Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
| AGR-20 (APKWS II) | |
|---|---|
1) Top picture: standard Hydra-70
2) Bottom picture: APKWS | |
| Type | Rocket |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2012–present |
| Used by | See Foreign users |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | BAE Systems |
| Unit cost | $22,000 |
| No. built | 50,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 32 lb (15 kg) |
| Length | 73.8 in (1.87 m) |
| Diameter | 2.75 in (70 mm) (unfired) |
| Effective firing range | 1,100–5,000 m (0.68–3.11 mi) (rotary wing); 2–11 km (1.2–6.8 mi) (fixed wing) |
| Maximum speed | 739–1,000 metres per second (2,420–3,280 ft/s) |
Guidance system | Distributed aperture semi-active laser seeker; additionally passive infrared sensor (dual-mode APKWS II only) |
Launch platform | See Launch platforms |
The AGR-20 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). APKWS is approximately one-third the cost and one-third the weight of the current inventory of laser-guided weapons, has a lower yield more suitable for avoiding collateral damage, and takes one quarter of the time for ordnance personnel to load and unload.