Pentagon Signs Framework for Up to 25,000 BAE APKWS Counter-Drone Rocket Kits a Year
The Pentagon has given BAE a seven-year demand signal for its cheap laser-guided drone interceptor, but the buy still awaits congressional authorization and appropriations.
The Pentagon has given BAE a seven-year demand signal for its cheap laser-guided drone interceptor, but the buy still awaits congressional authorization and appropriations.
The Pentagon signed a framework agreement with BAE Systems for up to 25,000 APKWS guidance sections a year for up to seven years, the Department of War announced on Oct. 19. The purchases remain pending congressional authorization and appropriations. Michael Duffey, the under secretary for acquisition and sustainment, said multiyear demand "flips the cost calculus in the taxpayer's favor."
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Pentagon and BAE Systems agree?
A framework for the Pentagon to buy up to 25,000 APKWS guidance sections a year for up to seven years, with a path to 35,000 a year for allies, according to the Department of War.
Is the purchase funded?
Not yet. The department said the buy is pending congressional authorization and appropriations, and BAE and the Pentagon still have to negotiate a multiyear contract. Neither side announced a price, per Defense News.
What is APKWS?
A laser-guidance kit that turns unguided 2.75-inch rockets, such as the Hydra 70, into precision munitions. All four U.S. services field it, and it has become a cheaper alternative to air-to-air missiles against drones, Defense News reported.
Can BAE build 25,000 a year?
A BAE official said in 2023 that APKWS had room to grow to 25,000 units a year. The company builds the kits in Hudson, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas, and delivered its 100,000th kit in February, per Defense News.
Who else is buying APKWS?
The State Department approved a possible $1.96 billion Saudi package with up to 20,000 kits in July, and Italy is weighing 5,031 kits for counter-drone defense, according to Defense News.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.