Its name is reminiscent of the superhero made by Marvel, this is the "Iron Fist", an active anti-missile/rocket attack protection system that is the result of a collaboration between two champion manufacturers, General Dynamics, USA and Elbit Systems, Israel.
Like the existing types of Active Protection System (APS), the Iron Fist is designed with a compact module to be installed on light to heavy armor and armored vehicles to provide protection from missiles and anti-tank rocket attacks.
Iron Fist adopts the hard-kill concept, which is based on intercepting threats by launching a small warhead at a safe distance from a protected platform. With precise calculations, Iron Fist is able to defeat or destroy any missile or rocket threat through the shockwave effect.
With a module designed as compact as a smoke grenade launcher on a ranch, the Iron Fist provides 360-degree coverage for close-range attack scenarios in open terrain and urban environments.
General Dynamics and Elbit Systems act with two sensing techniques, namely search and track radar and staring infrared sensors. The combination of the two sensing techniques offers unique situational awareness with robust and reliable threat detection, accurate trajectory prediction and short reaction times in all terrain conditions.
Compared to the APS currently available, the Iron Fist comes with a revolutionary design that minimizes the dimensions of the APS while maintaining the combat capability of the vehicle and maximum protection. The Iron Fist module does not require penetration into the vehicle structure. As for power, it only uses low power from the vehicle.
The weight of a single Iron Fist module reaches 99.5 kg, while the overall weight of the Iron Fist system on a ranpur is around 249 kg.
Apart from the protection system module installed on the ranpur, Iron Fist basically has a similar way of working to the Arena APS mounted on the Russian ranpur. The Arena Active Protection System for the BMP-3 is designed and manufactured by the Russian company KBM company.
This device consists of a radar console, computer, commander's control console, command conversion units. Meanwhile, the countermeasures unit to repel rockets/missiles consists of protective rounds (PR) and launch cells. Besides being installed on the BMP-3, the Arena Active Protection System is also massively used on the Russian Main Battle Tank (MBT).
The working principle of the Arena Active Protection System is with an active radar that can detect threats that point from a distance of 50 meters. The radar on the tank turret can scan target missiles/rockets that are traveling at a speed of 70 – 700 meters per second. The reaction time required for this shielding system is 0.07 seconds.
Read: Russian MBTs are Equipped with a Soft Case Protection that looks like a Bag, Here are the Advantages
Because the Arena Active Protection System works by releasing and detonating munitions, a small dangerous zone is applied, where friendly infantry troops cannot be within a radius of 20-30 meters when this protection system is used.
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