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Gripen May Soon Hunt Shaheds With Low-Cost APKWS Rockets Inspired by Ukraine Battlefield Lessons
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Sweden’s Saab is evaluating the possibility of equipping its JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets with low-cost APKWS guided rockets as an affordable way to counter drones—a concept shaped heavily by Ukraine’s battlefield experience, according to analysis highlighted by Defense Express on February 10.
The growing popularity of APKWS as an anti-drone weapon has been driven in no small part by its extensive use in Ukraine, where the system has proven to be a far cheaper alternative to traditional air-to-air missiles when engaging Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, Defense Express notes.
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Saab’s air domain operational adviser Jussi Halmetoja discussed the option during a conversation on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine alongside Gripen marketing director Mikael Franzén. Franzén stressed the urgent need for fighters to carry genuinely inexpensive weapons for counter-UAV missions.
“Right now we are using very expensive weapons to destroy very cheap drones,” he said, as quoted by Business Insider and cited in Defense Express coverage.
An F-16AM fighter of Ukraine’s 107th Tactical Aviation Brigade after completing a combat sortie. The jet was armed with four AIM-9L air-to-air missiles, two LAU-131 rocket pods for APKWS II missiles, an AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod, and two external fuel tanks. pic.twitter.com/DONuY4Byuc
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Franzén also indicated that Saab is exploring configurations allowing multiple munitions to be mounted on a single hardpoint—an approach that Defense Express suggests likely refers to integrating multi-round launchers designed for APKWS rockets.
It remains unclear when—or if—the Gripen will ultimately gain APKWS capability. Saab could still choose an alternative solution, including comparable guided rockets such as the French-made FZ275 LGR produced by Thales, which is also in service in Ukraine.
However, Defense Express previously reported that the manufacturer has struggled to keep pace with demand for these systems.
If adopted, APKWS integration would likely apply to both the newest Gripen E/F variants and the older C/D models. This detail carries particular relevance for Ukraine, Defense Express emphasizes, given Kyiv’s long-term interest in acquiring up to 150 Gripen aircraft and the expectation that any initial deliveries would consist of second-hand C/D fighters.
APKWS gained global attention following its intensive combat use in Ukraine, though US integration efforts date back to 2019. Last year, footage emerged showing APKWS II rockets launched from a fighter jet successfully destroying Houthi drones—an operational milestone noted by Defense Express.
More recently, Ukrainian F-16 fighters were confirmed to have received the ability to fire APKWS II, a capability considered especially effective against Geran and Shahed drones.
Targeting is handled by a suspended pod—likely the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod—according to Defense Express analysis.
Earlier, reports emerged that Norway was financing the development of a low-cost, laser-guided rocket concept for Ukraine that could be an analogue of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), as part of a $313 million package focused on air-defense-related munitions.
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