United States BAE Systems
APKWS
American laser-guidance kit fitted to the Hydra 70 rocket, turning an unguided rocket into a low-cost precision-strike weapon for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05
💲 ≈ $22,000 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active · ~100,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Semi-active laser, Infrared homing |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1.87 m |
|---|
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Round type APFSDS (kinetic sabot), HEAT / multipurpose, HE-FRAG, canister or gun-launched ATGM. | Laser-guided rocket |
|---|---|
| Projectile mass Mass of the projectile or penetrator assembly. | 14.5 kg |
| Effective range Practical engagement range of the round. | 5,000 m |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $22,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 100,000 |
Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Israel Aerospace Industries LAHAT gun-launched ATGM Frequently asked questions
How much does the BAE Systems APKWS cost? +
The BAE Systems APKWS has an approximate unit cost of 22,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
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Raytheon (RTX)
GBU-28
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
Hydra 70
Related coverage
APKWS in the news
News digest · Aug 1, 2026
July 2026 in review: Gulf war deaths, a $135B Patriot day
July saw the Iran war's first new US combat deaths, a record $58.6B Patriot deal, and Europe's scramble after Ukraine's interceptors ran dry.
News procurement · Jul 26, 2026
US Gulf Arms Sales Hit $41B in Six Months, Topping All of 2025
State Department-approved arms deals to Gulf states reached $41B in H1 2026, up from $9B for all of 2025, driven by Patriot missile orders.
News procurement · Jul 17, 2026
Saudi Arabia Clears $1.96B Deal for 20,000 APKWS Guided Rockets
State Department clears a $1.96B sale of 20,000 APKWS laser-guidance kits to Saudi Arabia, split evenly between air-to-air and air-to-ground variants.