MSPO, Kielce – September 2025 – Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Hyundai Rotem Company (HRC) have officially signed a Teaming Agreement to cooperate on the integration, production, marketing, localization, and full lifecycle support of the TROPHY Active Protection System (APS) on HRC’s K2 Main Battle Tank and future platforms for the Republic of Korea.
The agreement was signed today at the HRC booth during the MSPO 2025, in a ceremony attended by senior executives from both companies, solidifying a significant step in Korean–Israeli defense cooperation.
This strategic partnership follows an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the companies, and now sets a clear framework for joint activities supporting the Republic of Korea’s APS program and additional global opportunities.
“This agreement represents a shared commitment to advancing battlefield survivability for next-generation armored platforms,” said Tzvi Marmor, Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael’s Land and Naval Systems Division.
“We are proud to deepen our collaboration with Hyundai Rotem and look forward to combining Rafael’s operational combat experience with Korea’s industrial and technological strength to support both local and international defense needs.”
Hyundai Rotem announced that it will integrate Rafael’s combat-proven Trophy Active Protection System (APS) onto the K2 main battle tank, including the Polonized K2PL version, marking the first time the Korea platform will be equipped with such a system.
“With a strong track record on the battlefield, the Trophy APS offers a significant opportunity to enhance the protection of the K2 main battle tank.” said Hyung-Joon Jo, Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Rotem’s Defense Solutions R&D Center. “Through a strategic teaming agreement, both companies will work closely to optimize and fully integrate the APS, tailoring it specifically for the K2 while ensuring adaptability for a wide range of customers. We expect that the Trophy APS will also benefit greatly from the global market expansion of the K2 main battle tank.”
Industry observers note that the partnership could enhance the K2’s competitiveness in overseas tenders, particularly in Europe, where several countries have shown interest in this battle tank.
The newly signed agreement reflects the mutual commitment of Hyundai Rotem and Rafael to deliver next-generation active protection capabilities tailored for Korean land forces, while also pursuing co-development, local production, and export opportunities.
This milestone marks a powerful alignment of Rafael’s unmatched APS experience with Hyundai Rotem’s advanced armored vehicle technologies, ensuring enhanced survivability and operational advantage for modern land warfare.
