- Sea Air Space 2025 sees unveiling of infrared-equipped APKWS II, ushering in a new era of efficient counter-UAS warfare.
BAE Systems has introduced a major upgrade to its combat-proven APKWS II rocket system at this year’s Sea Air Space conference, adding an infrared (IR) seeker to its existing laser-guided architecture. This upgrade transforms the 70 mm Hydra rocket into a dual-mode precision weapon capable of efficiently engaging airborne threats, specifically the kind of cheap, disposable drones that have flooded recent conflict zones.
The new capability, quietly referred to as the next-generation APKWS seeker, significantly eases the workload on fighter pilots engaged in real-time battles against swarms of kamikaze UAVs. With both IR and laser targeting modes, the weapon addresses operational inefficiencies, enhances survivability, and reduces the overall cost of defending against a growing aerial threat.
The APKWS II, known by its military designation AGR-20, was originally developed as a low-cost, laser-guided alternative to expensive missiles. Deployed on platforms like the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the weapon was used effectively throughout 2024 by U.S. forces stationed in the Central Command Area of Responsibility (CENTCOM AOR), primarily over the Red Sea. These aircraft were tasked with shooting down inexpensive, one-way attack drones deployed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels—drones that often cost less than $15,000 but required the use of multi-million dollar missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder or AIM-120 AMRAAM to intercept.
The APKWS II changed that calculus. Its relatively low cost, about $27,000 per unit, made it a far more economical solution. But its laser-guidance system posed limitations: pilots had to keep the laser on a target until the rocket struck, restricting their ability to address multiple threats in a dynamic environment.
The latest upgrade—an integrated IR seeker—solves that problem.
The idea of repurposing the APKWS II for air-to-air engagements was not originally in its design. However, facing an evolving threat landscape, the U.S. Air Force began testing this application in 2019 through its 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The tests demonstrated the APKWS II’s ability to down drones from fixed-wing aircraft like the F-16 using existing targeting pods such as the Litening or Sniper systems.
Further development led to the creation of the APKWS FALCO variant (Fixed Wing, Air Launched, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Ordnance). This upgrade incorporated software tweaks and performance enhancements specifically tailored to neutralizing small, low-cost drones, which have become the centerpiece of asymmetric warfare.
“FALCO was a direct response to an urgent need in the field,” said a senior USAF official familiar with the program. “And now, with the addition of an IR seeker, BAE Systems is giving us something even closer to a ‘fire-and-forget’ solution.”
The standard APKWS II relies on a Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS), located in the mid-body guidance section. Four guidance wings deploy mid-flight, each equipped with optics that track the laser reflection from a designated target. This setup requires continuous target illumination—making it labor-intensive for the pilot during fast-paced engagements.
With the IR seeker integrated, the rocket now has a backup or secondary targeting method. A pilot can initially lase the target, fire the rocket, and immediately begin tracking or engaging a second threat. The rocket, once launched, switches from laser to IR mode and autonomously homes in on the heat signature of the first target. This dual-mode functionality essentially halves the time and attention needed for each engagement.
“The next generation APKWS is dual mode—an infrared seeker and laser guidance kit with a mid-body warhead,” said Dave Smialek, BAE Systems’ Director of Business Development for Precision Guidance. “Lase, fire, next target, lase, fire. It’s not completely fire-and-forget, but it’s close.”
In CENTCOM operations, F-16s are now routinely equipped with two seven-round LAU-131 A/A pods loaded with AGR-20 FALCO rockets, alongside standard missile loads of AIM-9s and AIM-120s. While the airframe itself is a high-value asset, this loadout provides a blend of affordability and adaptability in counter-UAS roles.
By reducing the time a pilot spends focusing on a single target, the dual-mode APKWS II enhances their ability to deal with multiple simultaneous threats. In large-scale attacks involving drone swarms, this change is critical. The margin for error is slim, and target saturation is often the goal of such assaults.
“There’s only so much you can do when you’re lasing a drone, waiting for the hit, and another ten pop up on radar,” said an F-16 pilot who flew missions over the Red Sea. “This new seeker gives us back precious seconds.”
While most of the public focus has been on aircraft-launched APKWS II variants, the system has quietly become a preferred tool in ground-based counter-drone operations as well.
Two systems—EAGLS (Electronic Advanced Ground Launcher System) and VAMPIRE (Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment)—have integrated APKWS II rockets to engage low-flying drones from the ground. These platforms are currently in use across the Middle East and in Ukraine, respectively, to counter Russian drones.
Though it remains unconfirmed whether these ground-based systems will also receive the dual-mode seeker, experts speculate that integration is likely, given the modular nature of the guidance unit. If confirmed, this would greatly enhance the ability of ground units to deal with drone threats without relying on manual laser designators, which are susceptible to obstructions like buildings, smoke, or terrain.
While the APKWS II’s recent upgrades significantly improve the U.S. military’s ability to counter asymmetric drone attacks, they also raise important questions about the future of aerial warfare, particularly against near-peer adversaries like China.
In a conflict with a major power, the intensity of drone and missile swarms could far exceed anything seen in the Middle East. China, with its massive industrial base, could deploy thousands of drones in conjunction with more traditional air, naval, and missile forces.
Defending against such an onslaught with $60 million jets, even when armed with $27,000 rockets, is not a sustainable strategy long-term. However, the APKWS II upgrades mark an important step in bridging that affordability gap.
“Drones are cheap. Fighters are not,” said military analyst Col. (Ret.) Brian Hatch. “We’re finally getting to a place where our cost-per-intercept is reasonable. But we need to keep going—autonomous ground platforms, AI targeting, directed energy—all of that is on the table.”
The Houthi campaign in the Red Sea has been described by many analysts as the most active and sustained naval combat operation since World War II. U.S. Navy vessels have been under direct threat from anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, along with swarms of explosive drones.
Reports of crew fatigue, operational strain, and constant watch rotations are commonplace. The psychological toll of being under perpetual threat is also a factor that modern weapon systems need to account for.
The APKWS II’s dual-mode capability indirectly addresses this. By reducing pilot burden and increasing hit probability, it improves the overall resilience of deployed forces. But it’s still just one tool in a broader ecosystem of defense.
The dual-mode APKWS II isn’t a silver bullet—but it is a critical building block. It allows for more efficient use of high-end aircraft in low-end threats, shifts the engagement ratio in favor of defending forces, and provides a path forward in dealing with drone warfare’s cost asymmetry.
As new IR-guided APKWS rockets enter the field, further integration across platforms—rotary wing, fixed wing, and ground-based—is expected. BAE Systems has said no hardware changes are needed for the upgrade, simplifying adoption across branches of the military.
If the past five years of global conflict have shown anything, it’s that the role of inexpensive drones in warfare is only expanding. Tools like the next-generation APKWS II may very well decide who wins the next fight—not just with firepower, but with efficiency.
