Breaking Defense:
German arms maker Rheinmetall is rolling out a new Active Protection System (APS) it says should lay Army safety concerns about such systems to rest. The Army is rushing to install anti-missile defenses on its armored vehicles but remains concerned about whether they might accidentally shred nearby civilians or friendly troops. The Rheinmetall system has been tested and certified to meet uniquely stringent safety standards, the company says.
It shoots down incoming missiles at the last instant, which they argue is (ironically) safer for surrounding troops than an early kill.
Active Protection Systems are essentially miniaturized missile defenses for tanks. Guided missiles have been a top threat to armored vehicles since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. After decades of improvement in both offense and defense, engineers have maxed out armor’s ability to take a hit, forcing them to find ways to decoy or shoot down the incoming missile before it hits at all.
