APKWS® Laser-Guided Rocket

The Advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) guidance kit transforms an unguided 2.75-inch (70 millimeter) rocket into a precision-guided rocket, giving warfighters a low-cost surgical strike capability.

The APKWS rocket redefines precision by hitting the target with pinpoint accuracy and minimal collateral damage – critical for air-to-ground missions when you only have one shot. The rocket is proven in combat for five years running, and is the U.S. Government’s only program of record for 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets.

Fills the weapons gap

The APKWS rocket bridges the gap between unguided rockets and anti-armor munitions, consistently delivering pinpoint accuracy to soft targets at a low cost, that no other system can match.

Precision strike capability

The DASALS® seeker optics are essential to maximizing target acquisition

There are a number of precision-guided weapons on the market, but few consistently hit their intended target with pinpoint accuracy, while leaving minimal collateral damage. Our guidance section is designed to lock onto targets from over 3 kilometers away, keeping aircraft and laser designators at a safe distance from threats.
Innovative by design, the APKWS rocket includes advanced DASALS seeker optics located on all four guidance wings. Once fired, the wings deploy, and the optics lock in, guiding the rocket to the target – delivering accuracy when it matters most.

Wing slot seals protect optics from adjacent firings, sand, and moisture prior to launch to ensure no damage or debris inhibit the seeker from locking onto targets
Optics lock onto moving or stationary targets in open or confined areas, supporting a wide variety of missions, and eliminating the possibility of a lost or uncontrolled rocket after launch
40-degree instantaneous field of regard enables a broad capture area for the rocket to adjust mid-flight and stay on track to its target
Ideal solution to engage soft or lightly armored targets when compared to a Brimstone missile

Combat proven

There are 13 launch platforms qualified with our APKWS guidance section

The APKWS rocket exceeds program requirements as the most accurate precision guided weapon in its class. It is utilized by all four U.S. armed forces, with deliveries to numerous allied countries. In combat, the rocket has achieved over a 93 percent hit rate when fired from rotary- and fixed-wing platforms.

Fired from more than 20 different fixed- and rotary-wing platforms
U.S. Army has achieved numerous confirmed successful engagements in support of current combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
U.S. Air Force has fired hundreds of fixed-wing units in theater to date
U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy have fired thousands of combined fixed- and rotary-wing shots in total, and hundreds in combat scenarios

Flexible and modular design

Our mid-body guidance and control section is compatible with existing and new inventories of 2.75-inch (70 millimeter) rocket motors, warheads, and launchers. It simply inserts between the rocket motor and warhead for easy installation on a variety of platforms.

Requires no modifications to the standard rocket motor, firing platform or fire control system
Light weight allows pilots to carry more stowed weapons, to engage more targets in combat
Requires minimal training, providing a seemless transition from firing Hydra rockets
New design for fixed-wing platforms took just seven months to integrate onto the AV-8B Harrier

Cost effective

The APKWS rocket is the most cost effective laser-guided munition in its class. Our guidance section’s modular design enables precision-strike capability at a quarter the price of a Brimstone missile, while delivering accuracy with reduced collateral damage. Instead of buying costly new weapon systems, users simply implement our upgrade into existing unguided rocket inventories for instant accuracy at the industry’s lowest total ownership cost.

We maximize these cost savings by integrating our solution on platforms used around the world such as the AH-64 Apache and F-16 Fighting Falcon to expand mission flexibility.

Prepared for increased demand

Demand from U.S. and international governments for our guidance kits are growing, and we are positioned to support this need. In 2016, we opened a new factory in New Hampshire to produce and deliver more units at an even faster rate. We are consistently ahead of schedule on order deliveries, offering a manufacturing capacity of up to 20,000 units per year, and continuing to expand production.

With the majority of our supply chain in the United States, our centralized approach and aim to deliver zero defects optimizes overall production and delivery efficiency.

Sixth year in full-rate production
Over 10,000 units have been delivered to date
Proven ability to surge capacity, accelerating over a thousand fixed-wing deliveries ahead of schedule

The APKWS laser-guided rocket is available to all four U.S. military branches and through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to allied nations for ongoing combat operations.