Typhoon jets equipped with cheaper missiles to fend off Iranian attacks Tom CotterillSun, May 17, 2026 at 7:00 AM UTC 0 The new system, armed on 9 Squadron RAF Typhoon aircraft deployed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus Tim Hammond/UK MoD Cheap new missiles designed to shoot down drones have been fitted to Britain’s fleet of RAF Typhoons and are now being used to protect the Middle East from Iranian air attacks. Fighter jets operating across the Gulf are now carrying the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, which was developed in a matter of weeks after a hurried effort by the military.
Typhoon jets equipped with cheaper missiles to fend off Iranian attacks
Tom CotterillSun, May 17, 2026 at 7:00 AM UTC
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The new system, armed on 9 Squadron RAF Typhoon aircraft deployed from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus - Tim Hammond/UK MoD
Cheap new missiles designed to shoot down drones have been fitted to Britain’s fleet of RAF Typhoons and are now being used to protect the Middle East from Iranian air attacks.
Fighter jets operating across the Gulf are now carrying the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, which was developed in a matter of weeks after a hurried effort by the military.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the weapons cost a “fraction of the price” of munitions such as the £200,000 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM) previously used to destroy Shahed drones, which themselves cost between £15,000 and £50,000.
Unguided Hydra 70mm rockets were converted into precision weapons thanks to a new laser guidance system that allows them to strike targets in the air.
The kit was rushed into service in less than two months following a combined effort by defence giants BAE Systems, which owns the weapon, and QinetiQ, which integrated it.
Luke Pollard, a defence minister, said: “This has been a superb effort working with industry to test and deploy this system in a matter of months, which will help the RAF shoot down many more drones at a much lower cost.
“Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and Nato air defence, with the RAF protecting Europe’s eastern flank from Russian drone incursions and defending our partners across the Middle East.”
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System being fired
Trials for the rockets took place at an accelerated pace, with the first successful strike on a ground target taking place in March.
Typhoon pilots from 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron then carried out the first successful air-to-air firing last month. Crews hit a drone known as a Banshee, which can fly at 350mph, during a successful shoot at a firing range at QinetiQ’s site in Aberporth, Ceredigion.
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Simon Galt, QinetiQ’s managing director for air, said the pace of development was unprecedented, and involved more than 100 people. “It was an eight-week piece of work from concept to trial, which is incredibly pacey for this type of integration,” he added.
“This shows the UK has got all of the people, resources and infrastructure it needs to rapidly do tests.”
Credit: MOD Crown Copyright 2026
Earlier this year, the MoD signed a £205m contract extension with QinetiQ to provide technical and engineering support for the RAF’s Typhoon fleet over five years. Mr Galt said this laid the “foundation” for the rapid rollout of the new missiles.
The system has been deployed on operations in the Middle East, with sorties flown by 9 Squadron Typhoons as part of the missions to defend against Iranian bombardment.
The system went from testing to deployment on operations in less than two months - Tim Hammond/MoD
Britain has already sent hundreds of additional air defence troops to the Middle East in response to the Iran war, which began with joint US and Israeli strikes in February.
Sky Sabre missiles have been deployed to Saudi Arabia and lightweight multi-role missiles have been sent to Bahrain. The RAF’s Rapid Sentry and Orcus air defence systems are also operating in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, RAF Regiment gunners have used Rapid Sentry’s missiles to fend off multiple drone attacks on a coalition base in Iraq.
Britain is also investing millions of pounds to buy new Skyhammer interceptor missiles to destroy Shahed-style drones.
Source: "AOL Breaking"
Source: Breaking
Published: May 17, 2026 at 04:55PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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