Historic Ceremony in Germany Marks the Launch of the First Leopard Tank Equipped with Israeli TROPHY Active Protection System

In a landmark ceremony held today (Tuesday, October 29), the Israel Ministry of Defense and the German Ministry of Defense inaugurated the first Leopard 2 tank upgraded with the Israeli TROPHY Active Protection System, developed by RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems. This deployment follows a 2020 agreement, spearheaded by the Ministry’s R&D Department in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), to equip Germany’s Leopard 2 tank fleet with Israel’s premier active protection technology.

The ceremony, attended by Viceadmiral Carsten Stawitzki, National Armaments Director in the German Ministry of Defense, highlights the deepening defense ties between Germany and Israel. This milestone adds to a series of recent high-value defense agreements, including Germany’s purchase of Israel’s Arrow missile defense system, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing defense capabilities.

The TROPHY system was developed in collaboration with the IMoD’s DDR&D, the Tank and APC Administration, and RAFAEL and is the world's only operational and most advanced active protection system of its kind. Designed to protect tanks and armored personnel carriers, TROPHY offers robust defense against an extensive array of anti-tank threats. Operational in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since 2011, it is installed on all newly produced Merkava Mark IV tanks and NAMER APCs. Proven in numerous operational activities, TROPHY has recorded multiple successful intercepts, safeguarding both troops and armored assets on the battlefield.