The Royal Air Force has begun operating low-cost laser-guided missiles on its Typhoon fighter jets deployed in the Middle East, in a move aimed at strengthening the aircraft’s ability to counter drone attacks and emerging aerial threats.
QinetiQ announced that it supported the UK Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems in the integration and testing of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) on RAF Typhoons following a series of trials conducted at the MOD Aberporth range in west Wales.
📌The RAF has begun using APKWS missiles on Typhoon fighters deployed in the Middle East to counter drone threats.
📌The low-cost system was integrated and tested with support from @QinetiQ and @BAESystemsplc.
🔗https://t.co/F16zspLGEy pic.twitter.com/7FRXDrSMra
— Defensehere (@defensehere_en) May 18, 2026
According to the company, its support included integrating the missile system onto the aircraft, validating the engineering and technical aspects of the programme, establishing safety zones at the test range and providing realistic aerial targets for pilot training.
During the trials, QinetiQ used its Banshee Whirlwind unmanned aerial target system, which is manufactured in Ashford, Kent and used by more than 30 countries to simulate aerial threats and combat scenarios.
The target drone can reach speeds of around 350 mph, allowing pilots to train against fast-moving and manoeuvrable airborne targets under realistic operational conditions.
QinetiQ Group Chief Executive Officer Steve Wadey said the company’s teams are providing the engineering expertise and operational support needed to rapidly deliver critical capabilities for the UK armed forces and allied militaries.
He added that the integration of APKWS onto the Typhoon fleet was enabled through the Engineering Delivery Partnership programme, under which QinetiQ provides specialist engineering services to support the maintenance and upgrade of RAF Typhoon aircraft.
APKWS is considered a relatively low-cost solution for engaging drones and smaller aerial threats compared with traditional air-to-air missiles, which are significantly more expensive to employ against such targets.