By Andrew L. Jaffee

No, you didn’t read the title wrong; I said, “force field.” This technology isn’t sci-fi anymore. Now, it is reality, thanks to Israel. The Little Satan’s technology will be used to protect the lives of the Great Satan’s troops in Iraq. FOXNews has actual video of the “Trophy” system in action. According to The Register:

The US is to field test an innovative Israeli set-up designed to act as a “force field” around armoured vehicles, protecting them from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and anti-tank missiles, according to a Fox News report.

The system, dubbed “Trophy”, uses radar to track incoming threats and then destroys them when they’re in range by attacking the warheads with an “invisible force”, according to Fox. Quite how it does this is, unsurprisingly, classified, but Defense Update understands Trophy is “designed to form a ‘beam’ of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 metres to 30 meters from the protected platform”.

Still think this is science fiction? From Defence Update:

The system has completed hundreds of live test with the Israel Defense Forces and demonstrated effective neutralization of anti-tank rockets and guided missiles, high safety levels, insignificant residual penetration and minimal collateral damage (video). The system is in full scale engineering phase for inclusion on Merkava Mk. 4 tanks and the future light armored vehicle (Stryker).

The technical details, again from Defence Update:

The Trophy active protection system creates a hemispheric protected zone around the vehicle where incoming threats are intercepted and defeated. It has three elements providing ? Threat Detection and Tracking, Launching and Intercept functions. The Threat Detection and Warning subsystem consists of several sensors, including flat-panel radars, placed at strategic locations around the protected vehicle, to provide full hemispherical coverage. Once an incoming threat is detected identified and verified, the Countermeasure Assembly is opened, the countermeasure device is positioned in the direction where it can effectively intercept the threat. Then, it is launched automatically into a ballistic trajectory to intercept the incoming threat at a relatively long distance.

Specific details about the composition and mechanism of this explosive interceptor device are vague. From the briefing provided by US sources, Defense Update understands that Trophy is design to form a “beam” of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 ? 30 meters from the protected platform. The Trophy development roadmap considers an enhanced countermeasure unit to be available in the future, and protect against kinetic energy (KE) threats. Trophy was designed to effectively operate in a dense urban environment, where armored vehicles operate closely with integrated infantry forces. Therefore, direction, formation and energy of the fragments are designed to ensure effective target kill with low collateral damage, and low risk to nearby troops. While not in use, the system is maintained in the stowed position, protected by an armor shield. The system has an automatic reload mechanism to handle multiple attacks.

The system can simultaneously engage several threats, arriving from different directions, is effective on stationary or moving platforms, and is effective against short and long range threats (such as RPGs and ATGM). Trophy was designed to be effective in open or closed terrain, including urban area and can be operated under all weather conditions.

Watch out Islamo-fascists, democracy and the free market’s innovations will defeat you in the long run.

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Related: Israel, United States, Iraq

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