldier to carry two rounds.
Spike ER2: This SPIKE configuration has a maximum range of 10 – 16 km and has full commonality with all other SPIKE launchers (air, ground, sea). Similar to SPIKE LR2, this configuration supports multiple modes of operation: fire-and-forget, fire-to-see, fire-to-target coordinates. SPIKE ER2 is also completely immune to RF and GPS signal interference.
Spike SR: This shoulder-mounted “fire-and-forget” short-range configuration of the SPIKE provides a maximum range of 2 km. SPIKE SR is designed for motorized infantry and can be launched by one operator. Likewise, the system is designed for combat scenarios with a robust, lightweight design that requires no maintenance and is completely disposable.
Spiked Firefly: Using innovative readiness technology, this miniature loitering munition can both improve situational awareness in urban combat and deliver lethal beyond-visual-range (BLOS) attacks with a maximum range of 1,500 meters. This lightweight solution has low visual and acoustic signatures, making it a powerful tool for battlefield reconnaissance, while also hitting enemy forces from a distance.
Trophy APS: As the world’s only combat-proven active protection system for armored fighting vehicles, TROPHY APS detects, classifies and responds to incoming threats and provides unmatched survivability and mobility across all vehicle classes. TROPHY forms a neutralizing bubble around the vehicle. It can rapidly detect, classify and respond to all known chemical energy (CE) threats – including recoilless rifles, ATGMs, AT rockets, HEAT tank shells and RPGs. It increases the lethality of combat units and successfully suppresses enemy anti-tank units. It can locate the source of fire, enabling the crew to use the platform’s weapons to effectively return fire, or to connect with other combat platforms through the BMS network. It can be deployed on any AFV, including main battle tanks (MBTs), 8x8s and other medium platforms. Since its inception in 2011, the TROPHY APS has reshaped the battlefield, delivering unprecedented survivability with more than 5,300 live rounds and 1 million hours of operation. It was selected by the German Army for the Leopard 2 MBT and by the British Army for the latest Challenger 3 tank.
