Latest news with #AdvancedPrecisionKillWeaponSystem
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US fighter jets used cheap laser-guided rockets for nearly half the drone kills during Operation Rough Rider
Laser-guided rockets were responsible for 40% of recent Houthi drone kills, a top US commander said. Gen. Michael Kurilla told lawmakers Tuesday that F-16 and F-15 fighter jets fired the APKWS rockets. Military leaders have stressed the importance of making air defense cheaper compared to the threat. US fighter jets used laser-guided rockets to destroy nearly half the drones that were shot down during the most recent big operation against the Iran-backed Houthis, a top commander told lawmakers on Tuesday. Gen. Michael Kurilla, who oversees Middle East operations at US Central Command, said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rockets fired by American F-16s or F-15s were responsible for about 40% of Houthi drone kills during Operation Rough Rider, the military's seven-week bombing campaign against the rebels. Kurilla was responding to questions about the implications of using expensive aircraft and munitions to fight non-state actors like the Houthis and whether the proliferation of hostile drones had led to more interest in cheaper defenses. "We absolutely need to be putting more work into directed energy — high-powered microwave," Kurilla said. He described the heavy use of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System as one of the "innovations" to emerge from Operation Rough Rider. "That's a $25,000 munition going against a roughly $50,000 or $100,000 drone — that is, an Iranian-provided drone to the Houthis," he added. The AGR-Falco Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, is an unguided Hydra 70 2.75-inch rocket fitted with laser guidance kits that turn it into a precision weapon. Made by British aerospace company BAE Systems, the slim munition can fly with a 10-pound warhead at speeds of 1,000 meters per second. One APKWS rocket is a fraction of the cost of an air-to-air missile that could otherwise be used to take down a drone. US officials have said an AIM-9, for instance, costs around $500,000; the newer AIM-120 is around $1 million. Military leaders like Kurilla have stressed the importance of bringing the cost of air defense to parity with the price tag of the threat, though this is not always possible. US warships operating in and around the Red Sea have been forced to fire expensive surface-to-air missiles to intercept incoming Houthi missiles and drones. SM-2 interceptors, which are on the lower end of the Navy's missile defense capabilities, can still cost upward of $2 million. Others are much more expensive, and the Red Sea fight has seen a high tempo of operations, raising concerns about future stockpiles. Kurilla said during written testimony that US air and naval forces in the Middle East have destroyed "hundreds" of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis into international shipping lanes and at Israel since October 2023. The Trump administration reached a cease-fire with the Houthis in early May, ending Operation Rough Rider. During the campaign, the US military bombed over 1,000 targets in Yemen. However, the rebels continue to fire missiles at Israel, which has retaliated with several rounds of airstrikes. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
US fighter jets used cheap laser-guided rockets for nearly half the drone kills during Operation Rough Rider
US fighter jets used laser-guided rockets to destroy nearly half the drones that were shot down during the most recent big operation against the Iran-backed Houthis, a top commander told lawmakers on Tuesday. Gen. Michael Kurilla, who oversees Middle East operations at US Central Command, said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rockets fired by American F-16s or F-15s were responsible for about 40% of Houthi drone kills during Operation Rough Rider, the military's seven-week bombing campaign against the rebels. Kurilla was responding to questions about the implications of using expensive aircraft and munitions to fight non-state actors like the Houthis and whether the proliferation of hostile drones had led to more interest in cheaper defenses. "We absolutely need to be putting more work into directed energy — high-powered microwave," Kurilla said. He described the heavy use of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System as one of the "innovations" to emerge from Operation Rough Rider. "That's a $25,000 munition going against a roughly $50,000 or $100,000 drone — that is, an Iranian-provided drone to the Houthis," he added. The AGR-Falco Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, is an unguided Hydra 70 2.75-inch rocket fitted with laser guidance kits that turn it into a precision weapon. Made by British aerospace company BAE Systems, the slim munition can fly with a 10-pound warhead at speeds of 1,000 meters per second. One APKWS rocket is a fraction of the cost of an air-to-air missile that could otherwise be used to take down a drone. US officials have said an AIM-9, for instance, costs around $500,000; the newer AIM-120 is around $1 million. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Military leaders like Kurilla have stressed the importance of bringing the cost of air defense to parity with the price tag of the threat, though this is not always possible. US warships operating in and around the Red Sea have been forced to fire expensive surface-to-air missiles to intercept incoming Houthi missiles and drones. SM-2 interceptors, which are on the lower end of the Navy's missile defense capabilities, can still cost upward of $2 million. Others are much more expensive, and the Red Sea fight has seen a high tempo of operations, raising concerns about future stockpiles. Kurilla said during written testimony that US air and naval forces in the Middle East have destroyed "hundreds" of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis into international shipping lanes and at Israel since October 2023. The Trump administration reached a cease-fire with the Houthis in early May, ending Operation Rough Rider. During the campaign, the US military bombed over 1,000 targets in Yemen. However, the rebels continue to fire missiles at Israel, which has retaliated with several rounds of airstrikes.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration redirecting anti-drone tech from Ukraine to US forces in Middle East, WSJ reports
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is redirecting anti-drone technology earmarked for Ukraine to its own troops based in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on June 4. According to the WSJ, special fuzes used in ground-to-air rocket systems that protect against drone attacks will be redirected towards units in the Middle East, as the U.S. braces for conflict with Iran as well as Houthi militants in Yemen. The Pentagon notified Congress last week in a previously undisclosed message that the redirection of the fuzes, used in Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, was identified by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as an "urgent issue." The fuzes were initially bought for Ukraine by the Biden administration. The decision comes as Russia has intensified its drone attacks in recent months, targeting cities across Ukraine. On the night of June 1, Russia launched its largest swarm of attack drones since the start of the full-scale invasion, topping out at 472 total units at once. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 4 that Russia has launched over 20,000 drones towards Ukraine since the start of 2025. A source in Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent on June 4 that Russia will soon be able to deploy more than 500 long-range drones a night to attack Ukraine as it ramps up production and builds new launch sites for them. Since the start of his presidency, Trump has been critical of providing Ukraine with additional military aid. The U.S. temporarily halted military supplies for Ukraine in March before restarting them after Kyiv agreed to the truce plan during talks in Jeddah on March 11. Hegseth, who reportedly ordered a temporary halt of military aid flights to Ukraine, has also been critical of providing additional aid to Kyiv. Earlier in the day on June 4, Hegseth did not attend a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, marking the first instance since the start of the full-scale war that the U.S. Defense Secretary was not in attendance. Since Trump's second term began in January, no new aid packages have been approved. Following a call on June 4 with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said that Putin "will have to respond" to Ukraine's recent drone attack on military airfields. Ukraine has called upon its partners to invest more in its arms production and to provide additional air defenses, namely Patriot systems, to help fend off intensifying Russian aerial attacks. Read also: Trump urges Senate to postpone vote on Russia sanctions bill, Senator says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Biggest Arms Deal in History a Win for Trump on Middle East Tour
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As President Donald Trump tours the Middle East, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a historic $142 billion arms deal that according to the White House was the largest defense sales agreement in history. The U.S. has recently finalized a series of arms deals with Gulf allies worth multiple billions of dollars, signaling Washington's continued strategic tilt toward regional partners amid escalating tensions with Iran and rivalry with Russia and China. Why It Matters The U.S. is deepening defense ties with Gulf allies through multi-billion-dollar arms deals as Trump returns to the region, reaffirming America's military foothold in a region increasingly eyed by China and Russia. Advanced Weapons to Saudi Arabia "The sales that we intend to complete fall into five broad categories: air force advancement and space capabilities, air and missile defense, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernization, and information and communication systems upgrades," the White House said in a statement. Earlier this month, the State Department approved a $3.5 billion sale of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles to Saudi Arabia, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. In March, the U.S. approved the sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) to the kingdom costing nearly $100 million upon the kingdom's request to buy 2,000 high precision weapons, the agency said. A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade load an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) training round for a live-fire exercise, Sept. 23, 2021, Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. The APKWS is... A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade load an Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) training round for a live-fire exercise, Sept. 23, 2021, Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. The APKWS is the newest laser-guided rocket system utilized by the 12th CAB stationed throughout Europe. More Pfc. Jesus Menchaca/U.S. Army/DVIDS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said both countries had worked "to take on terrorism and all its manifestations today, with groups like the Houthis," as he met with Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, the Saudi Defense Minister, in February. Unprecedented Drone Sales to Qatar The U.S. recently approved the sale of advanced MQ-9B drones to Qatar for nearly $2 billion, the first sale of its kind to the region, aimed at enhancing the defense capabilities of the country that hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East. Trump's ties with Qatar haver been boosted by its supporting role in brokering the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel. White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal, according to Axios. The relationship has recently come under scrutiny after Trump said he would accept a $400 million luxury plane as a gift from Qatar's royal family—though not yet confirmed by Qatar—to be used as Air Force One and transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation after he leaves office. Billion in Sales to UAE As Trump headed to Riyadh, the State Department approved the sale of CH-47F Chinook Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.32 billion to the United Arab Emirates — another key regional ally. "The UAE will use these assets in search and rescue, disaster relief, humanitarian support, and counterterrorism operations," the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated. What People Are Saying White House in Tuesday statement: "Underscoring our commitment to strengthening our defense and security partnership, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed the largest defense sales agreement in history—nearly $142 billion, providing Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen U.S. defense firms." Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, wrote on May 8: "The Middle East remains a key arena for geopolitical competition, and the fact that President Trump is making his first scheduled overseas trip in his second term to the Middle East sends a message that he is prioritizing the region." What Happens Next With Trump eyeing other big deals from Middle East partners, the U.S. is committed to enhance security and defense cooperation with key allies that also reinforce the strategic role of the United States.
See - Sada Elbalad
21-03-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
US Approves Sale of Precision Rockets to Saudi Arabia
Israa Farhan The United States has approved a potential arms deal to sell advanced precision-guided weapon systems to Saudi Arabia, according to the Pentagon. The deal, valued at about $100 million, includes Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) along with logistical support, software, and training. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) confirmed on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has requested to purchase 2,000 APKWS units, spare parts, and related technical and logistical services. The proposed sale aims to strengthen the kingdom's military capabilities while aligning with US foreign policy objectives and national security interests. According to the Pentagon, these precision-guided systems will enhance Saudi Arabia's ability to engage targets with greater accuracy while minimizing collateral damage compared to conventional missile systems. This technology is expected to bolster the country's defense infrastructure amid ongoing regional security challenges. The Pentagon assured that the sale would not disrupt the military balance in the region or negatively impact US defense readiness. The decision reflects Washington's continued commitment to supporting its Gulf allies in maintaining regional stability. The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System is a cost-effective solution that converts unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions. By integrating a laser-guidance system between the warhead and rocket motor, APKWS enhances the effectiveness of air, land, and naval strikes without requiring expensive missile systems. As a key defense partner, Saudi Arabia has consistently invested in modernizing its military arsenal, particularly in response to regional threats. The latest arms agreement follows a series of US-Saudi defense deals in recent years, underscoring Riyadh's strategic military partnership with Washington. This sale comes amid broader discussions about US arms exports to the Middle East and ongoing geopolitical developments in the Gulf region. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) News Ireland Replaces Former Israeli Embassy with Palestinian Museum News Israeli PM Diagnosed with Stage 3 Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Maguy Farah Reveals 2025 Expectations for Pisces News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
