The US State Department (SD) has approved the sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) II missiles to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with BAE Systems as the principal contractor.
This sale, valued at approximately $100m, (SR375m) aims to bolster Saudi Arabia’s precision strike capabilities with minimal risk of collateral damage.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has officially notified Congress of the potential sale, which includes 2000 APKWS II units and associated logistics and programme support.
The APKWS mid-body design is compatible with 2.75-inch rocket motors, warheads, and launchers, turning them into precise laser-guided rockets at a low cost.
This missile system offers accuracy in engaging soft or lightly armoured targets in urban combat scenarios where reducing collateral damage is paramount.
In 2023, the US Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office successfully tested laser-guidance kits against Class-2 uncrewed aircraft systems at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
The latest package also includes non-major defence equipment.
These encompass spare parts, support equipment, missile software, training, and U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related logistics and program support elements.
This proposed sale is aligned with US foreign policy goals and national security objectives, aiming to enhance the security of Saudi Arabia.
The acquisition of these missiles is expected to improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to address current and future threats while enabling precise engagement of targets.
The country is anticipated to integrate this new equipment seamlessly into its armed forces. Moreover, the sale is not expected to change the basic military balance in the region.
This comes after the US State Department authorised a potential foreign military sale in October 2024, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, estimated at $440m.
Saudi Arabia had then requested to acquire 507 wireless-guided, radio frequency (RF) missiles – 2A, 2B RF missiles, both tube-launched, optically-tracked, and wireless-guided.
