All New Namer APCs will be Equipped with Trophy
Administration of the Merkava tank in the ministry of defense has completed these days the installation of the first Trophy (also called Windbreaker) on the Merkava armoured personnel carrier (Namer). Last week, the first operational experiment of Namer APC equipped with the advanced active defense system has started at the school for infantry corps in the south. At the end of a series of experiments Trophy active protection system (APS) will be installed on all the Namers coming out of the production line.
In the past weeks IDF completed the integration and customization of the Trophy system for installation on the Namer APCs. At the end of a series of experiments conducted these days IDF will start a serial installation of the system on additional vehicles. This way IDF will apply the ministry of defense policy of equipping every Namer coming out of the production line with the only operational active defense system in the world. Namer with Trophy will provide the highest level of defense for IDF soldiers and will provide them security and a considerable advantage on the battle field.
The Namer is considered the most protected armoured fighting vehicle in the world and has shown its abilities during operation Protective Edge against many threats. While fighting, the Namer IFV saved the lives of many soldiers who stayed protected inside the vehicles. According to ministry of defense decision, all the new Namer IFVs will be equipped with the Trophy system which achieved a great success defending the Merkava tanks in operation Protective Edge – a decision which will provide an additional considerable defence to every armoured personnel carrier.
IDF Increasing the Amount of Namer APCs
Last week, the ministry of defense signed a contract of purchasing kits and hulls for manufacturing additional Namer armoured personnel carriers, with the American company GD (General Dynamics). The contract was signed by the ministry of defense deputation in the USA, following the approval of the committee of ministers for equipping.
According the contract, the new kits will be delivered to the ministry of defense during the next six years. The total cost of manufacturing the kits and hulls in the USA according the contract is 310 million US dollars and there’s an additional contract of manufacturing engines for the Namer, for 250 million US dollars.
The Namer, which is considered the most protected armored fighting vehicle in the world, has shown its abilities during operation Protective Edge: While fighting, the Namers saved the lives of many soldiers who stayed protected inside the vehicles.
Administration of the Merkava tank announced that according to ministry of defense decision, all the new Namers will be equipped with the active defense system Trophy which showed a great success defending the Merkava tanks in operation Protective Edge. This way, actually, every armoured personnel carrier will have double defense.
The hull (body of the armoured personnel carriers) will be purchased, as said before, in the USA with the US aid money. Kits and additional components of the Namer will be manufactured in tens of factories in Israel and the final assembly will be performed in the Merkava factory in Tel Hashomer.
The Merkava and Namer projects are spread over about 200 factories in Israel, most of them in the peripherals, and employ about 10000 workers directly and indirectly. 92% of the Merkava tank components, in NIS, are manufactured in the Israeli defense industries. The Merkava industry exports about 700 million US dollars of the tank systems per year. The main markets are Europe, USA and east Asia. Actually, every NIS invested in the project returns almost 4 NIS which come back to the Israeli economy as defense export.