The first German Leopard 2 tank equipped with the Israeli "Trophy" active protection system was launched last week on October 29, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced.
The Trophy System was designed and built by Rafael, an Israeli defense company. It has been operational since 2011, and over 2000 systems have been deployed worldwide.
The Ministry confirmed that the launch was part of continuing agreements signed between the Israeli and German Defense Ministries.
Leopard 2 tanks have been in service since 1979, and they have seen action across multiple wars in Europe and Asia, most recently in Ukraine.
In 2021, the two country's defense ministries signed an agreement to upgrade existing Leopard 2s with Trophy systems. Rafael created specialized systems for the Leopard 2.
The launching ceremony on October 29 was attended by the Head of the Directorate-General for Equipment within the Federal Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said, "This ceremony symbolizes the close cooperation between the German and Israeli governments and follows on from other deals worth billions of dollars, signed with the German government, including the deal for the sale of the Israeli 'Arrow 3' system."
Controversy over arms sales to Israel
The new launch comes amid growing controversy in Germany over the sale of weapons to Israel.
In September, Germany was accused of secretly halting arms sales to Israel after an analysis by Reuters showed that the number of approved weapons sold to Israel in 2024 dropped to 5% (14.5 million euros) of what was approved in 2023 (326.5 million euros).
The stoppage was reportedly due to German government concerns over pending cases against Israel in the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
This stoppage was seemingly reversed when the German government approved the sale of over $100 million dollars worth of military equipment.