The Iron Fist system is mounted on turreted and non-turreted armored vehicles and in its standard configuration consists of:
- Doppler radars with a phased array antenna with active electronically scanning AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) with 360-degree coverage, (maximum four);
- infrared sensors (maximum four);
- Interceptors’ launchers on both sides of the turret or hull (each contains of two ready launching barrels with interceptors);
- computerized control unit with control panel, two launcher control units (right and left) and Master Arm integration kit.
The Iron Fist APS entire system weight is about 450 kg, making it suitable for light and medium armored vehicles.
A set of the above sensors detects and classifies incoming targets, and the computerized control unit receives data from the sensors and performs calculations to determine the optimal point for intercepting threats by interceptors equipped with small warheads, at a safe distance from the vehicle.
Iron Fist on KF41 Lynx / Photo: Elbit Systems
History
IMI Systems, previously known as Israel Military Industries (since 2018 part of Elbit Systems), presented the concept of a new APS-class system for the Israeli Ministry of Defense in 2006. Testing of the prototype began in mid-2007. The system was successfully tested against a variety of threats, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), and tank-fired high-explosive anti-tank ammunition (HEAT) and Kinetic-Energy (KE) APFSDS (Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot) ammunition.
The Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMoD) approved the purchase and introduction of Iron Fist to the Defense Forces in June 2009. The first sets were tested operationally on Namer heavy Armored Personnel Carriers, based on the Merkava tank chassis. In November 2010, the IMoD announced the end of financing for the development of the system and a competitive Trophy system was ordered, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Namer with Iron Fist / Photo: Elbit Systems
In May 2011, during tests in the USA, the Elbit Systems system successfully destroyed variety of anti-tank guided missiles, RPGs and even KE APFSDS tank projectile on static and on the move scenarios.
In 2012, the IMoD came up with an idea to combine the best features of both systems, i.e. the effector from Iron Fist (kinetic anti-missile) and the Trophy’s C3 class command, control and communication system together with ELTA Systems’ radar. The share of both companies was to be similar, but Rafael was to be the main integrator, which IMI Systems did not agree to.
CV90 with Iron Fist / Photo: Elbit Systems
Therefore, in early 2013, the Israeli Ministry of Defense compared the effectiveness of Iron Fist with Trophy. It was then expected that the ministry would select one second-generation APS class system for IDF’s armored vehicles. Ultimately, however, it was decided to finance and implement both systems in parallel, but on different platforms. The idea of synergy re-emerged in December 2014, following the combat use of Trophy during Protective Edge operation half a year earlier.
In June 2016, the US Army announced that it would test a lighter variant of the Iron Fist system, i.e. Iron Fist Light, for its MAPS (Modular Active Protection System) program, i.e. the development of its own modular APS system for armored vehicles. After tests on M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, the system was modified and received the designation Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IF-LD).
The work in the USA is carried out in cooperation with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS). On January 7, 2019, a photo of the M2A4 Bradley IFV with the Iron Fist Light set was revealed and on April 30, 2024, the modified variant M2A4E1.
M2A4E1 Bradley with Iron Fist / Photo: US Army
In the meantime, the Americans also tested soft-kill APS systems, such as the Rapid Obscuring System (ROSY) with 40 mm smoke grenade launchers, developed by American Rheinmetall Munitions, or Raven from BAE Systems. They also decided to emergency purchase the Trophy HV system for the needs of M1A2SEPv2 Abrams tanks.
Earlier, on December 23, 2016, IMI Systems was selected by BAE Systems Hagglunds of Sweden as the supplier of the APS hard-kill system for tests with the Dutch CV9035NL infantry fighting vehicles, which were to receive new turrets as part of the modernization. After the tests, the decision to order the Iron Fist Light sets was made by the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in January 2021, and on September 26, 2022, the first serial IFV in the new configuration was handed over to the ordering party.
CV9035NL with Iron Fist / Photo: BAE Systems
Shortly after the acquisition of IMI Systems by Elbit Systems, on August 20, 2019 the company announced success when the Department of Production and Procurement of the Israeli MOD selected the Iron Fist Light Decoupled system for the new Eitan 8×8 heavy wheeled infantry carriers, the turreted Namer IFVs and D9 Caterpillar dozers.
Eitan with Iron Fist / Photo: Elbit Systems
Another success was announced in November 2021 during the second edition of the International Defense Industry Fair FEINDEF (Feria Internacional de la Defensa y la Seguridad) at the Juan Carlos I Exhibition Center in Madrid. Elbit Systems has reached an agreement with the Spanish company Escribano Mechanical & Engineering S.L. (EM&E) regarding the integration of Iron Fist with Guardian 30 unmanned turret systems, intended for the new Spanish VCR Dragon 8×8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, built on the MOWAG Piranha V chassis.
On Dec. 2022 BAE Systems Hagglunds announced a government-to-government agreement between Sweden and the Slovak Republic on $1.37 billion for the delivery of 152 CV9035 infantry fighting vehicles equipped with Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist active protection system.
Photo: Elbit Systems
On September 11, 2023, Elbit Systems signed a $109 million contract to supply Iron Fist APS to BAE Systems Hägglunds (BSH) for CV90 infantry fighting vehicles.
On Dec. 2023 the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has signed a USD2.4 billion contract with Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) to deliver 129 AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to the Australian Army under its Land 400 Phase 3 program, all being equipped with Elbit’s Iron Fist APS.
AS21 Redback with Iron Fist / Photo: Elbit Systems
On March 2024, The U.S. Army has awarded a sole source 8-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) and Elbit Systems to upgrade its Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) with Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS).
Elbit Systems has received an initial delivery order award under Leidos U.S. Army CHS-6 (Common Hardware Systems 6th Generation) contract, with additional orders anticipated.
In parallel, the Iron Fist APS has been selected by the two finalists of the XM30 Program: American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV) and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), who are competing for the new U.S. Army Bradley replacement Combat Fighting vehicle, the XM30.
On 8th August 2024, Elbit Systems awarded $130 million contract to supply Iron Fist APS to BAE Systems Hägglunds for a European country to be installed on the CV90 IFVs.