In 2024 the U.S. Air Force began using 70‑mm laser‑guided rockets Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) on its fighters for the first time, shooting down unmanned aerial vehicles in the Middle East and today the service says that APKWS is now the primary weapon against drones in the region.
This statement was made to The War Zoneby Lieutenant General Derek France, head of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command. He declined to give exact figures on how many unmanned aerial vechicle have been shot down by APKWS or what share that represents of all downed drones, only noting that APKWS has accounted for dozens of kills so far.
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From Defense Express' side, we emphasize that the USAF may be concealing sensitive information or could be presenting a rosier picture than reality it's possible that American fighters still often employ expensive air‑to‑air missiles against UAS.
Recall that as early as 2019 the USAF tested the idea of shooting down drones with APKWS from F‑16s, firing at BQM‑167 target drones (video below).
Later it emerged that APKWS integration on fighters for counter‑UAS roles was carried out under a classified program called FALCO (Fixed wing, Air Launched, Counter‑unmanned aircraft systems Ordnance), details of which were finally revealed this spring.
Today, in addition to F‑16s, APKWS rockets can also be carried by F‑15E Strike Eagles and A‑10 Warthogs.
This approach effectively turns aircraft into UAV hunters: for example, an F‑16 can carry 28 or more of these rockets, and an F‑15E up to 42.
Previously Defense Express reported that BAE Systems is actively studying APKWS integration on the Eurofighter Typhoon.
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