U.S. Air Force F-16C Viper recently shot down a target drone using a laser-guided 70mm rocket
in a test The important part is that these rockets are
generally used for air-to-ground engagement but in this case, was used in air to air role.
US Air Force conducted the experiment to determine the feasibility of using the weapon for shooting
down incoming cruise missiles.
But the usage will not be limited to cruise missiles and could also be leverage for destroying
small unmanned aircraft, including suicide drones.
As per reports, the F-16C, assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, part of
the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, conducted the test over a range off the coast
of the state on Dec. 19, 2019.
A BQM-167 target drone was used to simulate a cruise missile threat.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why F-16C Viper using APKWS II 70mm rocket for
air to air engagement is a significant step forward?
Let's get started.
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The proliferation of cruise missile and drone technology has meant that the chances of facing
asymmetric threats are much more than it was a decade before.
In January 2018 Russian forces faced a drone swarm launched against Khmeimim Air Base,
in Syria.
The Russian were able to neutralize most of these.
Though the attack was able to inflict limited damage it indicated that the threat of the
drone swarm has arrived.
A recent example is the September attack on Saudi Arabia.
On September 14, facilities of Saudi Arabia's oil company Aramco located in the east of
the country came under attack.
As per reports, the raid began around 4 a.m and drones as well as cruise missiles were
used in the attack, there were 18 drones and 7 missiles.
The world’s biggest oil refinery near the city of Abqaiq and a refinery near Khurais,
where Saudi’s second-largest oil field is located were targeted.
The damage was significant & this caused a spike in global oil prices.
This kind of scenario can occur in U.S Air Force bases too.
A swarm of cheap drone armed with small explosives and short-range cruise missiles with high
explosives could cause massive damage to multi-million dollar warplanes, radars, etc.
The adversary could potentially cause a lot of destruction without having to put in significant
resources.
For example, a Lockheed Martine F 35 Lightning II costs around $ 80 million apiece and could
be easily disabled by a grenade sized warhead.
John Rood, undersecretary of defense for policy recently stated,
“We’re seeing asymmetric investments in things like swarming UAS technology, like
unmanned aerial systems that really fly more like the cruise missiles.
It’s a serious problem.”
Rood didn’t specifically mention the Saudi attacks, but indications were clear.
So, it is paramount that the U.S military addresses the growing challenge of targeting
small, basic but potentially lethal drones.
U.S. Air Force Colonel Ryan Messer, commander of the 53rd Wing, said in a statement,
"The test was unprecedented and will shape the future of how the Air Force executes CMD
[cruise missile defense].
This is a prime example of how the 53rd Wing is using resources readily available to establish
innovative ways that enhance combat capabilities for our combat units.”
Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) 70mm rocket or AGR-20A was used for this
experiment.
It is to be noted that the Marine Corps first fielded the laser-guided APKWS II in 2008.
Since then a concerted effort has been made to utilize this to counter different threats
in a battlespace.
The weapon can be used deployed from both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a design conversion of Hydra 70
unguided rockets with a laser guidance kit to turn them into precision-guided munitions
(PGMs).
The kit slots in between the standard 70mm rocket motor and the warhead, allowing for
the rapid conversion of existing Hydra 70 unguided rockets into low-cost precision-guided
munitions.
The U.S Air Force did not reveal what warhead and fuze combination was used during the test.
There are two basic options
1.
An inert warhead for 'hit to kill’ approach.
The rocket will physically ram into the target to destroy it.
2.
A high explosive warhead with a proximity fuze.
The advantage is that even without a direct hit, the target will be crippled.
Images that the Air Force released show that the aircraft taking part in the test were
carrying rockets with yellow bands at the front, which would point to a live warhead.
The U.S Air Force has stated that the F-16C had targeted the drone using an onboard targeting
pod.
Pictures show that the plane was carrying an AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod
during the test.
Produced by Lockheed Martine, it provides positive target identification, autonomous
tracking, GPS coordinate generation, and precise weapons guidance from extended standoff ranges.
It significantly increases the ability to engage low flying targets with small radar
cross-sections
As per U.S Air Force, the idea of using APKWS II in the air-to-air role was the result of
an effort to develop a low-cost weapon for aircraft to use in the cruise missile or drone
defense role.
Currently, US Air Force trains to use AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles
(AMRAAM) and AIM-9X Sidewinders to engage cruise missile threats as well as drones.
The unit price of AIM-120C is around $1.16 whereas that of AIM-120D is $1.3 million.
AIM-9X Sidewinder costs $0.6 million each.
Using these missiles for taking out inexpensive drones and cruise missiles is not an effective
solution.
Secondly, a fighter can carry a very limited number of these weapons.
So, against a swarm attack, there is a possibility to run out of missiles.
Hydra 70 has a unit cost of $2,799 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS)
which is used to convert Hydra 70 into precision-guided munitions costs only around $25,000.
So, the package of will not be more than $30,000 which is much cheaper when compared to AIM-120
variants and AIM-9X Sidewinders Another important aspect is that an aircraft
can carry many of these.
A hardpoint that would hold a single AIM-120 can carry a pod that can carry 7 or 19 of
these rockets.
Threats from low-cost drones and cruise missiles is real.
Keeping this in view, the test with the APKWS II 70mm rocket is significant.
U.S military is also developing other techs in parallel for this kind of scenario.
One such system is Howler.
Howler combines the capabilities of Raytheon's Ku band radio frequency system multi-mission
simultaneous radar and Coyote® unmanned aircraft system.
To know more, check the video on the above card.
Another endeavor is the use of lasers.
The U.S Air Force recently tested Lockheed Martin's Advanced Test High Energy Asset anti-drone
laser.
Advanced Test High Energy Asset, or ATHENA - also the name of the Greek goddess of was
used to take out drones.
As per reports, the system shot down multiple Class 1 and 2 fixed-wing and rotary drones.
It can be said that the U.S military is moving aggressively to counter the menace of drones
and cruise missiles.