UAE APKWS Sale: US Clears 10,000 Counter-Drone and Strike Rocket Kits

The US State Department approved a possible $1.041 billion sale to the United Arab Emirates on October 2 covering up to 10,000 APKWS II guidance sections in air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations. BAE Systems is the principal contractor, and the package includes warheads, rocket motors, proximity fuzes, training equipment and technical and logistics support. APKWS inserts a laser-guidance section into a 70 mm rocket, enabling precision surface strikes and counter-drone engagements with appropriately configured rounds. The notification follows a separate May approval for 1,500 air-to-air sections and represents an estimated sales ceiling pending agreement, rather than a completed delivery or signed production contract.