Ukraine conflict: Norway supplying ‘laser-guided' air-defence weapons for Ukrainian F-16s

A US Air Force pilot seen firing an APKWS rocket from an F-16. Norway is to provide Ukraine with such a system for use against Russian OWA drones. (US Air Force)

Norway is to provide funding to equip Ukraine's fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft with laser-guided weapons that can be used for air-defence duties, the Norwegian government announced on 17 December.

Announced as part of a wider raft of F-16 weaponry to Ukraine, approximately NOK1 billion (USD99 million) of the package includes “an advanced precision weapon system that improves low-cost missiles into precision-guided weapons that can be used from aircraft or from [ground-based] air-defence systems,” according to the announcement.

Although not explicitly mentioned, this likely refers to the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), which the Norwegian government would acquire directly from the US government via its Jumpstart scheme that is based on the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

APKWS for counter-drone

The APKWS would be provided specifically to equip Ukraine's F-16 for the counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) role against Russian Geran-2s and other one-way attack (OWA) drones. It is one of the primary laser-guided rockets in service today with Western air arms and features a semi-active laser guidance section fitted to a standard 70 mm rocket's existing motor and warhead. The APKWS is much smaller and lighter than air-to-air missiles, and can be carried in much greater numbers within its typical seven-shot rocket launchers. It is also more accurate than an aircraft's gun.