I’ve been asking around and have also personally tested the Merkava Mk.4M. During test drives, I noticed that the APS (Active Protection System) doesn’t seem very effective. It appears to respond too late and often fails to stop or detonate incoming shells.
Based on my research, this behavior is inaccurate and does not reflect the real-world performance of the Trophy system.
What I’d like to see changed:
- A higher probability of intercepting and destroying ATGMs and HEAT rounds.
- An increased reaction range for the APS to engage incoming targets.
Evidence
Video (1/2)
Radar range (2)
Probability of Interception (1)
Explanation:
In the first link, we can see two videos of the Merkava being targeted by a Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG). In both videos, it’s clearly shown that the Trophy HV system intercepts the HEAT round before it can damage the Merkava.
In the second video, the tank has already been immobilized, but this does not affect the demonstration of the Trophy HV intercepting the HEAT round—even when the RPG is launched from close range. This supports my point about the need to increase both the interception probability and the effective range of interception.
We observe that the Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) are launched quickly and at a safe distance to detonate even tandem warheads far enough away to neutralize the threat.
The second link provides a breakdown of the radars used in the Trophy HV system. It highlights the system’s ability to detect, track, and calculate the Time To Impact (TTI), which is indicative of a highly effective radar capable of detecting threats at both long and short ranges. This further supports the argument that, in-game, the EFPs are triggered too late—within a 2–3 foot radius of the Merkava—while in reality, they likely activate at 5–7 feet due to the radar’s advanced detection capabilities.
The third and final link is a document highlighting the system’s 90% success rate in intercepting incoming threats. Implementing this level of performance in-game would enhance the effectiveness of the Active Protection System (APS), benefiting the under-armored Merkava Mk.4 and encouraging the inclusion of more APS systems across all tech trees.
