Indian Defence Review

TROPHY HV on Mercava on the move

At DEFEXPO 2014 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will exhibit a comprehensive suite of Land & Naval combat systems designed to address current and future battlefield challenges and complexities.

RAFAEL specializes in current and future Land systems. In addition to the traditional battlefield, RAFAEL’s combat-proven land systems are optimal for the ever-growing arena of urban warfare.

Each system fulfills a unique role in ensuring swift and accurate results, with minimal collateral damage and maximum effectiveness. Together they provide land forces with the necessary fire power, lethality, survivability and maneuverability.

The Spike Family

The Spike Family consists of missiles suited for land, air and sea platforms, multiple ranges (up to 25 km) and a variety of targets. The missiles in this family have sophisticated electro-optic CCD or IIR sensors for day/night all-weather operation, as well as a tandem warhead. Their lofted trajectories enable the warhead to strike the target at its most vulnerable location with pinpoint precision. All of the SPIKE Family members have a low life-cycle cost, due to high reliability and operational, logistic support and production commonality between members. Over 18,000 Spike Family missiles have already been sold to more than 22 customers around the world. Over 3,000 Spike missiles have already been used in combat and training.

Remote-Controlled Weapon Stations

Globally integrated on thousands of fielded ground and naval platforms, Rafael’s Samson family of advanced remote weapon stations (RWS) capitalizes on extensive combat experience with a deep understanding of emerging military needs.

Dual Station

Designed for high performance and survivability on land and at sea, the Samson RWS have been adapted to a wide variety of main battle tanks, trucked and wheeled armored personnel carriers and marine craft.

The Samson Family is offered in five land configurations and two naval configurations. Samson RWS support diverse, interchangeable weapons and sensors including 5.56/7.62/12.7/14.5 mm machine guns, 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, medium caliber guns, anti-tank missiles, observation pods, and non lethal capabilities.

The Samson Dual and the Samson MKII 30 incorporate a unique under-armor loading/reloading mechanism, which enables fluent maneuverability and increased survivability.

Deployed in over 25 countries, using innovative technology and under rigorous combat and environmental conditions, these robust weapon stations are a dependable force multiplier and trusted partner for the most challenging missions.

Trophy APS Family:

Trophy is a situational awareness and active protection hard kill system for heavy, medium and light armored vehicles. It operates in three major stages: Threat detection, threat tracking, and finally, activation and neutralization by hard kill countermeasures. The neutralization process takes a fraction of a second and takes place only if the threat is about to hit the platform.

“Trophy” Active Protection System is the only fielded combat-proven APS in the world. It is the only APS that is in serial production, type-classified, and has already saved lives in combat (2011, 2012). Trophy provides 360º coverage against all anti-tank threats, including high elevation, short range and in-motion scenarios.

Trophy enhances force lethality by providing real-time location of Anti Tank teams, utilizing connectivity to BMS / C4I and weapon systems such as Rafael’s “Samson RWS” for quick hostile fire-detection and neutralization.

These capabilities have been chosen and tested (2013) in an international tender carried out by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and have been proven beyond doubt following successful operational integration on the LAVIII IFV.

The Trophy APS family provides complete protection and lethality for a full spectrum of platforms:

Trophy HV – Was declared operational by the Israel Defense Force in August 2009 and became combat proven in 2011 for the first time, intercepting an advanced anti-tank threat fired at an Israeli tank in theater. It is currently in full production and integration on all new Merkava 4 tanks in Israel and under new contract to supply significant number of systems for diversified platforms.

Trophy MV (Medium) offers the same protection and lethality capabilities as Trophy HV and includes built-in soft kill capabilities, coupled with a reduction in weight and volume.

Trophy LV (Light) is a hard kill system for light armored vehicles, which utilizes the same superior operating principles as Trophy HV and Trophy MV at a fraction of the weight. Trophy LV provides a high-kill probability against advanced threats, including the most sophisticated shoulder-launched AT rocket propelled grenades, making it a significant force-multiplier at shorter ranges on the modern battlefield.

Rafael tailors a full survivability suite to enhance force lethality and maneuverability, utilizing 40 years experience in fielding combat proven mixed technologies.

The need to close fire circles efficiently and quickly in a highly volatile, rapidly-changing battlefield environment is mandatory for force survivability. Additionally, the need to pro-actively initiate threat handling and elimination must form an integral part of the force’s capability. Both needs – defensive and offensive – must be given a comprehensive response in the force’s available resources.

Samson Knight

RAFAEL’s Solution: SAMSON KNIGHT

The SAMSON KNIGHT’s core element is an advanced fire management system which interfaces with battlefield day/night sensors and effectors. Based on real-time, flat data communication and sophisticated algorithms, the suite provides the SAMSON KNIGHT operator with all the information required to efficiently plan, manage, allocate and execute ground missions in hostile environments, closing the sensor-to-effector loop in a more streamlined process.

Air Defense

Rafael offers a full range of air defense systems to ensure efficient responses against all types of airborne threats, including aircraft, helicopters, short to long range missiles and rockets.

Rafael air defense solutions meet the requirements of the army, air force and navy. The systems can be integrated, coordinated and operated by tri-forces to provide comprehensive interoperability and interchangeability.

Spyder-SR _ Spyder-MR Launcher

One of Rafael’s flagship products, which has received worldwide recognition and praise is Iron Dome, an active defense system against short-range missiles and rockets. Since its first deployment in Israel in 2011, the system has already intercepted over 500 rockets and is deployed in key locations around Israel. The system is highly mobile, and is thus easily deployable to protect critical infrastructure sites, civilian areas, and military installations and bases. It is another key element in increasing force survivability as well as maneuverability.

Rafael has also developed SPYDER (Surface-To-Air Python & DERBY), a quick reaction, low level surface-to-air missile system designed to counter attacks by aircraft, helicopters UAVs and precision guided munitions. The system provides effective protection of valuable assets, as well as first-class defense for forces located in the combat area.

SPYDER incorporates RAFAEL’s most advanced, proven performance air-to-air missiles – the Derby active radar (RF) missile and Python-5, a dual waveband Imaging Infra Red (IIR) missile. The SPYDER family includes SPYDER-SR (Short Range) and SPYDER-MR (Medium Range) systems. In 2008 India signed an agreement with Israel to acquire 18 SPYDER Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) to protect high-value assets of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Iron Dome

Rafael CEO, VADM (ret.) Yedidia Yaari: To stay ahead of the challenges that await us, we will need to continue to develop advanced technologies here in Israel and with our partners around the world. Rafael will continue to invest much of its revenues on R&D as it has done for many years and to develop ground-breaking technologies. Our strategy has for a long time called for development of precise, proportionate and discriminate systems that allow forces to carry out missions effectively, efficiently and economically. Systems such as Trophy, Iron Dome, and David’s Sling, which recently completed its first full system interception test successfully, are just a few examples of such breakthroughs. Laser applications and CIED capabilities will also serve a main role in any futuristic combat scenario. Rafael is a growing company and is expected to continue to grow and to provide its customers in Israel and in other countries with systems that can address the challenges of the various battle arenas they are engaged in.

We understand the growing need for increased cooperation and partnership with global clients, and for maintaining knowledge transfer and adaptation of existing solutions to the specific needs of the user. As such, Rafael is constantly seeking new partnership and joint ventures with Indian companies for cooperation that will help drive forward our mutual ability to address local needs and operational requirements.