Overview
- General Atomics, which announced the Nevada range demo Monday, said MQ‑9A crews used a specialized launcher to fire laser-guided rockets in several shot profiles, including live shots on aerial targets, with all shots reported as successful in front of Defense Department stakeholders.
- APKWS turns a 70 mm Hydra rocket into a laser-guided round, with the guidance kit priced near $15,000 and full rounds often cited at $25,000 to $40,000, far below the cost of AIM‑120 or AIM‑9X missiles.
- Equipping the Reaper with these rockets could add more shots per sortie and free fighter jets from drone-hunting patrols, helped by the MQ‑9’s long endurance and much lower cost per flight hour.
- Key details remain unsettled, including whether the push stems from an Urgent Operational Need, how many rocket pods the MQ‑9 can carry, and when units might field the loadout.
- The move follows months of costly intercepts of low-price one-way attack drones during Operation Epic Fury and points to a broader shift toward cheaper interceptors and more distributed air defenses.