Britain has accelerated the deployment of a new low-cost anti-drone missile system to Royal Air Force operations in the Middle East as part of broader efforts to strengthen Gulf security against rising drone threats.
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) has moved from testing to active service in under two months and is now being integrated onto RAF Typhoon fighter jets stationed in the Gulf region.
Costing around $20,000 per missile, the laser-guided system is designed to intercept hostile drones, including Iran’s Shahed-series UAVs, at a significantly lower cost than traditional air defence missiles, according to news agencies.
British officials described the deployment as a major shift in counter-drone strategy, particularly as inexpensive unmanned aerial systems become increasingly common in regional conflicts.
UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the rapid rollout would enhance Britain’s ability to defend allies and protect its own forces from drone attacks across the Middle East.
The move comes as Britain expands its regional defence presence, with systems such as Sky Sabre in Saudi Arabia, Lightweight Multirole Missiles in Bahrain, and Rapid Sentry and ORCUS platforms in Kuwait already supporting Gulf air defence networks.
Separately, the UK also announced progress under Project NYX, which aims to develop autonomous “loyal wingman” drones capable of operating alongside Apache helicopters in missions ranging from reconnaissance to electronic warfare.
