Apache helicopters prove counter-drone capabilities in US Army demonstration

The US Army has demonstrated the Boeing AH-64E Apache’s ability to detect, track, and destroy unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) during a series of live-fire exercises in South Carolina.

The tests, conducted with the South Carolina Army National Guard, involved the Army’s Program Manager Apache, Program Manager Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions, and the team responsible for the helicopter’s 30mm proximity-fused ammunition.

Counter-UAS performance

During the demonstration, Apache crews used a mix of weapons, including Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM), HELLFIRE variants, Hydra-70 rockets fitted with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guidance, and 30mm cannon rounds. All missiles hit their targets, APKWS rockets destroyed three out of four, and 30mm rounds successfully engaged the designated threats.

The APKWS is a guidance kit that converts standard Hydra-70 unguided rockets into precision weapons. By incorporating a laser guidance system, the system enables accurate strikes at a fraction of the cost of larger missiles, making it a practical option for counter-drone missions and other close-support roles.

“This was about validating our capabilities and ensuring the Apache remains a vital asset in modern combat scenarios,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Daniel York. “We demonstrated that the Apache continues to be relevant and effective in the face of evolving UAS threats.”

A growing battlefield challenge

Fighter jets, such as the F-16s and Mirage 2000s recently supplied to Ukraine, are capable of taking down drones with air-to-air missiles, though at a high cost. Using their cannons is less viable, as their high speeds make it difficult to track slow, low-flying drones and create a higher risk of mishaps during such engagements.

In Ukraine, this gap has led to more improvised approaches. One unit modified a Zlin crop-dusting aircraft to carry infrared-guided R-73 missiles. Another uses Soviet-era Yak-52 trainers with gunners leaning out of open cockpits armed with rifles or shotguns. These unconventional tactics have proven surprisingly effective, with the Yak-52 crews credited with dozens of drone kills over the past year.

As such, the US Army attempted to demonstrate the employment of the Apache as a rapid, flexible, and cost-effective counter-drone platform for modern battlefields.

“This was about validating our capabilities and ensuring the Apache remains a vital asset in modern combat scenarios,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Daniel York.

“An Apache attack helicopter with trained and equipped aircrews is the most adaptable weapon system on modern battlefields,” said Lieutenant Colonel Cusack, product manager for HELLFIRE and JAGM. “The limiting factor remains how much the Army can invest into aircrew training and munition integration.”

Apache fleet faces uncertain future

The demonstration comes as the US Army reevaluates the future of its attack helicopter fleet. After canceling the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program in February 2024, the Army confirmed in May 2025 that it would retire its remaining 152 AH-64D Apaches, eliminating or restructuring 11 squadrons.

Lieutenant General Joseph Ryan, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, said the AH-64D “is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today,” and warned that even the more advanced AH-64E “is on the cusp of being a capability where we don’t necessarily see it contributing in the fight the way it has done in the past.” He pointed to the war in Ukraine as evidence, noting that both Russian and Ukrainian attack helicopters have shown “extremely limited” effectiveness in high-threat environments.

Despite these concerns, Boeing continues to push its modernization program for the AH-64E. The latest upgrades, including Version 6 and the upcoming Version 6.5, promise improved networking, survivability, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.

Boeing argues that this incremental approach, built on the existing fleet and its logistics infrastructure, offers the US Army a lower-cost, lower-risk path to maintain attack helicopter relevance in future multi-domain operations.The post Apache helicopters prove counter-drone capabilities in US Army demonstration appeared first on AeroTime.

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