BAE Systems to upgrade APKWS air-to-air rockets to take-on swarms of enemy small uncrewed aircraft | Military Aerospace
AI Analysis
BAE Systems is set to upgrade the APKWS air-to-air rockets with new technologies to effectively counter swarms of small uncrewed aircraft. The upgrades include a longwave infrared seeker and a dual safe proximity fuze, aiming to enhance the rocket's capability against up to 200 drones.
Key Takeaways
- BAE Systems will upgrade the APKWS rockets to counter drone swarms.
- Upgrades include a longwave infrared seeker and dual safe proximity fuze.
- The rockets will be deployable from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
- The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is managing the project.
- A $145 million contract has been announced for this development.
Why It Matters
The strategic enhancement of APKWS rockets to counter drone swarms addresses a growing threat in modern warfare, where small uncrewed aircraft can overwhelm traditional defense systems. This development signifies a proactive approach by the U.S. Air Force to maintain air superiority and protect critical assets from emerging aerial threats.
BAE Systems to upgrade APKWS air-to-air rockets to take-on swarms of enemy small uncrewed aircraft | Military Aerospace [Sensors]
BAE Systems to upgrade APKWS air-to-air rockets to take-on swarms of enemy small uncrewed aircraft
The prototype counter-uncrewed 2.75-inch rocket is to deploy from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft -- particularly the Air Force F-16 jet fighter. [John Keller] Related To: [BAE Systems] Feb. 20, 2026 3 min read
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Key Highlights
Questions and answers:
- What is the purpose of the Air Force’s Air-to-Air Dual Mode project? To upgrade the AGR-20F Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) with a longwave infrared seeker and proximity fuze to counter swarms of as many as 200 small medium-range uncrewed aircraft.
- What upgrades is BAE Systems Electronic Systems making to the APKWS rocket? The company is adding a nose-mounted longwave infrared seeker, a mid-body warhead with dual safe proximity fuze, and modified guidance sections, while keeping the rocket’s outer mold line largely unchanged for compatibility and cost effectiveness.
- How will the upgraded APKWS be deployed and who is managing the effort? The upgraded 2.75-inch rocket will deploy from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, and is being managed by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, with prototype assembly at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. ![A Marine Corps aviation ordnance system technician loads a 2.75-inch rocket configured with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., in 2018.] EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – U.S. Air Force air-defense experts needed an air-to-air weapon to counter swarms of enemy small medium-range uncrewed aircraft. They found a solution from the BAE Systems Electronics Systems segment in Nashua, N.H. Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., announced a potential $145 million five-year sole-source contract to BAE Systems on 12 Feb. 2026 for Air to Air Dual Mode project to fit infrared seekers to existing [air-to-air rockets]. This Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) contract calls for BAE Systems to upgrade the company's AGR-20F Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guided rocket by adding a longwave infrared seeker, mid-body warhead with dual safe proximity fuze, and modified guidance sections to attack swarms of as many as 200 enemy [small uncrewed aircraft]. The prototype 2.75-inch rocket is to deploy from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft -- particularly the Air Force F-16 jet fighter -- to provide a flexible and adaptable counter-uncrewed-aircraft system for different counter-uncrewed scenarios.
Upgrading APKWS rocket
Upgrades to the BAE Systems APKWS rockets include a new nose mounted longwave infrared