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Active Protection for Combat Vehicles, & More from CRS

08.24.16 | 2 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

Efforts to develop Active Protection Systems (APS) to defend military combat vehicles against rocket-propelled grenades or anti-tank missiles are reviewed in a new report from the Congressional Research Service.

An Active Protection System is supposed to detect an incoming threat, such as a grenade or a missile, and employ countermeasures to destroy or deflect it, all within a very brief period of time.

“A number of nations have operationally deployed APS on combat vehicles — Russia and Israel most notably — and some experts characterize U.S. efforts as somewhat lagging,” the CRS report said. “U.S. military officials contend there are still a number of developmental and safety challenges that must be overcome before current APS systems are suitable for battlefield deployment.”

See Army and Marine Corps Active Protection System (APS) Efforts, August 23, 2016.

Other new and updated Congressional Research Service reports that have not been publicly released include the following.

Stealing Trade Secrets and Economic Espionage: An Overview of the Economic Espionage Act, updated August 19, 2016

The Zika Outbreak Is Declared a Public Health Emergency in Puerto Rico, CRS Insight, August 17, 2016

Organization of American States: Background and Issues for Congress, updated August 22, 2016

U.S. Trade with Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Partners, updated August 18, 2016

Fact Sheet: Selected Highlights of the FY2017 Military Construction Appropriations Bills, August 18, 2016

Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, updated August 18, 2016

Navy Columbia Class (Ohio Replacement) Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, updated August 18, 2016

Taxation of U.S. Olympic Medal Winners, CRS Insight, August 18, 2016

How Treasury Issues Debt, updated August 18, 2016

Overview of CEQ Guidance on Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change, CRS Insight, August 18, 2016

Iran: Politics, Gulf Security, and U.S. Policy, updated August 19, 2016

Presidential Appointee Positions Requiring Senate Confirmation and Committees Handling Nominations, updated August 23, 2016

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