US approves $2 billion sale of 20,000 APKWS II laser-guided rocket kits to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $2 billion deal to sell up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS II) laser guidance kits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The approval comes as Iran escalates attacks on nations hosting U.S. troops in the Middle East and tensions with Yemen's Houthi rebels intensify.

Weapon System Capabilities

The APKWS II system serves dual roles:

• Air-to-air variant: A cost-effective weapon for shooting down large numbers of long-range one-way attack drones and lower-end cruise missiles
• Air-to-ground variant: Provides precise, low-collateral strike capabilities against a wide range of targets

Package Details

Saudi Arabia seeks to acquire:

• 10,000 APKWS II air-to-air guidance sections
• Up to 10,000 air-to-ground guidance sections
• An undisclosed number of LAU-131/A seven-shot 70mm rocket pods
• Mk66 rocket motors
• Mk-152 high explosive warheads
• Proximity fuzes

The deal does not include the rockets themselves. The State Department notice did not specify which aircraft will carry these munitions, though they are expected to be deployed on the Royal Saudi Air Force's Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15SA fighter jets.

Technical Background

All APKWS rocket variants consist of three basic components: a laser guidance section inserted between a warhead option and a standard 70mm rocket motor.

The air-to-air optimized variant, designated AGR-20F and also known as FALCO (Fixed Wing, Air Launched, Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Ordnance), includes a proximity fuze and modifications to the munition's guidance and sensing algorithms.

U.S. Military Adoption

As previously reported by TWZ, air-to-air APKWS capability is being rapidly integrated across U.S. military aircraft:

• U.S. Air Force: F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C Viper, and A-10 Warthog are cleared to employ the weapon
• U.S. Marine Corps: Legacy F/A-18 Hornets can now use APKWS against aerial targets
• U.S. Navy: F/A-18E/F Super Hornets are expected to receive the munitions
• Eurofighter Typhoon: Recently cleared to employ APKWS

TWZ was the first to report that U.S. Air Force F-16 Vipers were using APKWS IIs—originally designed as air-to-ground munitions—as a lower-cost option for downing Houthi drones. Ukrainian F-16s are now also employing APKWS against Russian drones.

Strategic Context

The approval comes amid heightened regional hostilities. Iran has been launching missiles and drones across the region in response to U.S. attacks, while Saudi Arabia and the Houthis recently exchanged strikes on airports.

State Department Statement

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region. The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with U.S. forces, and other regional and NATO forces. The proposed sale will also augment Saudi Arabia's operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces."

U.S. Military Endorsement

U.S. Air Force leaders have praised the APKWS II system. Air Force Lt. Gen. Derek France, head of Air Forces Central (AFCENT), stated last year:

"It's our primary weapon against a drone. We've had multiple shoot-downs with it."

APKWS has become the primary weapon system used by American fighters to intercept Iran's long-range one-way attack munitions at a fraction of the cost of the cheapest available air-to-air missile. Saudi Arabia faces a similar threat profile and is acutely aware of the high cost of drone interception.