RAF’s new ‘kill system’ to blast drones out of sky deployed | Politics | News
The Royal Air Force is ready to shoot down “many more drones” at much less cost to taxpayers. Britain has a new “low-cost” anti-drone system that went from testing to deployment in less than two months. RAF Typhoon fighter jets will be equipped with the new Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) so targets can be destroyed “at a fraction of the price of missiles currently used”.
A test strike on a ground target in March was followed by an “air-to-air launch” in April as a demonstration of anti-drone capabilities. It is now deployed in operations in the Middle East.
Defense secretary Luke Pollard said: “It has been an outstanding effort to work with industry to test and deploy this system within a matter of months, which will help the RAF to shoot down many more drones at much lower cost. Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and NATO air defence; the RAF defends Europe’s eastern flank from Russian drone attacks and defends our partners in the Middle East.”
The Department of Defense says the laser targeting system turns “unguided missiles into low-cost, precision weapons” that can counter the growing drone threat.
BAE Systems’ Simon Barnes said the Typhoon was “the backbone of combat air in Europe and the Middle East”.
Steve Wadey, of defense specialist QinetiQ, which is also working on the new anti-drone system, said: “Our teams are providing the essential support our armed forces need, from engineering expertise to live trials, to deliver the urgent capabilities that will keep the UK and its allies safe and combat-ready.”
Pilots and aircrews have added 2,500 flying hours since the last conflict in the Middle East; This is equivalent to more than three months of continuous flying.
Air Commander Donal McGurk said: “We welcome the pace of development and rigorous testing behind the deployment of these missile systems for use on our Typhoons. They are a valuable addition to the air defense suite we already use with agility in the Middle East.”
This follows the signing of a deal to purchase Skyhammer interceptor missiles to neutralize attack drones. In January, more than £650 million was allocated to upgrade the RAF’s Typhoon fighter fleet. This has created more than 1,500 jobs in the UK and means the fleet “will continue to protect British skies until at least the 2040s”.
