Active protection integration for European armored vehicles

Active protection systems are increasingly central to armored vehicle survivability as anti-armor threats evolve in speed, precision, and variety. Against this backdrop, Elbit Systems Ltd secured new contracts valued at $150 million for its Iron Fist Active Protection System, to be integrated by BAE Systems Hägglunds on CV90 infantry fighting vehicles operated by European NATO members.

Contracts linked to CV90 fleet modernization
The awarded contracts form part of a long-term industrial partnership between Elbit Systems and BAE Systems Hägglunds, focused on upgrading the protection architecture of the CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The CV90 is widely fielded across Europe, and its integration with an active protection system reflects a broader NATO trend toward layered survivability solutions that combine passive armor, electronic countermeasures, and hard-kill interception.

Demonstration against high-energy kinetic threats
A key factor underpinning the contracts was a live-fire demonstration conducted in Europe in September 2025. During this trial, Iron Fist successfully intercepted more than a dozen 120 mm kinetic-energy armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (KE APFSDS) rounds. Such rounds represent one of the most demanding interception challenges for APS technologies due to their high velocity and concentrated penetrative energy. The demonstration, observed by military and defense industry representatives, provided empirical validation of Iron Fist’s ability to counter KE threats under realistic conditions.

System architecture and threat coverage
Iron Fist is a hard-kill active protection system designed to neutralize incoming threats before impact. As a second-generation APS in service with the Israel Defense Forces, it is engineered with reduced volume, weight, and power requirements to suit medium and heavy armored platforms. The system provides 360-degree coverage and is specified to counter a range of threats, including anti-tank rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, unmanned aerial systems, loitering munitions, and kinetic-energy tank ammunition. This broad threat envelope is intended to support operations in both open terrain and dense urban environments, where engagement geometries and reaction times vary significantly.

Operational relevance for NATO forces
Iron Fist has been selected by several NATO and non-NATO armed forces for integration across different combat platforms, indicating alignment with common survivability requirements within the alliance. For European CV90 operators, the system adds an active defensive layer against modern anti-armor weapons, complementing existing armor solutions and supporting fleet longevity amid changing battlefield conditions.

Position within the active protection landscape
Within the active protection domain, systems are typically assessed on measurable criteria such as reaction time, interception success rate, coverage angles, and integration impact on vehicle weight and power budgets. The demonstrated interception of multiple 120 mm KE rounds places Iron Fist among a limited group of APS solutions that have shown effectiveness against both guided and kinetic threats, a capability not uniformly available across all deployed systems.

The CV90 integration contracts highlight how live-fire validation, compact system design, and broad threat coverage are shaping procurement decisions as European NATO members adapt their armored fleets to contemporary combat risks.

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