Through a video sequence released by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the first recorded instance of a Houthi rebel drone being shot down by an APKWS II laser-guided rocket fired from a U.S. Armed Forces fighter jet was made public. While it is likely that this is not the first time such an event has occurred, it is the first time that the U.S. military has publicly acknowledged this new milestone in the use of various weaponry to more efficiently neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles.
Over the past weekend, the President of the United States ordered a series of sustained and massive attacks against targets in Yemen controlled by Iran-backed Houthi rebel groups. Among the reasons cited by the president were repeated attacks carried out by these proxy groups, supported by Tehran, against merchant ships in the Red Sea.
Houthi forces have stated that these actions would be met with retaliatory attacks targeting U.S. and other nations’ military and commercial ships in the Red Sea.
In this context, one of the Houthis’ preferred means of attack—unmanned aerial vehicles—was intercepted by a U.S. fighter jet and neutralized using APKWS II laser-guided rockets.
“U.S. fighters shoot down Iran-backed Houthi one-way attack drones with AGR-20 FALCO Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets,” CENTCOM stated in a March 19 publication, accompanied by a video showing the drone being shot down.
As various specialized media outlets have noted in recent months, U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-16 fighters have been using APKWS II laser-guided rockets in their air cover and interception missions in the region. This decision, based on lessons learned from both the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, offers a more efficient and cost-effective air-to-air configuration for combat aircraft compared to the use of traditional short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles.
Although this report does not provide specific cost details, the widespread use of drones—including FPV drones and loitering munitions—is driven by their low production costs compared to traditional weaponry like missiles.
The integration of guided rockets of this type, complemented by targeting pods (such as the LITENING pod), allows fighter jets to carry a larger weapons payload, supplementing AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. These more expensive missiles are reserved for higher-threat targets, such as advanced unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
However, the use of laser-guided rockets should not be seen as a definitive solution or a “silver bullet,” as they have limitations. Their use is primarily suited for low-performance, non-maneuverable threats, such as basic drones and subsonic cruise missiles. In other words, the APKWS II is not designed for air-to-air dogfighting.
Nonetheless, there is a continuous effort to develop new tools to counter the mass deployment of drones in high-intensity conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, where the cost-effectiveness ratio and rapid replenishment capability are just as crucial as the availability of weapons. For comparison, without going into greater detail, the cost of a guided rocket of this type is around $15,000, while an air-to-air missile like the AIM-9 or AIM-120 costs approximately $450,000 and $1,000,000, respectively.
Finally, several questions remain unanswered regarding the video released by CENTCOM. First, the exact date of the incident is unknown. Second, the specific fighter jet involved in the downing of the Houthi drone has not been confirmed, though it is presumed—based on prior reports—that it was likely a USAF F-16.
Cover image used for illustration purposes.
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