High-tech weapons mix targets urban hazards.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew
• Position: UPFRONT

DAHLGREN, Va. -- As the Pentagon continues to invest in technologies to neutralize roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenades remain a potent threat. More than 100 soldiers have been killed since operations in South East Asia began.

The Trophy active protection system, a weapon designed by the Israelis to destroy RPGs in mid-flight from moving vehicles without causing collateral damage, is in advanced state of testing.

Trophy is part of a suite of cutting edge lethal and non-lethal weapons being integrated on a Stryker armored vehicle as part of a broader effort--known as Project Sheriff--sponsored by the Defense Department's office of force transformation.

The project seeks to provide battlefield commanders with more tools to operate in chaotic urban environments. It includes a menu of lethal and non-lethal capabilities for conducting raids, reconnaissance, crowd control, point defense and force protection missions.

Representatives from the office of force transformation and from Israel's Rafael Armaments Development Authority--and its U.S. partner General Dynamics Land Systems--recently demonstrated Trophy here at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Dahlgren Division, for Pentagon brass and the media.

The Stryker drove toward two launchers at about 23 mph. The first was aimed to hit the vehicle, while the second was calibrated to miss to the side. AS the RPGs shot toward the Stryker, the system picked them up on its radars and released a projectile to shoot down the first rocket. Meanwhile, it determined that the second was not a threat, and let it pass.

Later, General Dynamics engineers displayed the results. The rocket was brought down without igniting the warhead. Ensuring that fragments are not released is crucial to the success of the system because friendly troops could be standing nearby: The nature of the projectile that destroys the RPG is classified, but is similar to buckshot.

The Trophy system uses four radars and one launcher on each side of the vehicle to give 360-degree coverage. Rafael executives said there is less than a 1 percent chance of fragments injuring a soldier.

The system has undergone hundreds of tests in Israel for the past 10 years, according to Didi Benyoash, business development manager at Rafael. The Israeli Defense Forces demanded that fratricide rates be kept at below the 1 percent mark, he said. Some Israeli tanks will be outfitted with Trophy this fall.

Although most U.S. soldiers in Iraq ride in humvees...