The APKWS is now capable of shooting down drones

Ursa Major Live Fires Small Diameter SRMs with HLG​

Ursa Major recently completed several successful live fire flight tests of a small diameter, tactical solid rocket motor using highly loaded grain. This internally funded test campaign comes after more than 20 static fires of the motor, burning down program risk and saving taxpayer dollars. These motors extend range and enhance performance, keeping the warfighter further out of harm’s way. Warfighters need reliable, high-performance solid rocket motors that can be delivered quickly and at scale. In the last two years, Ursa Major has invested more than $40M into SRM production to deliver exactly that.
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https://ursamajor.com/media/video/ursa-major-live-fires-small-diameter-srms-with-hlg/
 
Well, if the tech is so cheap now then, great. In anyway that will lower entry price
 
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If the added range, kinematic performance, and other enhancements enable you to use the APKWS+ instead of a significantly more expensive munition then the higher cost for that enhancement is well worth it. Anduril is also gearing up to begin flight tests of its HLG 70 mm SRM which it developed under a contract/partnerhsip with BAE Systems.
 
Well lets hope the new and improved rockets don't come with a seriously increased ignition impulse. Might be fine for fixed wing use, but large(r) ignition impulse could have bad news for rotorcraft. Compressor stalls and surges do bad things to engines and drive trains.
 
I'd say with the recent advances with solid rocket-motor tech that an update of the 2.75" rocket's rocket-motor is long overdue.
 
joshjosh said:
Screenshot 2025-09-08 010625.png
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Something new, perhaps not surprising: L3Harris manufactures the mid-body fuze for the air-to-air dual mode AUR (L3Harris subcontracts to BAE).
 
Forest Green said:

Plan To Test OA-1K Skyraider II’s Rapid Deployability Outlined By Air Force Special Ops Command​

https://www.twz.com/air/plan-to-tes...ity-outlined-by-air-force-special-ops-command
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With 18 examples of the OA-1K Skyraider II delivered to the U.S. Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC), the service is now looking forward to demonstrating the aircraft’s unique rapid-deployment capability later this year. AFSOC also says it plans to add laser-guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rockets to the OA-1K’s armament options and is looking at boosting standoff capability in the form of Red Wolf mini cruise missiles.
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TomcatViP said:
@Scott Kenny : To me it appears to be a Litening. RAF Typhoon flies Litening III, I am told by Wiki ;)
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RAF uses Litening III and Litening V.

We also used to have Sniper ATP-XR for use on GR.9A over Afghanistan (it was trialed on Tornado GR.4 as well). What has happened to those post retirement of those platforms is unknown. Reportedly some were used for trials on Typhoon, but I can't see any reason why they would have been retained in recent years. I do wonder if the UK's entire stock of them (which was never huge) has been transferred to Ukraine for use on F-16. I do wonder what happened to the small UK stockpile of Maverick AGM-65G2....and the German Maverick stockpile...
 
timmymagic said:
I do wonder what happened to the small UK stockpile of Maverick AGM-65G2....and the German Maverick stockpile...
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I think they are gone. After the Golf War (& Cold War) there was a large scale effort to recycle them by having Raytheon buy them back. Raytheon would upgrade the sensors. But it seems to me most opted out of getting them back into inventory.
 
Seragina said:
I think they are gone. After the Golf War (& Cold War) there was a large scale effort to recycle them by having Raytheon buy them back. Raytheon would upgrade the sensors. But it seems to me most opted out of getting them back into inventory.
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They were only purchased in the early 2000's limited buy whilst Brimstone was on the way, Kosovo was the driver.
 

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