Israeli company Elbit Systems has secured the final contract to supply Iron Fist APS units for European CV90 IFVs. This follows successful demonstrations in which the system intercepted more than a dozen 120-mm tank rounds.
According to the company's press release, the deal is valued at USD 150 million and includes integration of the system into armored vehicles. The system is expected to be used by NATO member countries in Europe. It is currently known that it will be installed on Dutch CV9035NL MLU IFVs, as well as for another, as-yet-undisclosed customer.
Read more: After Canceling Upgrades, Denmark Buys 44 CV90 Replacements Old IFVs May Go to Ukraine in 2026
In September 2025, Iron Fist underwent testing, during which it intercepted more than a dozen advanced kinetic-energy 120-mm armor-piercing rounds. Elbit Systems emphasized that this is a highly impressive result, demonstrating the system's ability to provide protection even against the most sophisticated anti-tank threats.
From Defense Express' perspective, Iron Fist is indeed a strong APS that enables an IFV to withstand tank fire in ways that conventional armor cannot. However, the question remains how relevant this capability is today.
Experience from the russian-Ukrainian war shows that the greatest threat to armored vehicles comes from FPV drones. While they cannot always guarantee a hit, they are cheap enough to be deployed in large numbers and can attack from multiple directions.
Attacks from all sides and from above are likely not a problem for Iron Fist, which, according to the manufacturer, provides 360-degree coverage. A much more serious issue is detecting drones and responding to them in time. Anti-tank missiles and tank rounds travel at high speeds, making them easier to identify, whereas drones are significantly slower and capable of maneuvering, which complicates targeting.
Another factor to consider is volume and cost: a swarm of UAVs may outnumber the available APS interceptors on a single vehicle. Moreover, the APS units themselves must be replenished, often at a cost higher than that of a single drone. This situation has been analyzed in detail previously.
As a result, questions remain regarding how to counter the CV90's most pressing threat today. It is possible, however, that the system's public demonstrations focus on tank rounds for show, while drone defense issues are handled "behind the scenes." Without detailed test results, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn.
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