The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a kit that equips Hydra 70 unguided rockets with laser guidance and turns them into precision-guided munitions (PGMs). The weapon bridges the gap between the Hydra 70 and AGM-114 Hellfire systems, providing a cheaper way to hit lightly armored targets. The original version never entered service; an upgraded version, the APKWS II, did, and is designated the AGR-19/AGR-20/AGR-21 with numerous variants.
The system uses Hydra 70 launchers, rocket motors, warheads, and fuzes, adding a mid-body guidance unit developed by BAE Systems to produce a laser-guided weapon that, compared to other U.S. PGMs, is about one-third the cost and weight, has a lower yield more suitable for avoiding collateral damage, and takes one-quarter of the time for ordnance personnel to load and unload.
APKWS is the U.S. government's only program of record for the semi-active, laser-guided rocket. The winning bidder for the APKWS contract was the team of BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, beating the offerings from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Systems.APKWS II: Laser-Guided Hydra Rockets in Production At Last
In 2015, the APKWS was tested in live-fire exercises with the Forges de Zeebrugge unguided rocket, showing that it can convert other rocket types into PGMs.
Design The APKWS uses the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) technology, which puts a laser seeker in the leading edge of each of the forward control canards, enabling Hydra 70 warheads to be used without the need for a laser seeker in the missile nose.
The APKWS system is composed of the launch platform, rockets equipped with the WGU-59/B mid-body guidance unit, the lengthened 7-tube LAU-68 F/A rocket launcher, the SCS 7 aiming cue (not needed for attack helicopters), and Fastpack PA-140 and CNU-711/E storage kits for rockets and guidance kits, respectively, to ensure they are safe in the field. The WGU-59/B mid-body guidance unit is equipped with DASALS seeker optics that deploy a half-second after launch. They are attached between the Mk 66 Mod 4 rocket motor and a warhead and fuze, increasing the Hydra 70's length by and weight by .
Its range is 1,100 to 5,000 meters; at the minimum range, the target can be struck less than five seconds after launch.Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) Goes to War - Defensemedianetwork.com, 9 July 2012 Range is constrained by the existing Hydra 70 motor, but since the seeker can see as far as , a more powerful motor could extend range while retaining accuracy.BAE Conducts First APKWS Flight Test on Aussie Helo; U.S. Army Contract Expected Soon - News.USNI.org, 27 April 2015 Nammo is working on a modified rocket motor that can extend range to .New rocket launcher for combat vehicles makes Middle East debut. Defense News. 10 May 2018.
A software upgrade of the APKWS was planned for late 2021; the upgrade increases range by 30% by means of an optimized flight trajectory to engage targets at a steeper angle of attack, while also being qualified on both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft in a single variant and improving the surface danger zone logic for better training range options.Next-generation BAE Systems APKWS guidance kits improve rocket range and impact. Air Recognition. 3 August 2021.
In June 2021, BAE tested the APKWS in a counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) role. An APKWS-equipped rocket was fitted with a proximity fuze and destroyed a Class 2 UAS. The proximity fuze enables it to intercept UAS at a lower cost than other methods, and due to the rocket's laser guidance that activates on launch it does not require locking on to the target before launch.BAE Systems successfully tests APKWS laser-guided rockets against UAS. Air Recognition. 12 October 2021.BAE Looks to Adapt Rocket to Counter-UAS Mission. National Defense Magazine. 12 October 2021.
In April 2025, a new dual-mode APKWS II variant with a full-scale mockup was revealed, featuring a passive infrared sensor as well as the original's laser-guidance, allowing the weapon to be fired with "anoint-and-shoot" capability (where the target is initially lased to orient the missile, but the lase is not maintained and the infrared sensor takes over for terminal guidance) to increase rate of fire, particularly against large numbers of cruise missile or unmanned aerial vehicle targets. The addition of the nose-mounted infrared seeker necessitated moving the warhead to the mid-body of the rocket, which provides an improved blast- fragmentation pattern with no loss of lethality; however modifications increase the cost compared to the original. Development is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Specifications Length: Diameter: 2.75 in (70 mm)Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System - NAVAIR.Navy.mil Wingspan: Weight: Speed: at max Range: (rotary wing); (fixed wing) Guidance: Semi-active laser homing CEP: <0.5 meters Motor: Existing Hydra 70 motors Warhead: Existing Hydra 70 warhead
Program status 2002: APKWS development test series begins. April 2005: General Dynamics APKWS program cancelled due to poor test results.Air-Launched 2.75-Inch Rockets - Designation Systems September 2005: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II.BAE Systems 70mm Laser-Guided Rocket Achieves Two Direct Hits - BAE October 2005: Competition reopened as APKWS II. April 2006: BAE Systems selected as prime contractor for the APKWS II program. February 2007: Funding for program withdrawn in proposed FY2008 budget.Army Proposes Major Weapons Cuts - military.com
May 2007: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II in production-ready configuration. November 2008: Transfer of contract from US Army to US Navy.
Deployment March 2012: APKWS II achieves initial operating capability (IOC) and is sent to Afghanistan with the United States Marine Corps. Plans are to integrate it onto the MQ-8 Fire Scout.Marine helicopters deploy with laser-guided rocket - NAVAIR.Navy.mil, 17 April 2012 July 2012: BAE Systems receives full-rate production contract for APKWS from the U.S. Navy. The first FRP deliveries were in October 2012 and the company expected the next FRP option to be awarded by the end of 2012.Eshel, Tamir. "APKWS Enters Full Rate production." Defense Update, 13 August 2012. September 2012: The Navy awards a contract to officially integrate the APKWS into the Fire Scout.BAE Systems to Integrate Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System on MQ-8B Fire Scout UAV - sUASNews.com, September 18, 2012 October 2012: BAE announces its intention to modify the APKWS II to be fired from fixed-wing tactical fighter platforms.BAE to demonstrate APKWS on fixed-wing aircraft - Flightglobal.com, October 23, 2012 January 2013: Additional conversion kits ordered. No in flight failures during the 100 combat launches in Afghanistan to date."BAE gets more work for laser-guided missiles." - Unionleader.com, 15 January 2013 February 2013: APKWS launched from an A-10 Thunderbolt II. Three sorties were conducted. The first sortie carried the rocket and launcher, and the second sortie fired an inert, unguided rocket to ensure the weapon would separate from the aircraft. Two armed rockets were fired during the third sortie from 10,000 and 15,000 feet. The second rocket launched into a 70 knot headwind, and both impacted within inches of the target. The Air Force is considering using the APKWS II operationally by 2015 if further testing is successful.A-10 Fires First-Ever Laser-Guided Rocket - AF.mil, April 3, 2013 March 2013: APKWS is integrated onto the Bell 407GT.BAE's APKWS rockets integrated on Bell's new Model 407GT - Flightglobal.com, March 5, 2013 April 2013: A UH-1Y Venom fired 10 APKWS rockets at stationary and moving small boat targets, scoring 100 percent accurate hits on single and multiple targets over water. The engagement ranged from 2–4 km using inert Mk152 high explosive and MK149 flechette warheads. The UH-1Y had the boats designated by an MH-60S.BAE's APKWS rocket validates strike capabilities against maritime targets - Navy-Technology.com, April 10, 2013 October 2013: APKWS successfully fired from an AH-64 Apache. Eight rockets were fired with the helicopter flying at up to and up to from the target. Launch altitudes ranged from 300 ft to 1,500 ft. BAE wants airworthiness qualification on the Apache for international sales to AH-64 operators.APKWS Laser-Guided Rocket Successfully Qualified on US Army Apache Helicopters - Deagel.com, 22 October 2013 March 2014: LAU-61 G/A Digital Rocket Launcher (DRL) deployed with HSC-15. July 2014: BAE reveals that the APKWS has reached Early Operational Capability (EOC) with one squadron of MH-60S helicopters. The MH-60R will be outfitted within "12-18 months."Interest grows in APKWS - Shephardmedia.com, 17 July 2014 August 2014: APKWS tested on Australian Army Eurocopter Tiger at Woomera Test Range. A helicopter was on the ground and fired seven rockets which successfully hit their targets. The rocket could enter Australian service by early 2015 on army Tigers and navy MH-60R helicopters.Australia tests BAE's Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System - UPI.com, 14 October 2014 November 2014: APKWS tested on Australian Army, 16 Aviation Brigade, Eurocopter Tigers, this time airborne, near Darwin. Tests included using APKWS to convert a Forges de Zeebrugge (FZ) unguided rocket into a laser precision-guided weapon. All 10 rockets struck within a metre of the laser spot. October 2015: US Army AH-64 Apache helicopters to field weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan. March 2016: First rocket variants for launch from fixed-wing aircraft shipped to Marine Corps Harriers.BAE's APKWS rockets go to war on AV-8B Harrier - Flightglobal.com, 31 March 2016 June 2016: APKWS deployed on USAF F-16 and A-10 as part of an urgent operational requirement.APKWS deployed on USAF F-16 - Flightglobal.com, 9 June 2016 October 2016: Production rate increased to 5,000 a year. June 2016-January 2017: 200 APKWS used against ISIL targets, including 60 during the Battle of Mosul.US Forces Bank on New Weapon to Protect Civilians in Next Mosul Battle - Military.com, 1 February 2017 February 2018: First operational deployment of APKWS on Marine Corps legacy F/A-18 Hornets.USMC & NAVAIR Complete First F/A-18 / APKWS Operational Flights. Navy Recognition. 23 April 2018. December 2019: US Air Force demonstrates air-to-air capability of AGR-20A to cue off Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod and intercept low-flying cruise missiles.
In December 2019, the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, conducted a test using APKWS rocket against a drone representing a cruise missile. By adapting the rocket for cruise missile defense, it can serve the same role as the much more expensive AIM-120 missile, according to an Air Force release. "The test was unprecedented and will shape the future of how the Air Force executes CMD," Col. Ryan Messer, commander of the 53d Wing at Eglin, said in a release. "This is a prime example of how the 53d Wing is using resources readily available to establish innovative ways that enhance combat capabilities for our combat units."