US Army to cut legacy helicopters, scale up drone swarms in aviation overhaul

The United States Army is undergoing sweeping structural and technological changes aimed at transforming the service into a “leaner, more lethal force,” with army aviation at the center of this overhaul.  

Directed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the army is divesting itself of legacy manned aircraft, integrating AI-enabled systems, and expediting the procurement of next-generation rotorcraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 

The aviation reform effort is part of a broader strategy to ensure that the army remains capable of responding to evolving threats, particularly those from the Indo-Pacific.  

Leadership has emphasized that legacy platforms may no longer meet the requirements of future conflicts, and modernization must proceed at an accelerated pace. In a memo released on April 30, 2025, Hegseth instructed the army to prioritize investments in air and missile defense, long-range precision fires, and counter-UAS technologies.  

The Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), announced alongside the memo, includes the cancellation of procurement for legacy aircraft such as the AH-64D Apache and UAVs like the MQ-1C Gray Eagle.  

These are set to be replaced by systems including the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), which will succeed the UH-60 Blackhawk. Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor was selected in December 2022 under a $1.3 billion development contract, with initial deliveries expected by 2030. 

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Though the memo did not detail which platforms will serve as drone swarms, the Department of Defense has launched the Replicator initiative to develop such capabilities. Initiated in August 2023, Replicator aims to field thousands of low-cost, AI-enabled autonomous systems across air, land and sea by late 2025.  

The project prioritizes ‘attritable’ systems – drones that can be produced in high volume and are expendable in contested environments. Companies including AeroVironment have been contracted to support the effort, with the Switchblade 600 loitering munition among the initial candidates. 

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To support these developments, the army is shifting from program-based funding models to capability-based portfolios, which are expected to shorten development cycles and improve adaptability.  

The army plans to restructure aviation units by reducing one Aerial Cavalry Squadron per Combat Aviation Brigade and consolidating aviation sustainment functions for efficiency. Manned attack helicopter formations will partially be replaced by low-cost unmanned systems. Additionally, AI-enabled command nodes are set to be deployed by 2027, with air-launched effects and counter-UAS systems integrated down to company level by the same year. The post US Army to cut legacy helicopters, scale up drone swarms in aviation overhaul appeared first on AeroTime.

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