Counter-drone defence with APKWS II: BAE Systems wins US Air Force contract for new rocket variant

BAE Systems of Nashua, New Hampshire (USA), has received an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract from the US Air Force. It covers the development, production and delivery of counter-drone weapon systems. The development contract has a ceiling of around 122 million euros.

The total value of the delivery order amounts to around 56 million euros. The contract runs from 12 February 2026 to 12 February 2031, but is expected to be completed as early as 31 July 2027.

Second seeker for counter-drone defence

At the core of the contract is a new variant of the APKWS II rocket, which is to receive an infrared seeker in addition to the dual-mode laser seeker. In the first part of the flight, the new variant will use classic guidance via laser target illumination. In the terminal phase, the rocket is then to acquire the target with the infrared seeker and steer itself onto it. This is intended to reduce risks for the crew and allow engagements of multiple aerial targets in quicker succession.

The rocket's design is expected to change completely, and it could in future resemble the Thales FZ275 LGR. The guidance system will then no longer be inserted between motor and warhead; instead, a new rocket nose will house the laser seeker, the more complex infrared seeker and the warhead. It then only needs to be screwed onto the standard 2.75-inch/70 millimetre rocket motor.

European counterpart in the Bundesheer

The Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer) have procured the European twin of this rocket for the Leonardo AW169 Lion helicopter and the advanced M-346FA jet trainer. On these platforms, too, the Thales FZ275 LGR is guided to the target by laser.

According to available information, the Thales FZ275 LGR is also to receive a dual laser/infrared seeker in future. A motor with significantly increased range is also said to be in development.

In Ukraine, Israel and the Red Sea, the comparatively low-cost laser-guided rockets based on the Hydra 70 millimetre family have proved suitable for engaging subsonic unmanned guided missiles. At a fraction of the cost of high-performance air-to-air missiles, aircraft and helicopters can carry large numbers of them. The rockets are also multi-role: they can likewise be used against lightly armoured ground targets several kilometres away.