BAE Systems has successfully completed the first-ever air-to-air engagement using a laser-guided munition launched from its multi-rotor uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV).
During tests at the U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, the company’s TRV-150 drone fired rockets armed with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), accurately striking both aerial and ground targets without a single miss.
Traditionally deployed from manned aircraft such as the AH-64 Apache and F-16 Fighting Falcon, APKWS munitions have now demonstrated their compatibility with uncrewed platforms, expanding their operational versatility.
TRV-150 UAV
BAE Systems developed the TRV-150 in collaboration with SURVICE Engineering. The drone is based on Malloy Aeronautics’ T-150 logistics UAV, capable of carrying up to 150 pounds (68 kg) in all weather.
Designed for modularity, it can be reconfigured into a strike platform in under an hour.
APKWS System
Costing around $22,000 per unit, APKWS offers a more affordable counter-drone solution than high-end interceptors like the Patriot missile.
The system transforms unguided rockets into precision-guided weapons capable of engaging stationary or moving targets—including armored threats—from a distance of up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), with minimal collateral damage.
Fitted with a Mk66 Mod 4 rocket motor, it can reach speeds of up to 1,000 meters per second (3,280 feet/sec).
