The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) will be part of the weapons mix for the British Army’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, with integration planned for 2027.
In a written response to Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, defence minister Luke Pollard said APKWS has been assessed “as part of a suite of systems available for the AH-64E weapons load”, highlighting its potential to give commanders greater flexibility when engaging different target sets. Pollard said the system would allow the Apache to “engage a range of targets with a measured effect”, suggesting interest in capabilities that sit below high-end guided missiles in terms of cost and destructive power.
The minister confirmed that procurement activity for UK AH-64E armament is ongoing, with the capability due to be integrated and introduced on British Apaches by 2027. However, he stressed that no final procurement decisions have yet been made for this to be fitted on other platforms. Pollard added that while APKWS is being considered for Apache, “the potential for use on other platforms remains under review”, indicating that any wider adoption across UK forces has not yet been agreed.
What is APKWS?
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a precision-guided rocket system that converts standard 2.75-inch (70 mm) Hydra 70 unguided rockets into laser-guided munitions through the addition of a mid-body guidance section. The guidance unit uses a semi-active laser seeker based on a distributed aperture design, allowing the rocket to home in on laser-designated targets with improved accuracy. APKWS is developed and manufactured by BAE Systems and is designated by the US Department of Defense as the programme of record for laser-guided 70 mm rockets.
Development of APKWS began in the early 2000s to address the requirement for a precision weapon with lower cost and reduced explosive yield compared with traditional guided missiles. The system achieved initial operational capability in 2012 and has since been fielded across a range of rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. APKWS is designed to be compatible with existing Hydra 70 rocket motors, warheads and launchers, enabling integration with minimal changes to aircraft hardware or software.
The primary operational advantage of APKWS lies in its balance of precision and affordability. By upgrading existing unguided rocket stocks with a guidance kit, the system delivers accurate engagement of point targets at a significantly lower unit cost than larger guided weapons. Engagement ranges depend on launch platform and flight profile, typically extending several kilometres. The weapon is used against soft targets, lightly armoured vehicles and small maritime or ground threats, with an emphasis on limiting collateral damage.
Ongoing development of APKWS has focused on extending capability and addressing emerging operational requirements. Variants with increased range and alternative seeker technologies have been tested, including configurations intended for counter-uncrewed aerial system roles. These developments have expanded the system’s utility beyond close air support into broader defensive and tactical applications.
Ah good news at last, some thing getting done rather than talked about. Make sense to have, it wise chice.
Are the UK’s Apache’s getting any ER JAGM’s and ER Hellfire’s, something with more standoff range than just the standard rounds? What about the ER/NLOS Spike or even Brimstone?
UK Apaches have Hellfire. We bought a US ‘package’ rather than pay and wait for Brimstone integration.
Unknown would makes sense to incress stand off range, and have ESM/ECM, may be we can not afford it?
The headline is wrong, if you read the quote it states the rocket has been assessed as part of the suit of armament for the apache, not that it will be ordered. There is a strong indication that it’s going to be procured but only an indication, so still just words without action.
Maybe misleading rather than wrong.
I suspect they are avoiding confirming any decisions until the review is published, which is meant to be after Christmas sometimes this year.
Used to that its all we have had for 18 months, words and lot of them.
Curious by the 18month part, what about the 15 years before that.
But agreed time to actually start placing some actual orders.
Or let’s be generous, Russia invaded crimes in 2015, so the last 10 years, what orders have happened as result of all the postering.
umm, a few service contracts, and spare contracts, the drinks machine in meeting room needed topping up, thats about the some of all really. Ajax/C3/Boxer etc were already in pipe line, oh hang on 14 older style Acher 155mm guns, and new No2 dress for the Army important stuff.
My thoughts entirely. Still not convinced we are taking the threat of conflict seriously but the delusion over the last ten+ years by comparison is beyond objective belief and that of the West especially Europe generally since the Crimea invasion has directly led to Russia invading Ukraine. Even a little seriousness back then would have saved us so much now and who knows how much in the near to medium future.
If we, with or without NATO, had deployed into Ukraine a decade ago to push Russia out of crimes, the war would never have happened. Crimea was a test to see how NATO would react, and it proved to Putin that NATO was a paper tiger.
Trump is a serious threat to world stability and various wars would not have happened if he wasn’t in power, but like anything not everything his done is bad and him effectively cutting off Europe from US support has meant europe is at last taking things seriously. For the US it is going to be long term negative as they will find trade talks far harder with europe going forward as they have lost their main card that has meant they got it easy for decades.
I suspect it won’t be long before US tech companies find that operating in Europe won’t be a walk over, and they will find that buying up anything that competes won’t be permitted. US economy is built on the rest of the world allowing tech companies to be insanely anti competitive.
I have previously asked in a number of threads if anyone knows what significant platforms and weapons have been ordered in the 17 months of the Starmer government. Apparently it might just be a tranche of 53 x Jackal 3 Extenda vehicles ordered in Sep 2024.
Does anyone know of any more significant orders than this? If its just a few Jackals, it is really pathetic. Doesn’t the war start in 2027?
Sky Sabre, but not clear what or how many as story was very vauge, M2/3 floating Bridges number was never stated just the shared cost. Thats it for NATO 2 or 3 biggest spender sad, sad days. . It ok we got projects all over the place and meetings and some industry open days. So if we are short of money where has it all gone? what was it spent on?
Hopefully details will come out in the next two weeks.
The UK economy is on the floor, in every sense, the conservatives were too busy in infighting to guide the country and then did a scotch earth policy when it was clear they couldn’t win. As such I do have some sympathy for the current government, they have had to fix a lot of problems, from pay rises for service man to terrible housing, and countless capability gaps that have just let to happen.. Plus everything from hospitals falling down to lack of training for new doctors / nurses.
Saying that the upcoming defence plan needs to deliver a way forward out of this mess. Time will tell.
Brigit side since they got into power we have had the longest sustained period of GDP growth in 20 years, so things are turning around slowly
I am sick of tired of the MOD saying they are planning to do somrthing and a lot of other words meaning but never spending £1 on anything but £100’s of millions of time planning and nothing happens for yers and years and years
Where’s Halfwit to lighten my despair
Hold on
JANES article 3nd May 2023 announced that the US had approved a sale of 768 APKWS II guided rockets to the UK for USD31.2m from BAE Inc. for our Apache Guardian gunships. A fantastic cheap alternative to expensive missiles for example drone defence.
So please someone at the MOD tell us that over 2 1/2 years ago you were planning this and you are still planning to spend a measley c£23 million from a British owned company
Got to have dozens of committee meetings first.
I agree.
Not Apache, but the RAF have the RCO Rapid Capabilities Office, what have they actually procured rapidly? Maybe 24 Storm Shroud?
I’d like to know.
Approval to sell but not actually ordered
I did hear that someone in accounts was against spending anymore money on stuff that just blew up into masses of bits because it was a waste of Tax payers money and that this money should go on good causes like Bus lanes and Speed Camera Vans.
Things as they are I think we may need Fullwit to break the tone of negativity.
I truly believe that your request could be achieved by a Halfwit even if only 50% positivity is the result.
I know but that was 2 1/2 years ago and they are still thinking about it for another 2 years
The USN have just ordered USD 1.7 billions worth of APKWS from BAE but unfortunatel0y we are broke in more ways than one
Apologies for being negative
Affordability driven. Would Martlet have been the preferred choice?
The Affordably Driven allowance has recently been withdrawn after 2 million Imigrants were using Taxi’s to visit the NHS.
All these immigrant taxis, being cleaned by immigrant car washers – mark my words – they are what’s causing all the pot holes!
That’s the pothole fairy’s mate, honest to god they come out at night with itty bitty drills and dig up the roads looking for fairy Gems.
The pothole situation is dire. I’m looking for 2CV or an Austin Allegro with hydragas suspension….desperate 😂
You should put a bid in for an “Ajax” when they are all up for sale on the Government Auction Site !
I had my closest shave in a 2CV on the A5 as a student. The driver turned to me and asked if I felt a vibration hardly had I answered I thought it was just the road, yes literally seconds later we were swerving onto the grass verge, if a lorry had been behind us I doubt I would be here now, the tyre was hanging off the ring. That car was as dangerous as hell with those thin tyres which were ironically as expensive as hell too to replace being so rare. No surprise months later she found it on bricks all four having been stolen.
3 wheels on my wagon…..and I’m still rolling along 😂
Ha, My latest “Road Trip” has been epic but now that everything inside has crashed around and found It’s resting place, the Ear Defenders are not needed any more. I do believe Ajax should be trialled “Off Road” where It’s nice and smooth rather than on our main roads !
I wonder if it floats, could be useful for dampening.
If Martlet works from Wildcat why not? Probably the integration costs thing again.
I think these are a fair bit cheaper than Martlet…. Which is a pretty wizard attack anything missile… what would be good is if the army got martlet integrated into its wildcats.. that would be 34 new offensive tactical air platforms for the simple cost of plugging in a weapon we already have onto a platform it’s already been integrated on.
Martlet is a one shot at a time beam riding boondoggle.
So is this system I believe
It gives them some of those characteristics true but doesn’t match the capability of a true guided missile but damn useful against lesser targets and can be used en masse too.
I’m interested to know what will provide the laser designation. I wonder if the accompanying planned drones will be able to do so, the copter really doesn’t want to hang around once releasing a shot especially at that short range.
These rockets are more like upgraded and more compact versions of what we used in the war, cheap as chips, Martlet though cheap in its class is a very different beast far more a precision missile still, better but bigger and costlier too, these things are more a salvo weapon though these seekers give them greater accuracy and flexibility so ups their game. Horses for courses.
Unguided rockets. Haven’t seen them since WW2. Two years to maybe integrate. Amazing skill.
Hi Geoff.
I recall both Harrier and Jaguar had rocket pods, as well as the current Apache. I saw them being used by Jags at SPTA at a firepower demo in the 90s, very impressive to the untrained eye like me.
But I get your irony. 👍
Wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end, that’s for sure. Like you. I wish we would just get on with things.
Huh ? You never been hit by “Swarms” of unguided rockets for the 3 months of Fireworks nights ?????
Nah, not recently. I’m a bit of an old banger now.
Oh, I’m in the “Fountain” of my youth !
APKWS is laser guided
Pretty big in Vietnam if I remember but increasingly unfavored since I think as ground defences have become so much more lethal, geez they were the most dangerous in the war for fighter pilots. This will certainly give them a long afterlife, attack helicopters too no doubt.
So….
The Navy spends £Millions developing the Martlet for its helicopters, and the Army buys the superior APKW for its helicopters
Smart procurement at its finest!
APKWS is a lot smaller than Martlet
APKWS is actually the bigger of the two weapons. It’s about mission fit and cost — APKWS gives the Army a proven, cheap, salvo‑capable precision rocket, whereas Martlet is a more specialised precision missile.
You’re right. Thanks for correcting my mistake.
there is the issue of integrating Martlet on to the Apache as well, which no doubt would cost a fortune and be slow