Royal Air Power Hurricane FGR4s deployed to the Center East have begun carrying APKWS guided rockets simply weeks after finishing a fast testing and certification course of.
In early March 2026, we reported on the sighting of a Royal Air Power Hurricane outfitted with two rocket pods at BAE Programs’ Warton airfield. Although unconfirmed on the time, these had been extensively anticipated to be meant to deploy Hydra 70 rockets fitted with the BAE Programs Superior Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) steering package.
Initially developed for floor targets, APKWS has taken on a essential new position with its potential to shoot down small unmanned aerial methods (UAS) at a fraction of the price of conventional air to air munitions – and, with as much as seven munitions per rocket pod, it vastly expands a fighter plane’s ammunition load, perfect for swarms of drones.
The expectation that the testing concerned APKWS was confirmed with an official announcement in April, when BAE Programs stated the Hurricane had efficiently employed the weapon towards floor targets. Counter-UAS (C-UAS) was particularly talked about as a main functionality of the system, and air to air trials had been as a consequence of start within the subsequent stage of testing.
First MoD (Crown Copyright) photos and video of the @Eurofighter Hurricane and #APKWS combo now in operational counter-#drone use with the @RoyalAirForce‘s 9 Squadron at RAF #Akrotiri in Cyprus, and throughout the broader the Center East… pic.twitter.com/TcyshWplQm
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) Could 16, 2026
These air to air trials have now been accomplished and, at a tempo hardly ever seen for weapon integration onto trendy fight plane, the weapon has been put into operational service with 9 Squadron, RAF. 9 Squadron – generally written in Roman numerals as IX (Bomber) Squadron – is at the moment deployed to RAF Akrotiri, the UK’s ahead sovereign base on the island of Cyprus, and has been actively engaged in defensive counter-air missions to defend the bottom, Cyprus, and the UK’s pursuits within the area.
RAF Hurricane and F-35B plane have carried out long-range Defensive Counter Air patrols in assist of HMS Dragon within the Purple Sea.
These missions had been enabled by Voyager air-to-air refuelling plane working from RAF Akrotiri.#DefendAndDeter #Hurricane #F35 pic.twitter.com/DPSEKRiHcc
— Royal Air Power (@RoyalAirForce) Could 15, 2026
Minister for Defence Readiness and Business Luke Pollard MP stated: “This has been an outstanding effort working with trade to check and deploy this technique in a matter of months, which can assist the RAF shoot down many extra drones at a a lot decrease price.”
“Our Hurricane fleet is the spine of UK and NATO air defence, with the RAF defending European’s Japanese flank from Russian drone incursions and defending our companions throughout the Center East,” he added.
In addition to boosting the Hurricane’s C-UAS capabilities, APKWS will deliver a welcome possibility for precision strike towards small, smooth targets like a lot of these encountered in Iraq and Syria throughout Operation Shader. Whereas the small warhead of the Hydra 70 rocket platform won’t all the time be sufficient to destroy a goal, their availability to make use of on targets that it’s appropriate for permits for shares of the costlier Brimstone or the far bigger and extra harmful Paveway IV.
🇮🇶🇬🇧 | #Iraq: British Ministry of Defence launched footage of latest airstrikes carried out by RAF Eurofighter Hurricane fighter jets with Paveway IV guided bombs on a rocket launcher someplace in Iraq.
The rocket launcher, most probably operated by Iran-backed militias, was used to… pic.twitter.com/hJ7zMMXHhi
— Standing-6 (Battle & Navy Information) (@Archer83Able) April 26, 2024
“We welcome the pace of growth and meticulous testing behind the deployment of those missile methods to be used on our Typhoons. They’re a useful addition to the air defence package deal we’re already using with agility throughout the Center East,” famous Air Commodore Donal McGurk, Air 11 Group Deputy Director Operations.
Alongside BAE Programs, the check and analysis stage was supported by Qinetiq. “From engineering experience to stay trials, our groups are offering the basic assist wanted by our armed forces, to ship the pressing capabilities that make sure the UK and its allies stay secure and warfighting prepared,” stated Qinetiq Group Chief Government Officer Steve Wadey. The agency operates the MOD Aberporth vary off the west coast of Wales, the place the weapon was examined, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
Extra imagery of latest Martlet test-firings at Aberporth Vary.
Martlet missile confirmed towards stationary or fast-moving floating targets and now in air-air position, destroying Banshee goal drone pic.twitter.com/52R8fky9TP
— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) July 28, 2023
Simon Barnes, Group Managing Director BAE Programs Air sector, stated: “Our precedence is to make sure the Royal Air Power and its allies have the superior applied sciences they want right this moment and into the longer term, to maintain them forward of evolving threats. This functionality demonstrates Hurricane’s distinctive versatility and underlines its continued position because the spine of fight air throughout Europe and the Center East.”
