The publication Air & Space Forces writes why in the war with Iran, despite the cheapness of APKWS, the AIM-9X is still used.
The need to use cheap missiles became clear after the first interceptions of Iranian drones in 2024. At that time, the fighters used standard air-to-air missiles, and when they ran out, they even tried to drop an LJDAM on a UAV.
After that, the APKWS kit, originally created for ground attacks, received updated software and became the main tool against UAVs. But the war with Iran caused some problems.
APKWS requires more time and space to prepare for launch than AIM-9, and the airspace in the Straits of Hormuz and Persia is limited. Therefore, in some cases, AIM-9 aircraft were used to prevent attacks on nearby targets. Where there was "enough" space, APKWS was used again.
Also, earlier the launch of APKWS looked like this: one plane launches a rocket, and the other guides it, but then one plane can perform these actions. Although, according to the statements, the first scheme is still used, which also entails a limited time complication.