Free Republic

As Israel braces for more wars with Hezbollah and Hamas, the army has unveiled a miniature anti-missile system to protect its Merkava tanks and other armored vehicles from missiles that Hezbollah used with withering effect in the 34-day 2006 conflict. The system, known as Trophy, has been in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for some time but was given impetus by the setbacks the Israeli military suffered in the 2006 fighting. The Merkava IV saw its first heavy combat in the 2006 war. At the recent unveiling of Trophy at a military base overlooking the Mediterranean, the commander of...

On a dusty, wind-swept field overlooking the Mediterranean, a small team of researchers is putting the final touches on what Israel says is a major game changer in tank defense: a miniature anti-missile system that detects incoming projectiles and shoots them down before they reach the armored vehicles. If successful, the "Trophy" system could radically alter the balance of power if the country goes to war again against Hezbollah guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon or Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Its performance could also have much wider implications as American troops and their Western allies battle insurgents in Iraq and...