Military
Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets Will Get Low-Cost Drone-Killing Rockets
The USMC plans to arm its legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets with $20,000 laser-guided rockets that can destroy drones, offering a vastly cheaper alternative to $450,000 Sidewinder missiles.
Key Takeaways
- APKWS II costs roughly $20,000 per round versus $450,000 for an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile
- Seven-shot rocket pods replace single missile stations, multiplying available engagements against drone swarms
- U.S. fighters ran out of missiles during Iran's April 2024 attack on Israel, driving urgency for high-volume solutions
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