British fighter jets deployed in the Middle East will be equipped with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System to counter Iranian drones at a significantly lower cost. The Ministry of Defence said the new system will allow Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft to destroy targets more precisely and more cheaply than the missiles currently used, some of which cost around two hundred thousand pounds each.

The move comes as Iran has launched thousands of drones across the region during the ongoing conflict, targeting Israel and several Gulf states. The relatively inexpensive Shahed drones, which can fly at low altitude to evade radar, have proven difficult and costly to intercept using traditional air to air and surface to air missiles.

The new weapon system converts unguided rockets into laser guided precision weapons and is already used by the United States military. British officials said it was tested with defence companies and can be deployed within months, enabling the Royal Air Force to counter large numbers of drones more effectively while reducing costs.