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UK Fighter Jets to Get Cheaper Missile System to Counter Iranian Drones
(MENAFN) According to reports, British fighter jets operating in the Middle East will be upgraded with new missile technology designed to reduce the cost of intercepting Iranian drones.
The Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft will be fitted with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), which the Ministry of Defence said is intended to “destroy targets more precisely and at a fraction of the price of missiles currently in use.”
Officials and analysts note that Gulf states and regional allies have been struggling to counter Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are inexpensive to produce but capable of causing significant damage.
During the 2024 Iran–Israel confrontation, UK forces were reported to have used missiles costing around £200,000 each to shoot down incoming drones.
By contrast, APKWS rockets—already in use by the US military—are estimated to cost roughly $30,000 (£22,377) per unit, bringing them much closer to the price range of the Shahed 136 drone itself, which is believed to cost between $20,000 and $50,000.
The Shahed drones, produced in Iran, are designed with a low-profile structure that allows them to fly at low altitudes, making detection more difficult for radar and early warning systems that are primarily optimized to track missile threats.
Despite their low cost, these drones have frequently been intercepted using expensive air-to-air missiles fired from fighter jets or ground-based air defense systems, according to reports.
The Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft will be fitted with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), which the Ministry of Defence said is intended to “destroy targets more precisely and at a fraction of the price of missiles currently in use.”
Officials and analysts note that Gulf states and regional allies have been struggling to counter Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are inexpensive to produce but capable of causing significant damage.
During the 2024 Iran–Israel confrontation, UK forces were reported to have used missiles costing around £200,000 each to shoot down incoming drones.
By contrast, APKWS rockets—already in use by the US military—are estimated to cost roughly $30,000 (£22,377) per unit, bringing them much closer to the price range of the Shahed 136 drone itself, which is believed to cost between $20,000 and $50,000.
The Shahed drones, produced in Iran, are designed with a low-profile structure that allows them to fly at low altitudes, making detection more difficult for radar and early warning systems that are primarily optimized to track missile threats.
Despite their low cost, these drones have frequently been intercepted using expensive air-to-air missiles fired from fighter jets or ground-based air defense systems, according to reports.
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