JERUSALEM — Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Hyundai Rotem have teamed up to integrate, produce and support the Israeli Trophy vehicle-protection system on the South Korean K2 battle tank and future platforms of the Asian nation, the companies announced this week.
The firms noted in a joint statement that the move marks the first time the Korean tank will be equipped with such a system.
The agreement includes the Poland-specific K2PL version, following the supply of a 180 K2 tanks deal signed between Poland and South Korea.
The Israeli-South Korean collaboration was signed at the MSPO 2025 Defense Exhibition in Kielce, Poland, a day after the Chinese military parade and amid the tripartite summit of China, Russia and North Korea.
The companies stated in their announcement that the pact “reflects the mutual commitment to deliver next-generation active protection capabilities tailored for Korean land forces, while also pursuing co-development, local production, and export opportunities.”
The Trophy integration deal also provides a boost for the upcoming British defense exhibition DSEI, which is scheduled to begin in Sept. 9 in London and is slated to feature major Israeli defense companies.
The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced last week that it had withdrawn its participation in the exhibition after DSEI organizers banned government representatives in response to Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza.
The Trophy active protection system can be integrated in a variety of military vehicles, with the manufacturer claiming it’s “the only fully integrated APS fielded by NATO.”
Battle tank models slated to carry it include the U.S. Abrams, Israel’s Merkava and Namer armored personnel carrier, the UK’s Challenger tanks and Germany’s Leopard 2.
Tzally Greenberg is the Israel correspondent for Defense News. He has experience reporting on economic affairs as well as defense and cyber companies.
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