RAFAEL Composite Ceramic Armour (CCA)

Following a competition between the US companies of Foster-Miller (qv) and Simula (qv) and the Ordnance Systems Division of the RAFAEL Armament Development Authority of Israel, late in 1997, the latter company was awarded a contract worth US$7.1 million. This was to provide applique passive armour kits for the Diesel Division, General Motors of Canada, LAV-25 (8 x 8) Light Armoured Vehicles used by the US Marine Corps. First deliveries took place in 1998.

According to RAFAEL, their CCA system was the only one of the three systems tested that passed the 100 per cent environmental and functional tests carried out in the US.

This RAFAEL passive armour system is known as the Composite Ceramic Armour (CCA) and is fitted to the hull and turret of the LAV-25 providing a higher level of protection against Kinetic Energy (KE) attack over the frontal arc.

The lightweight ceramic tiles can be quickly fitted or removed from the LAV-25 and protrude less than 40 mm from the hull of the vehicle. Any damaged tiles can be quickly replaced.

According to RAFAEL, the tiles can defeat threats of 15 m and 12.7 mm armour piercing rounds at a distance of 100 m through a 90° arc left and right.

Although the first application of the CCA is the US Marine Corps LAV-25 vehicles, it is also applicable to Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pandur (6x6 armoured personnel carrier which is also manufactured in the United States by AV Technology. RAFAEL has now won all three of the US open applique Enhanced Applique Armour Kits (EAAKs) for the US Marine Corps for installation on their AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicles (qv under Israel). The second was for an Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) package for the United Defense M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

The latter was won by a team consisting of the then Lockheed Martin Ordnance Systems and RAFAEL Armament Development Authority and additional details are given under the United States later in this section.

Production. In service with the United States Marine Corps on the LAV-25 (8 x 8) Light Armoured Vehicle.