On Monday, January 26, 2026, Israeli company Elbit Systems announced that it had received a 228 million USD order from the U.S. Army for the delivery of additional Iron Fist Light (IFL) hard-kill active protection system sets for upgraded M2A4E1 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (Iron Fist Active Protection System from Elbit Systems of Israel).
M2A4E1 – the latest modernization variant of the Bradley IFV / Photo: PEO Ground Combat Systems, U.S. Army
The order was awarded on September 29, 2025, via General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), which serves as the integrator of the systems with the vehicles, but the information was made public only today. The contract will be executed over a three-year period.
Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Elbit Systems, said:
“Our globally recognized Active Protection System continues to demonstrate its technological edge. As a leading provider in this field, we are proud of our close and strategic partnership with GD-OTS and the U.S. Army, and of the trust placed in us to deliver systems that enhance survivability and protect the lives of American troops in the field.”
In March 2024, the U.S. Army awarded an eight-year sole-source Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) framework contract to GD-OTS and Elbit Systems for the modernization of Bradley infantry fighting vehicles using the Iron Fist active protection system. The first two-year task order, valued at 37 million USD, was signed on May 5 of that year. Another was concluded on November 5, worth 127 million USD. Together with the third contract, the cumulative value of the orders totals 392 million USD.
Known internationally as Iron Fist and in Israel as Hetz Dorban, the system is a hard-kill active vehicle protection system developed by IMI Systems (now part of Elbit Systems) designed to effectively protect military vehicles from hostile fire. It is characterized by low size, weight, and power requirements (approximately 450 kg) and provides armored platforms with 360-degree protection, both in open terrain and urban environments, against a wide range of threats – from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to kinetic energy penetrators.
The Iron Fist sensor suite combines dual-technology search-and-track Doppler Compact Hemispheric Radar (CHR) operating in the S-band with AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) phased-array antennas providing full 360-degree coverage – developed by RADA Electronic Industries (up to four radars) – along with infrared cameras supported by data-fusion algorithms (also up to four). This configuration enables rapid, reliable, and precise detection, identification, and tracking of threats, supported by a computerized control unit with an HMI control panel, two launcher control units (left and right), and a Master Arm integration kit.
The system defeats targets by firing an explosive charge toward the incoming threat, triggering a detonation that generates a blast wave which either destroys the threat or deflects it to a safe distance from the protected platform.
The first M2A4E1 Bradley was unveiled on April 30, 2024, by the U.S. Army Ground Combat Systems program office in Saco, Maine. At the time, it was announced that the U.S. Army had received funding to procure M2A4E1 IFVs to replace each Bradley vehicle transferred to Ukraine.
The M2A4E1 is a variant of the latest M2A4, which entered service with its first frontline unit in early February 2022. The modernization of M2A3 Bradleys to the M2A4 standard includes the integration of new optoelectronic systems and observation/targeting devices, an increase in engine power from 600 to 675 hp, the addition of an auxiliary power unit (APU), and a modernized, integrated Battle Management System (BMS) – the FBCB2 (Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below) system (U.S. Army continues orders for the M2A4 Bradley).
We are proud to announce a $228M follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist™ Active Protection Systems for the U.S. Army’s Bradley IFV upgrades.
Iron Fist™ continues to demonstrate its operational maturity, delivering 360-degree protection against a wide range of modern battlefield… pic.twitter.com/bv9eakqRW8— Elbit Systems (@ElbitSystemsLtd) January 26, 2026
