Philippine Air Force Upgrades Super Tucanos with New Precision Munitions

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has integrated new air-to-surface munitions into its Embraer EMB-314B Super Tucano aircraft. These include BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS) and Elbit Systems' Lizard 3 laser-guided munition.

The PAF operates six Super Tucanos within the 15th Strike Wing at Danilo Atienza Air Base, Cavite City. The upgrades were announced on 7 December, showcasing the aircraft's enhanced capabilities during a briefing for pilot cadets.

The Northrop Grumman-Elbit Systems Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR) was also presented. The APKWS laser guidance kit converts unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions. The PAF's acquisition of APKWS is part of a September 2019 US Department of Defense contract under the Foreign Military Sales programme, which includes nine countries.