US Clears $1.96 Billion Sale of 20,000 APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department approved a possible $1.96 billion sale of up to 20,000 APKWS II laser-guidance kits to Saudi Arabia on July 15, split evenly between air-to-air and air-to-ground versions, as Riyadh seeks a low-cost defense against Iranian and Houthi drones.

The US State Department on July 15 approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS II) laser-guidance kits, in a package valued at an estimated $1.96 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of the proposed sale.

The request covers up to 10,000 APKWS II air-to-air guidance sections and up to 10,000 air-to-ground guidance sections, along with LAU-131/A seven-shot 70mm rocket pods, Mk66 rocket motors, Mk-152 high-explosive warheads, proximity fuzes, WTU-1/B practice warheads, training and logistics support. BAE Systems is the principal contractor. In its notification, the State Department said the sale would support US foreign policy "by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region."

APKWS II converts a standard unguided 70mm Hydra rocket into a precision weapon by inserting a laser-guidance section between the rocket motor and the warhead. At roughly $15,000-20,000 per guidance kit, it costs a fraction of a conventional air-to-air missile, which can run to more than $1 million per round. That economy is central to the air-to-air variant's emerging role as a counter-drone interceptor: US Air Force F-16s and F-15Es have employed laser-guided 70mm rockets against Houthi one-way attack drones over the Red Sea, and the proximity fuzes included in the Saudi package are designed for exactly that mission.

The approval comes as Gulf states face a renewed missile and drone threat. Breaking Defense noted the sale was cleared days after the collapse of a four-year truce between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi movement, while Iranian strikes during the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel have hit neighboring countries hosting American forces, including a July 14 attack on Kuwait. A mass stockpile of cheap guided rockets would let Saudi crews engage drone swarms without expending scarce Patriot interceptors or high-end air-to-air missiles.

The Royal Saudi Air Force already fields the launch platforms to use them. Its combat fleet includes some 84 F-15SA multirole fighters alongside about 127 older F-15C/S Eagles, 71 Eurofighter Typhoons and 81 Tornado IDS strike aircraft, according to GlobalMilitary.net inventory data. The War Zone reports the F-15SA and Typhoon are expected to be the primary APKWS carriers, while Saudi Arabia's AH-64 Apache and AH-6i helicopter fleets are also compatible with the 70mm rocket family.

As with all Foreign Military Sale approvals, the notification is not a signed contract: quantities and value may change during negotiations, and the deal is subject to a congressional review period before Riyadh and Washington can conclude a letter of offer and acceptance. No delivery schedule has been announced.