The Royal Netherlands Army has awarded BAE Systems Hägglunds a long-anticipated contract to integrate the Elbit Systems Iron Fist hard kill active protection system (APS) with its fleet of CV9035NL tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
The decision follows a two-phase series of studies, system evaluation, and subsystem trials by the army, in collaboration with platform original equipment manufacturer (OEM) BAE Systems Hägglunds, beginning in 2015, for the implementation of Iron Fist onto the CV9035NL turret.
According to BAE Systems, an initial phase provided for an evaluation of “the feasibility of five systems”, and the second pre-definition study phase focused on “the inherent performance and high-level integration of the APS.”
“Over the last couple of years, we have done a thorough job in studying the integration and conducting system tests with the Active Protection System for the CV90 platform. We are now confident that it will provide the capability we need. The APS will give us a significant combat advantage and will improve tactical operation,” said Joost Vernooij, Dutch project manager for CV90.
The contract, which provides for the initial integration of the Iron Fist system with the CV9035, is part of a larger upgrade programme on the CV9035NL. The value of the contract has not been disclosed. A follow-on contract to furnish an undisclosed number of Royal Netherlands Army CV953NL platforms is expected next year, Dan Lindell, Director of Combat Vehicles at BAE Systems Hägglunds, told Jane’s . The army currently operates a fleet of approximately 149 CV90 platforms.
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