BAE Systems has delivered its 100,000th Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guidance kit, a production milestone for the widely used precision-strike system.
The APKWS kit converts standard 2.75-inch unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions, providing a lower-cost alternative to larger guided missiles while maintaining accuracy and reducing the risk of collateral damage. The system is designed for a range of missions and has increasingly been used in counter-uncrewed aircraft operations.
“With over a decade of proven performance, reliability, and accuracy, APKWS guidance kits have supported precision-strike missions worldwide,” said Neeta Jayaraman, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. “This milestone demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative technology rapidly and at scale. With our new production contract, we’re poised to support evolving mission needs for years to come.”
The guidance kit can be launched from multiple platforms, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, ground vehicles and maritime platforms. It supports a range of engagement types, including air-to-surface, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and air-to-air strikes.
APKWS systems are currently fielded by the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marine Corps and are available to allied nations through foreign military sales programmes. BAE Systems has produced the system at full rate for more than a decade and continues to develop upgrades and new variants to address emerging threats. Production of the APKWS guidance kit takes place at BAE Systems facilities in Hudson, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas.
Will the UK be getting this for its F35Bs and Typhoon’s for counter drone? And, is the 25mm gun pod worth a look for the F35B?
It is now being rapidly incorporated on Typhoon. There was pictures of it doing aerodynamic test last week. I doubt it will be on the F35 anytime soon. Lockheed Martin has issues integrating anything especially no stealthy weapons in the wings.
What other platforms might it be useful if they had it? Hawk / M-246, army Wildcat?
There is the beechceaft t-6 wolverine based on the t.6 texan, which we currently have. Now, not sure these can be updated, but buying an aircraft that shares commonality would be beneficial for parts. However, it would be nice to see the a light fighter hawk back.
Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine:
Ah! I see the Textron web site does advertise the Wolverine comes with an EO/IR targeting suite.
My understanding is that these Shahed drones are difficult to spot; made of composite – low radar x-section. So targeting is a problem. I’ve seen some outrageously expensive ground based radar systems – sort of phalanx on steroids. The drones have a petrol engine which might show up on an I/R sensor like Pirate. The Navy Wildcat has a Wescam EO/IR sensor. Do they use that for aiming the laser beam for the Martlets? I think any other platform would need something similar. Pointing a laser beam at the target looks like the tricky bit.
Iran has shown how easy the Gulf States air defence and search radars are to hit using Shaheds and other drones. Iran have clearly mapped out where the Gulf States have located their radars, plus probably got satellite intel from Russia/China. But perhaps worryingly one of the THAAD radars was taken out. These radars are serious pieces of kit and not easily replaced.
Yes, I read that. Puts the Akrotiri runway incident into perspective.
Look at the ukrainien air defense. They use sound detector worth a fraction of a radar an drones to shoot and kill Shahed. The drone are worth 3000€ and the sound detector 10000€. 90% kill probability on shahed. Not the 10000€ of an F16 flight hour, nowhere neer the 45k€ of an our of F35. And no additional rocket to buy…
When radar designer were tasked to spot supersonic fighter jets and missile threats the radar are good at picking those up.
When you go back to WW1 level threats in terms of speed and radar returns things are different.
Ultimately they are solvable as there is a propeller and a metal engine which will give returns. I suspect China has given some help in disguising the engine signature with Gen1 RAM.
It is simply a question of getting the right radar in the right place and actually SearchWater might be quite good for this hence the Merlin.
I’m kind of surprised (though not really with this Government’s lack of fore thought), that Crowsnest wasn’t sent to Akrotiri much earlier. The threat that Hezbollah lobbing a few drones at the base must have been on the threat list. Where the risk of threat should have gone “Red”, as soon as it was known USA and Israel would launch strikes on Iran. As Iran has shown in the past that it uses its proxies to lash out when attacked.
One thing I did notice, is that they’re only sending one platform. Pretty certain you can’t cover the airspace 24/7 with a single Merlin!
Hard to self deploy an entire squadron of Merlin CROWSNEST to Cyprus. If the requirement is needed for 24/7 support then the Prince of Wales is probably needed to do it.
This may be on the cards if things get worse. However between the T45, 2 wildcats and one Merlin they should have enough for anything coming from the region. Any large attacks from Iran need to cross a massive defence zone running through Jordan.
The THAAD battery in Jordan has had its radar unit destroyed by UAV Shaeed which it couldn’t see, and nobody else saw either.
So Akrotiri can not rely on GBAD in Jordan that don’t work without radar units, or aren’t relevant to UAVs.
Bit of a silly question but can’t radars of this size self defend themselves electronically in anyway? Seems like some extra Shorad GBAD is needed for the THAAD site and Jordsn has/has ordered the Terrahawk believe?
Given the evidence that Saheed 136 was able to destroy the radar, I would guess no EW defence capabilities but obviously that’s a Secret.
I’m amazed that it was only one bagger being sent.
However, I would *guess* it was flown out with four pilots and the radar operators/controllers went on a scheduled passenger jet.
That way the stops were just
refuelling stops. As the crew could switch over and rest in the back seats?
Even so I’m surprised two cabs were not sent to give more persistence.
Probably because Rachel is refusing to pay for the deployment from Treasury Reserve.
I read they are worried about using up airframe hours. Pathetic really, it illustrates the result of skimping and buying the bare minimum of everything.
Maybe they should not be in such a rush to get rid of the T1 Typhoons that could still be used in this counter drone role?
And purchasing some GBAD systems assp for air and port bases might be sensible. Why wait? Even Terrahawk and mobile LMM for starters.
T1s already went out of service last year. Only 4 in the Falklands remain.
Jeeze that’s a quick removal. I’m guessing they weren’t worth the upgrade? Wasn’t it around 14 units or more?
According to the F35’s joint project office (JPO), APKWS is not listed for integration on the F35. I suspect that will change, as its proving pretty effective against drones, and is a shed load cheaper than a Sidewinder or ASRAAM.
Indeed, the USA finally woke up to the financial leverage aspect of 30k UAV vs 1.1m AIM-9.
Should have been paying attention to the RF terrorist state war in Ukraine as it turns out that AFU have lots of cards…
Drone vs drone seem more like it.
Air to air intercept by specialist Interceptors is part of the UA layered air defence mix, however that only works there the attack drone path is predicted.
For unpredictable attack there’s no substitute for the flexibility of a fast jet to chase and faster missile to destroy the attack drone Sh-136 etc.
About 450 every night will always be a mix of regular target areas; Kyiv, Lvov, and irregular targets.
A 41 sqn Typhoon was pictured carry this system last week. Likely being purchased under a UOR.
At around $30k each these are relatively inexpensive, multi-functional, precision munitions. An Apache can carry four 19-rocket pods, for a total of 76 rockets. In that context 100,000 isn’t a lot. Although I’d imagine an Apache wouldn’t be carrying 76 every mission, and very unlikely to be firing 76 every mission. The ability to ramp up production quickly is probably more important than having a huge day 1 stockpile, although both would be nice.
Meanwhile we have F35B with no cost effective way to shoot down drones or anything else for that matter. ASRAAM is @£200k each and AMRAAM is @£2 million a pop vs SHAHAD at £10k.
So does anyone know why we didn’t buy the Gun Pod was it purely down to cost or has MOD decided like the USAF did in the 60’s that guns were obsolete ?
Cost. What else with these clowns?
The main reason we have not purchased the gun pod is stated as being because CAS is provided by Typhoon which is better suited with internal cannon and brimstone.
I don’t think anyone in the airforce wants to be close enough to a drone to get a kill with guns. In the few occasions they have done it, it was a last resort and medals were issued.
FOD ingested to EJ200 is not good for flight safety and plastic / composite UAVs would break into thousands of fragments.
In Ukraine they kill Shaeeds with helicopter mounted mini-guns (fly alongside) or purpose built UAVs (crash bang) though there are reports of F-16s using a full load of missiles to protect critical infrastructure. Guns rarely used after all missiles sent.
Mig 29 were lost doing a cannon interception.
If no gun pod maybe they should be looking at a mini Dragonfire type laser pod? All that wasted energy coming out of that beast of an engine some of it could be used to power it up?
Out of curiosity do any US, Italian, Singaporean or Japanese F3Bs utilise gun pods?
Would it be possible then if no gun pod that two additional Asraams could be carried underneath in some stealth pod fairing?
Any ideas on how price compares to Martlet LMM?
APKWS on the army Wildcats, the Hawk replacement (M-346) is the way to go?
And Martlets too! And what about Hellfire so Army have a secondary anti tank role helo to complement the Apaches?
It’ll be interesting to see what they give the A149s. I think i saw an image of the Polish version carrying Brrimstone or Hellfire?
The thing that strikes me about the AW149 is the fact that it can operate from ships, which the Puma could not. If they were given to the AAC rather than the RAF you could create a significant independent expeditionary, airborne assault capability – a sort of UKMC. The paras will be doing less parachuting and the RM will be doing less beach storming. 🤔
We could then do with an all terrain vehicle light enough to be carried by that helicopter, to do some heavy lifting and casualty evacuation duties for those expeditionory forces.
Something to replace the Supacat ATMP.
We need true all terrain ability, as it will probably be needed when convention forces cannot be used. It cannot be something that just looks good driving across a flat field at speed on the manufacturers video.