MQ-9 Reaper drone fires laser-guided rockets at airborne targets for first time, with each round costing less than $40,000

The MQ-9 Reaper has logged thousands of hours over conflict zones, delivering intelligence and strikes with a mix of missiles and bombs that run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Recent tests at the Nevada Test and Training Range changed that equation. Air Force crews, working alongside General Atomics, fired laser-guided 70mm rockets from the drone against both ground targets and airborne ones. Every shot landed as planned. The rounds, known as APKWS, cost less than forty thousand dollars apiece. This opens a door to handling swarms of low-cost threats without draining budgets reserved for bigger systems.

The Tests That Proved It Works

Crews launched multiple rockets across different angles and speeds during the flights. Some targeted simulated drones moving through the air. Others struck stationary ground setups for comparison. The specialized launcher under the Reaper’s wing handled the load without issue. Data from the tests showed consistent guidance from the laser designator all the way to impact.

Operators reported smooth integration with the drone’s existing sensors. The MQ-9 stayed aloft for its usual long stretches while cycling through these lower-cost shots. You see the practical side here: a platform already built for endurance now gains flexibility against fast-moving aerial targets that once required more expensive munitions.

Breaking Down the Rocket System

The APKWS starts as a standard 70mm Hydra rocket, then adds a laser-guidance kit with folding wings and a seeker head. Once fired, the kit steers the round toward whatever the drone’s laser points at. This setup works in the Reaper’s standard rocket pods, needing only minor adjustments to the aircraft.

Engineers focused on keeping the system simple and reliable for remote operators. The rockets maintain enough speed and explosive punch to disable small drones or light vehicles. You notice how this turns an older unguided design into something precise enough for air-to-air work without reinventing the wheel.

Why the Price Tag Makes a Difference

A single Hellfire missile runs around a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Multiply that across a swarm of incoming drones and the numbers climb fast. The APKWS sits well below forty thousand dollars per round, letting crews engage more targets during one flight.

Reapers already circle battlefields for hours at a stretch. Pairing them with these cheaper rockets means they can stay on station longer and handle volume without calling in fighter jets. You weigh the math in any prolonged operation: fewer dollars spent per intercept leaves room for other priorities.

Fitting Into Broader Counter-Drone Efforts

Iranian Shahed drones, priced around thirty thousand dollars, have shown up in growing numbers across recent conflicts. Shooting them down with million-dollar air-to-air missiles from manned aircraft gets expensive in a hurry. The Reaper’s new role steps into that gap, offering persistent coverage from a single airframe.

Air Force planners see this as one more tool in a layered defense. The drone’s sensors spot the threat, the laser designates it, and the rocket finishes the job. You connect the dots across theaters where cheap unmanned systems keep appearing: endurance plus affordability starts to balance the scales.

Expanding the Reaper’s Role in the Air

The MQ-9 has handled ground strikes for years, but air-to-air work stayed limited to occasional heavier missiles. These rocket tests push the envelope further by giving crews a lighter, more numerous option for airborne intercepts. The platform keeps its surveillance strengths while adding this defensive layer.

Operators gain choices mid-mission. They can switch between ground targets and aerial ones without reloading or changing aircraft. You look at the Reaper’s track record and see how this evolution keeps the fleet relevant against evolving threats that show up in large numbers and at low cost.

What Comes Next for the Reaper Fleet

Teams will review the test data to refine procedures and possibly expand the rocket loadout. Future flights could integrate the system into routine training ranges before heading overseas. The Air Force already operates hundreds of Reapers, so any upgrade spreads quickly across squadrons.

This step fits a pattern of adapting existing hardware rather than waiting for entirely new platforms. You follow the pattern in military aviation: small changes to proven systems often deliver the biggest shifts in how forces respond when budgets tighten and threats multiply.