Army Tests Apache Helicopter for Counter UAS

Boeing AH-64E demonstrates the ability to defeat drones using multiple armaments.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, September 02, 2025 at 02:48 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Army personnel demonstrated the ability to take down drones using Boeing’s AH-64E Apache helicopter. [Courtesy: Boeing]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Army successfully demonstrated that AH-64E Apache helicopters can effectively neutralize enemy drones using various munitions, providing a flexible and cost-effective mobile counter-UAS solution.
This new C-UAS role addresses critical gaps in drone defense by offering a slower, more precise airborne platform than fighter jets and a mobile alternative to fixed ground systems.
The successful C-UAS demonstration provides positive momentum for the Apache program, which has recently faced scrutiny regarding its future relevance and has been linked to a rise in Army aviation accidents.
Boeing is continuing to modernize the Apache fleet with planned upgrades (including v6.5) focusing on enhanced software, open system architecture, and improved performance to ensure its long-term adaptability.

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As the military ramps up its investment in counter uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS) technology, the U.S. Army believes it has developed the ability to take down enemy drones using attack helicopters.

During a series of demonstrations conducted in partnership with the South Carolina Army National Guard, the branch neutralized UAS using a variety of munitions launched from Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters. The campaign follows a series of 2024 exercises in Saudi Arabia during which Apaches took down UAS with Hellfire missiles.