Israel's Elbit Systems announced it has won a US$109 million contract to supply the Iron Fist Active Protection System (APS) for the BAE Systems Hägglunds (BSH) CV (Combat Vehicle) 90 range. This protection system upgrade has attracted attention, because the CV90 is known as one of the best Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) in the world, and 50 CV90 units have now been deployed in the war in Ukraine.
Quoted from the page elbitsystems.com (11/9/2023), it is stated that Iron Fist APS will be installed on CV90 ranpurs for European customers. However, it was not specifically stated how many units Iron Fist would be equipped with.
So far, the Swedish-produced CV90 is also used by the Netherlands, Norway, Estonia, Switzerland, Denmark and Finland. According to the contract, the Iron Fist APS installation will be carried out for three years.
Iron Fist is an active protection system against missile/rocket attacks resulting from a collaboration between two leading manufacturers, General Dynamics, AS and Elbit Systems. Like other types of Active Protection Systems on the market, Iron Fist is designed with a compact module to be installed on light to heavy armored vehicles and armored vehicles to provide protection from anti-tank missile and rocket attacks.
Iron Fist adopts the hard-kill concept, which is based on intercepting threats by launching small warheads at a safe distance from the protected platform. With precise calculations, Iron Fist is able to defeat or destroy missile or rocket threats through the shock wave effect.
With a module designed to be as compact as a smoke grenade launcher on a rifle, Iron Fist provides 360-degree protective coverage for close-range attack scenarios in open terrain and urban environments.
Iron Fist APS acts with two sensing techniques, namely search and track radar and staring infrared sensor. The combination of the two sensing techniques offers unique situational awareness with robust and reliable threat detection, accurate trajectory prediction, and short reaction time in all terrain conditions.
Elbist Systems claims the Iron Fist module does not require penetration into the vehicle structure. Meanwhile, for power, it only uses low power from the vehicle.
The CV90 is an IFV developed in the mid-1980s by BAE Systems Hägglunds, a subsidiary of BAE Systems AB. The identity “90” refers to the decade of its development (1990s). The CV90 is 6.8 meters long, 3.2 meters wide and 2.8 meters high. Manned by 3 personnel – commander, gunner and driver), and can carry 7-8 infantry troops.
The CV90 is powered by a Scania DS14 14 V8 diesel engine with a capacity of 550–1000 hp. The CV90 has a maximum speed of 70 km per hour and can explore 320 km of off-road terrain and 900 km of highway. The CV90 IFV comes in several variants with a weight in the range of 20-35 tons.
