The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $364 million Foreign Military Sale to Italy for 5,031 WGU-59B/B guidance sections for the air-to-air version of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II). BAE Systems is the principal contractor for the package, which includes launchers, rocket motors, warheads, fuzes and support equipment.
The notification is part of the Foreign Military Sales process and does not amount to a final contract. The package is intended to strengthen Italy’s homeland defence and its contribution to NATO integrated air and missile defence against current and future threats.
The air-to-air configuration is the notable element of the deal, extending APKWS-II beyond its usual air-to-ground role and pointing to a counter-drone and air-defence application. The State Department did not identify the Italian service that would receive the weapons or the platform that would carry them.
The broader package also covers LAU-131 A/A launchers, Mk-152 high-explosive warheads, MK66 rocket motors, proximity fuzes, WTU-1/B practice warheads, inert MK66 motors, as well as engineering, technical, logistics, transport and documentation support.