The modernized BAE Systems missiles showed anti-drone effectiveness

BAE Systems praised the successful test of its new anti-drone system. The one on the test site managed to shoot down a dummy drone and is interesting because it includes cheap, specially modernized missiles.

A cheap solution to the drone problem, i.e. modernized missiles from BAE Systems

Drones spreading on the market, to which potential criminals have easy access, require an appropriate response from the US military in creating not only effective but also cheap defense systems. Both requirements are met by the aforementioned modernized BAE Systems missiles, which were created specifically to shoot down class 2 drones, i.e. those weighing from 9.52 to 25 kg and flying below 1000 meters at a speed of less than 493 km / h.

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This system comes down to a 70mm missile, which is equipped with the M151 warhead and the Mk66 propulsion, and perhaps most importantly – the APKWS guidance kit. This one uses four missile fins both for mounting DASALS sensors and for guiding the rocket in flight.

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In response to a targeting laser that searches for a target, the on-board system can calculate the optimal angle of attack and direct the missile to intercept it. It does this not only by striking it directly, but also by simply getting close to the target thanks to a proximity rather than an impact fuse.

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According to BAE, the APKWS system does not need to lock on the target before launching the rocket and do so only in flight, because then the semi-active laser guidance optics are activated, which then locks the missile on the target. This leads to a faster firing of missiles aimed at destroying potential enemy drones.