Exclusive: U.S. Air Force Tests F-15E Fighter Jet with 42 APKWS II Rockets to Boost Defense Against Aerial Drones.

On May 22, 2025, The Merge published imagery of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle undergoing flight testing with an underwing loadout of 42 APKWS II 70 mm guided rockets, marking a substantial increase in munition capacity. Compared to the typical six air-to-air missile loadout, the integration of APKWS II enables the F-15E to carry up to 42 guided rockets, potentially increasing the number of engagement opportunities by a factor of seven against unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles. Read full Defense Aerospace News at this link ...

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsw5EjZvQ8_-2YODqNU33CHP5evN7xyrWw5_ixowuoRbsb81_6xfowRpnGBNueYOepk-lHmCZrjXSq1NMlLiQ96ZQDalExcUSYhcZISWhLcQFEjfvgmsZouxqByRoBe0tkdwqC85472EmKvbE0ZW5_GWFAlfZeAKri6hPWqz9JxeWm8AZeBwHWk-jdR4/s1600/U.S.%20Air%20Force%20Tests%20F-15E%20Fighter%20Jet%20with%2042%20APKWS%20II%20Rockets%20to%20Boost%20Defense%20Against%20Aerial%20Drones%20Exclusive%201920%20001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">

The integration of APKWS II rockets enables the F-15E fighter jet to carry up to 42 guided rockets, potentially increasing the number of engagement opportunities by a factor of seven against unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles. (Picture source: X account The Merge)
Read More