According to Israel-based Rafael announcement, made in the leadup to DSEI in UK, the TROPHY Active Protection System (APS) will be used on new LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tanks in Germany and Norway. It will be produced and installed by a joint venture, the EuroTrophy, based in Germany and made by General Dynamics European Land Systems, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, a limited presence of France’s Nexter Defense Systems, and Rafael. As reported by Rafael, the TROPHY is now the most successful APS integrated in the western world MBTs including LEOPARD 2 (A7A1 and now A8), M-1 ABRAMS and MERKAVA IV. In terms of numbers, the German Armed Forces (BAAINBw) have signed an initial deal with KMW, and the joint venture Euro-Trophy, for the delivery of up to 123 Leopard 2 A8 while the the Norwegian Defense Material Agency has ordered the deliver of 53 Leopard 2 A8 tanks with the TROPHY system. Without involving EuroTrophy, Rafael has also announced that it secured a £20 million (€24M) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) for using the system with the CHALLENGER 3 MBT. The contract has been the result of an intense compaign conducted by the system installed on the British tank which, in accordance with Rafael reports, has intercepted (live) well over 90% of threats targeting the tanks. The APS saw its first combat interception in 2011, and from there it is combat proven against rockets and missiles and, according to Rafael, the system has accrued more than 1 million hours, including more than 5,400 successful field tests. Its serial production passed the 2,000 systems. As reported by Ran Gozali, Executive Vice President, and general manager Land & Naval Division at Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, the TROPHY high effectiveness results and the continuos lesson learned received by Ukraine, regarding the vulnerability of the tanks no protected by APS, have convinced the UK MOD, and all the western customers of the system, on its essentiality. This has set great expectation and confidence in the TROPHY’s ability to guarantee the force protection of the troops and one of their most important weapon system, the MBT.