In one of its publications, the Polish Defence24 portal drew attention to videos circulating in the public domain, illustrating the format of using pickups with APKWS launchers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Usually, such systems at the disposal of Ukrainian troops are instaled on HMMWV M1152A1 vehicles. They are usually used for surgical destruction of important tactical targets, or light armored vehicles such as armored personnel carriers, or BMP-1/BMP-2 IFVs.
APKWS is a guided version of the Hydra 70 rocket with laser guidance. The accuracy of targeting with a semi-active laser beam allows to hit targets with minimal consumption of ammunition with the very first shot.
Read more: New Rare Photos of Ukrainian Army Firing APKWS Rockets From a Humvee
That is why given these characteristics, it seems quite logical to use such systems precisely in the role of high-precision mini-MLRSs.
But from Defense Express, we note that pickups with APKWS launchers installed on them for the Armed Forces of Ukraine were created to perform completely different tasks, namely, combating russian drones.
For example, in November 2022, during additional tests, BAE Systems, as the system's developer, demonstrated its ability to fight against "Class 2" UAVs, that is, with a flight weight of up to 25 kg. Russian kamikaze drones of the Lancet type as well as Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAVs fall under this criterion. Based on such declared functionality, it would be quite logical to expect that pickups with APKWS on board will be created specifically for hunting such russian drones.
But it seems that the criterion of truth here turned out to be practice, and this practice dictated that the APKWS could be most effective precisely in its original role, that is, for hitting ground targets. Even assuming that the APKWS firing range is up to 6 km, i.e. at the MANPADS level, the kinetic energy from this missile may not be enough to effectively hit and shoot down enemy UAVs.
But since the Armed Forces of Ukraine need as many means of high-precision damage to the enemy at the front as possible, it gradually happened that pickups with APKWS launchers installed on them work mainly to destroy firing points or light armored vehicles of the aggressor's army.
Defense Express reported earlier, that Germany Finally Sent Twenty Very Interesting APKWS Weapons to Ukraine.
Read more: APKWS In Combat Conditions: Why There Should Be More Such High-Precision Missiles For Ukraine (Video)
