An RAF Storm was pictured at BAE Programs Warton carrying two seven spherical LAU-131 rocket pods, which can be utilized to fireside APKWS guided munitions towards floor and, importantly, air targets.
The pictures, taken by Tech Digital Images, mark the primary time that we’ve seen a Storm outfitted with a rocket pod within the flesh. Whereas rocket pods had been built-in with many plane that the Storm has ended up changing, till comparatively just lately these had been largely for unguided rockets in an air to floor function and deploying such a non-precision weapon from a quick jet now not aligned with the working practices of many air forces.
Now, although, the introduction of the BAE Programs Superior Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) steering package for Hydra 70 rockets over the previous decade has granted such munitions a brand new lease of life. Initially envisaged as a strategy to exactly strike softer targets, preserving bigger munitions for extra worthwhile, hardened targets, the APKWS package has now been nicely confirmed in an anti-air capability towards the rising menace of small, cheap uncrewed aerial techniques (UAS).
Not too long ago built-in on mainline U.S. Air Drive fighters just like the F-16 Preventing Falcon and F-15E Strike Eagle, APKWS rocket pods are actually very generally seen carried by these plane into fight – together with through the ongoing U.S. warfare with Iran. In addition to being inexpensive than devoted air to air munitions just like the AIM-9X Sidewinder, these rockets will also be carried in far higher portions. This permits every plane to have interaction many extra targets earlier than needing to return to an airfield to be reloaded, an necessary issue when being confronted with dozens and even a whole lot of incoming drones.
BAE Programs has developed a twin mode laser/infrared seeker for APKWS for exactly this counter-UAS (C-UAS) function, which can eradicate the present want for continuous lasing of the meant goal.
With the UK Defence Funding Plan (#DIP) due Monday (or so I’ve been led to imagine), we’re all anticipating to be put out of our collective distress re #NMH. One other announcement I’ve been instructed to possibly anticipate is expounded to #APKWS rockets on the #Eurofighter Storm for low-cost… pic.twitter.com/RmAdpTWCQk
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) December 12, 2025
The acquisition of APKWS II by the Royal Air Drive for deployment from its Storm drive has been strongly rumored in latest months, with anticipations that such a call is because of be introduced within the nonetheless closely delayed Defence Funding Plan (DIP). The well timed look of rocket pods on this Storm – marked with the insignia of the RAF’s 41 Take a look at & Analysis (TES) Squadron however considered in use straight by BAE Programs – shouldn’t be taken as a definitive affirmation of this plan, although, as BAE Programs already introduced that integrating APKWS II was into consideration.
Any touch upon the topic from the Royal Air Drive itself has been tight-lipped.
Each UK and Germany inform me there are not any present plans to equip @eurofighter #Storm with rockets for the counter-#drone mission, however to not say it gained’t occur. Ready to listen to from Italy and Spain. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/EnXWFOYItJ
— Gareth Jennings (@GarethJennings3) June 25, 2025
These trials, then, could also be BAE Programs getting out forward of time with their anticipation of potential future orders by the RAF in addition to abroad Storm operators. When any procurement choices are then made, the weapon might be obtainable to be used much more shortly.
Tech Digital Images’s photographs do actually seem to point out that dwell firing trials of some type have begun, with the Storm pictured on the bottom with a single spherical carried within the starboard pod. When the jet is pictured on method to the airfield, the identical pod is empty.
Well timed Look
The debut of rocket pods for the Storm comes at a very coincidental time, given latest occasions within the Center East. In fact, plane already built-in with APKWS II have been carrying these into fight amid the specter of Iranian drones, however RAF Typhoons flying from Qatar and RAF Akrotiri have as a substitute needed to rely solely on AIM-132 Superior Quick Vary Air to Air Missiles (ASRAAMs) as their short-range infrared guided air to air missile.
USAF F-15E in full counter drone loadout for Epic Fury. 4 X AIM-120, 4X AIM-9, 28 FALCO APKWS laser-guided rockets + the 20mm. Jet is clear other than that, so doubtless has close by tanker assist and might get to the place it must go quick.
Picture by way of CENTCOM screencap pic.twitter.com/kTvlQCNYBr
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 4, 2026
Typhoons can carry solely 4 ASRAAMs per sortie – the 4 partially recessed fuselage hardpoints being devoted for bigger radar-guided missiles just like the AIM-120 AMRAAM or MBDA’s Meteor. With simply two of the rocket pods, every Storm may carry 14 APKWS rockets into battle alongside two ASRAAM.
The huge price of utilizing ASRAAM in a C-UAS function has already been some extent of criticism within the British press. Whereas the fee calculations aren’t unsuitable – and the extremely succesful ASRAAM is certainly an enormous overmatch for these low tier targets – this line of pondering does fail to contemplate the price of not intercepting an incoming drone of missile, which could possibly be far larger than the expense of an ASRAAM.
UK F-35Bs, which just lately scored their first ever destruction of a hostile goal when a Fleet Air Arm pilot destroyed an Iranian drone with an ASRAAM, would nonetheless have to make use of these larger tier missiles as rocket pods haven’t been built-in on this kind. Theoretically, on the expense of full stealth traits (much more so than the already exterior carry solely ASRAAM), there is no such thing as a obvious cause why this integation couldn’t happen, however it must be scheduled via the U.S. managed Built-in Take a look at Drive (ITF).
If the U.S. decides to comply with this path, we might even see this feature emerge comparatively shortly, however the UK is already suffering from delays to the mixing of its weapons to the F-35B to such some extent that the fleet’s solely obtainable air to floor weapon is the Paveway IV guided bomb.
On the Storm, in addition to providing a brand new C-UAS choice, integration of APKWS II provides one other munition to its quiver for strike missions alongside the Paveway IV, Brimstone, and Storm Shadow cruise missile. Like with the sooner comparability to the AGM-114 Hellfire, softer targets like light-skinned autos, unprotected enemy emplacements, and even small boats might be focused with APKWS with out expending a worthwhile Brimestone or high-collateral Paveway IV. Many strikes of this nature have been carried out throughout Operation Shader in Iraq and Syria.
Many due to Tech Digital Images for permitting the usage of their photographs on this article. You could find them on Fb and Instagram.
