Pentagon Awards Elbit Iron Fist deal for Bradley Fighting Vehicles
Elbit Systems confirmed on January 26 that it has received a $228 million contract to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems for the U.S. Army’s Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle upgrade program.
According to the company, the contract expands ongoing deliveries of the Iron Fist system as part of the Army’s effort to improve survivability of its armored vehicle fleet. The system will be integrated on upgraded Bradley IFVs under a program led by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems.
“We are proud to announce a $228M follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist™ Active Protection Systems for the U.S. Army’s Bradley IFV upgrades,” Elbit Systems said in its statement announcing the award.
The company said Iron Fist provides full-sphere protection against a wide range of battlefield threats. “Iron Fist continues to demonstrate its operational maturity, delivering 360-degree protection against a wide range of modern battlefield threats — from ATGMs and loitering munitions to kinetic energy rounds, in both open and urban environments,” Elbit said.
Iron Fist is a hard-kill active protection system designed to detect, track, and intercept incoming threats before they strike the vehicle. It uses a combination of sensors and countermeasures to neutralize anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and other high-velocity projectiles while minimizing collateral risk to nearby infantry.
The system has been tested extensively on U.S. Army platforms and selected as the protection solution for the Bradley upgrade effort after a multi-year evaluation process. The Bradley remains a core platform for mechanized infantry units and is expected to stay in service for years as the Army modernizes its armored formations.
Elbit said the new award reflects continued cooperation with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, the prime contractor responsible for Bradley upgrades. “This award is a testament to the trust in our technology and to our long-standing partnership with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in enhancing the survivability of armored forces,” the company said.
The follow-on contract builds on previous orders for Iron Fist systems as the Army moves from testing and limited fielding to wider deployment across its Bradley fleet. The Army has prioritized vehicle survivability upgrades following combat observations that show armored platforms face increasing threats from drones, precision-guided munitions, and advanced anti-armor weapons.
The Bradley IFV has undergone multiple modernization efforts over its service life, including improvements to sensors, networking, and protection. Adding an active protection system is intended to complement passive armor and electronic countermeasures already installed on the vehicle.
Elbit Systems has positioned Iron Fist as a modular solution that can be integrated on a range of tracked and wheeled armored platforms. The system is also used by other allied militaries, supporting interoperability among U.S. and partner ground forces.
The U.S. Army has identified active protection systems as a requirement for future operations, particularly in high-intensity conflict environments where armored vehicles are exposed to layered threats from missiles, drones, and kinetic weapons. The Bradley program is one of the first large-scale U.S. efforts to integrate such systems as a standard capability.