Rafael to supply Australia with Spike missiles, Trophy protection system
Australian army second outside Israel to purchase armored vehicle safety product
By ANNA AHRONHEIMLance turret firing SPIKE LR Missle(photo credit: RAFAEL ADVANCED DEFENSE SYSTEMS)
Defense giant Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has been selected to provide several weapons systems to the Australian Defense Force, including the Spike LR2 fifth-generation anti-tank guided weapon and Trophy Active Protection System.The announcement was made Wednesday in Canberra by Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne at the official launch ceremony of VRA Systems, a joint venture between Rafael and engineering company the Varley Group.According to VRA’s inaugural CEO Jacob Blitman, the company will employ up to 70 Australians in local facilities with the potential to hire hundreds more.“VRA aims to maximize the proportion of Spike LR2 componentry produced in Australia and deliver through life in service support, making use of our reach-back to Rafael’s research and development network in Israel,” he said.Jeff Phillips, Managing Director of the Varley Group, said, “the 5th Generation Spike LR2 is the first of what we hope will be many opportunities for VRA to deliver Australian sovereign capabilities, drive innovation and jobs, and create export opportunities.”The Spike LR2, which will be delivered to the Australian Defence Force by VRA Systems for their new Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles, is an advanced, multipurpose missile which incorporates improvements in lethality and immunity.The 12.7 kg. missile, which can be fired from vehicles, helicopters, ships and ground launchers, has advanced electro-optic seekers which includes capabilities of a smart target tracker with artificial intelligence features.The Spike LR2 www.jpost.com/Israel-News/FireFly-New-variant-in-Rafaels-Spike-family-of-precision-weapons-559228also has two advanced warhead configurations for increased lethality, the company said. One is the tandem high-explosive anti-tank warhead configuration, which ups the armor penetration capability of the missile by over 30%, and the other is the new multipurpose blast warhead, which gives the gunner control of the desired effect.Designed against new modern targets with a low signature and time-sensitive characteristics, the missile also includes new third-party target allocation (networked-enabled) enhancement with an embedded inertial measurement unit assembly which allows the missiles to be fired to grid target coordinates including advanced armor and protection systems, making it one of the only missiles in the world with this capability.
In addition to the Spike LR2, the Australian Defense Forces is set to receive the Trophy Active Protection System for their armored vehicles, becoming the second army after the United States to purchase the system.Designed to detect and neutralize incoming projectiles, the Trophy system has four radar antennae and fire-control radars to track incoming threats, such as anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. Once a projectile is detected, the Trophy system fires a shotgun-type blast to neutralize the threat.The Trophy system is the only fully operational and combat-proven active protection system in the world, proving its efficacy in several operations, especially during Operation Protective Edge, when IDF tanks were able to operate in the Gaza Strip without suffering any losses.VRA will also deliver a range of other Rafael products to Australia, including the Tamir counter-rocket, artillery and missile interceptor for short-range ground-based air defense; and the Torbuster torpedo counter-
