Ukrainian F-16 Spotted with APKWS II Missiles Effective Against Drones

Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets have received sighting containers that allow the integration of laser-guided or laser-beam-corrected weapons, including APKWS II missiles, which provide the most cost-effective way to shoot down drones.

The photo of the fighter was published by the Avia OFN Telegram channel.

In addition to the two units, probably LAU-131/A, each of which is designed for seven 70 mm missiles, the photo also shows the placement of a suspended container, probably Sniper XP, on the right side of the air intake.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II missiles cannot be used without it. They are an effective and cheaper means of fighting drones compared to expensive air-to-air missiles.

Sniper XP aircraft containers are operated by a number of European countries, including those that provide military assistance to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. These include Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

The manufacturer of the Sniper family of aviation targeting containers is the American defense corporation Lockheed Martin.

They provide aircraft with identification and automatic target tracking day and night, laser targeting, and guided munitions targeting. They help to defeat both ground and air targets, including drones.

The container can also be used for reconnaissance missions, and is equipped with a zoomed optical camera and thermal imager, as well as a laser targeting device.

Back in January of this year, a similar set of weapons with APKWS II missiles was spotted on an F-16 fighter jet of the US Air Force, which was used to intercept Houthi drones.

In May 2025, an F-15E Strike Eagle heavy fighter from the 96th Test Wing of the US Air Force was spotted in a configuration with six seven-round LAU-131/A units and APKWS missiles.

And in the summer, the Americans showed an F-16 fighter jet from the 20th Fighter Wing, with six seven-round LAU-131/A warheads adapted for the use of APKWS missiles.

Equipping aircraft with a large number of low-cost air-to-air missiles allows them to effectively fight a large number of attack drones and significantly reduces the risk of incidents compared to using the aircraft’s built-in guns.