Following the primary sighting of the brand new functionality in December 2025, a Ukrainian F-16 was captured utilizing APKWS II laser-guided rockets to interact a drone.
A Ukrainian Air Power F-16 was captured for the primary time whereas utilizing its Superior Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II guided rockets towards a Russian unmanned system, believed to be a Geran-type One-Method Assault (OWA) drone, in a video that appeared on Feb. 17, 2025. The video is definitely infrared footage from the Sniper concentrating on pod used to lase the goal, a part of an extended promotional video by the Ukrainian Air Power.
This new growth comes after a Ukrainian F-16 was just lately captured in unofficial footage from the bottom taking pictures down a Russian Geran drone with its onboard M61 Vulcan cannon. Notably, Russian Geran drones themselves have been evolving, carrying Soviet-era R-60 short-range infrared-guided Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs) and Verba Man-Moveable Air Protection Techniques (MANPADS).
What’s believed to be the primary recognized footage exhibiting an F-16 fighter jet operated by the Ukrainian Air Power intercepting a Russian Shahed/Geran-type long-range OWA-UAV with the APKWS II low-cost, laser-guided anti-aircraft rockets.
Such rockets are carried in LAU-131 rocket… pic.twitter.com/JTsCsgQ7NP
— Standing-6 (Warfare & Navy Information) (@Archer83Able) February 17, 2026
The persistent uneven threats had pressured each Ukraine and Russia to transform their older Yak-52 trainers for the counter-drone position in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Moreover, Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters are utilizing their door-mounted PK-type machine weapons and miniguns to carry down the Geran drones.
Apparently, a modified Antonov An-28 plane was additionally captured in a French information function participating Geran drones with side-shooting M-134 miniguns.
A passenger An-28 plane armed with miniguns is taking pictures down Russian drones over Ukraine, French TF1 received an inside. The crew consists of civilian volunteers who’ve already destroyed almost 150 drones throughout air protection missions. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/x1E921TPT2
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) February 5, 2026
AGR-20F APKWS II in Ukraine
The APKWS II was noticed for the time on a UKrAF Preventing Falcon in December 2025, though the newest video represents the primary time the weapon was recorded getting used within the Ukrainian battle within the air-to-air mode. The bottom-based VAMPIRE system, additionally utilized by Ukraine put in on Humvees and pickup-trucks, had nonetheless been used previously towards Russian Shahed-type drones.
The December 2025 picture confirmed the UKrAF F-16, presumably getting ready to land because it had each touchdown gear and velocity brakes prolonged, carrying one LAU-131A/As rocket pod beneath every wing. The F-16 was carrying the seven-shot rocket pods on Triple Ejector Racks (TER), which permit as much as three pods on every wing.
Ukrainian Air Power F-16s seem to have lastly acquired APKWS laser-guided rockets, an enormous improve to hunt drones.
The rockets, mounted in a pair of LAU-131 pods, enable a Ukrainian Falcon to hold as much as 18 air-to-air missiles (14x APKWS, 4x AIM-9). pic.twitter.com/7XDbdb4Pkt
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 5, 2025
Within the CENTCOM area, U.S. Air Power F-16s have been flying with the APKWS II for greater than a yr now, with not less than two LAU-131A/A seven-shot rocket pods seen up to now. The service has additionally outfitted an F-16 with six LAU-131A/A pods for a big journal capability of 42 rockets.
Nevertheless, that trial seemed to be solely a floor demonstration and presumably a coaching session for munitions load crews to cater for the bigger APKWS II payload in high-threat conditions. The necessity may come in useful once more, given tensions with Iran and the convergence of U.S. forces within the area.
A U.S. Air Power F-16 Preventing Falcon conducts a fight air patrol over the U.S. Central Command space of duty. By delivering important sources to U.S. and coalition plane in flight, we assure war-winning airpower all through the area.@USAFCENT📷 Employees Sgt.… pic.twitter.com/rwI73H9VXr
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 1, 2025
Ukraine’s fighters have in the meantime additionally been participating different Russian targets, with F-16s getting used to shoot down Russian Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) with AIM-9 Sidewinders in an official video. The Mirage 2000 have borne the kill-marks of the Kh-101, with its pilots touting its effectiveness within the position, utilizing each Magic 2 and MICA AAM.
A video of an AGR-20 FALCO intercept. pic.twitter.com/Oee0UDEpcm
— Shahryar Pasandideh (@shahpas) April 9, 2025
APKWS II
The AGR-20 APKWS II is a conversion of the Hydra 70 unguided rocket, with a laser steering package added to the baseline weapon. The system sits between the 10-pound high-explosive warhead on the entrance and the Mk66 Mod 4 rocket motor on the rear, turning the Hydra 70 right into a precision-guided munition (PGM).
Particularly, the steering part consists of wing-mounted laser seeker assortment optics on the 4 foldable wings, providing a large discipline of view, and enabling it to interact each shifting and stationary targets.
The second modification on the APKWS II got here within the type of a counter-drone software program improve, referred to as the AGR-20F FALCO (Mounted Wing, Air Launched, Counter-Unmanned Plane Techniques Ordnance). It’s now the weapon of selection within the counter-UAS position and is used extensively towards cheaper Houthi projectiles, which price round $15,000-$20,000, as a substitute of the dearer AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, that are value round $450,000 and over $1 million, respectively.
Ukrainian Navy’s VAMPIRE anti-drone system utilizing low-cost laser-guided APKWS rockets towards Russian Shahed-136 kamikaze UAVs in Odesa area.
The U.S. Air Power already employs APKWS on F-16s to cheaply counter Houthi drones and plans so as to add a passive IR seeker to create a… pic.twitter.com/iDx01Yy2z0
— Conflict Report (@clashreport) February 16, 2025
However, a single APKWS II rocket is estimated to have a worth level of round $30,000. The AIM-9 and the AIM-120 nonetheless are nonetheless a part of the usual air-to-air loadout within the CENTCOM area.
In April 2025, APKWS II developer BAE Techniques unveiled an Superior Precision Package (APK) for the 70 mm Hydra rockets, consisting of a infrared (IR) seeker along with the present laser steering, making this a dual-mode weapon. The APK spares the pilot the necessity for steady lasing of the goal drone, permitting him to swiftly transfer on to different targets. BAE had mentioned the APK improve served as the subsequent stage for the system’s evolution.
In December 2025, BAE revealed it acquired a U.S. Navy contract collectively value $1.7 billion, with a $322 million preliminary order, for the APKWS II system. With the Particular Protection Acquisition Fund (SDAF) being one of many clients, amongst different customers together with U.S. Air Power, U.S. Military, U.S. Navy and several other international companions, Ukraine is prone to obtain a giant chunk of these deliveries. In reality, the SDAF has beforehand been used for arms donations to Ukraine.
