US approves first sale of laser-guided precision rockets to Saudi Arabia 

The US State Department has approved what would be the first sale of advanced precision kill weapon systems to Saudi Arabia for an estimated cost of $100m, according to the Pentagon.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) approved for sale to Saudi Arabia is a laser-guided rocket that can hit both airborne and surface targets, it said in a statement on Thursday.

“The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats and give it the ability to precisely engage targets with much less risk of collateral damage than other guided missile systems,” it said in a statement on Thursday.

The price of the weapon is about $22,000, making it a cost-effective choice for shooting down low-cost small armed drones like those used by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale of 2,000 APKWS and associated equipment and training on Thursday.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the Pentagon noted.

Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded. The principal contractor for the sale will be BAE Systems, the Pentagon said.

The potential sale comes as the US continues a wave of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, which began last Saturday, killing at least 31 people in the biggest such operation since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.