The US Military Is Turning Apache Attack Helicopters Into Drone Hunters

Military technology is built on the principle of escalation. One army invents the sword, another army invents the shield to block swords, and so on. The current cycle of escalation revolves around Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, and weapons designed to knock them out of the sky. Ukraine is currently developing a drone-downing laser you can stuff in a car trunk, whereas the U.S. would rather turn a famous helicopter into a long-range shotgun.

In December of 2025, the U.S. Army used an AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter to conduct a live test of what is known as 30x113mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) ammunition. This weapon system is designed to detonate close to its target, launching shrapnel that covers a wide radius of effect. This capability lets each round of XM1225 APEX hit multiple smaller targets that one lone shell might otherwise miss. Targets like, say, swarms of drones that would otherwise overwhelm the defenses of aircraft carriers. Perhaps more importantly, the XM1225 APEX is already designed for the Apache's M230 Area Weapon System, giving installation a quick turnaround time.

While the weapons test was designed to showcase the XM1225 APEX's "precision, versatility, and lethality" against various drones at different distances, the test was also intended to compare the XM1225 APEX to a similar weapon, the M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) cartridge. Not only did the APEX hit its targets, but it delivered a larger "burst radius" than the HEDP.

Boeing's AH-64 Apache has served as the "backbone" of the U.S. Army since 1984. This lengthy history means the vehicle has seen a veritable revolving door of armaments, many of which have demolished drones in the past. So why would the Apache need a weapon intended to take out drones? Because it isn't. While the XM1225 APEX is arguably better at knocking UAS out of commission than the M780 HEDP, the aforementioned weapons test demonstrated that the XM1225 APEX can "increase soft skinned ground and aerial target vulnerability" and damage more than just drones.

Essentially, the XM1225 APEX will be able to fulfill all the roles of the M780 HEDP. Of course, this leaves one question unanswered: Why the AH-64 Apache? According to sites like Military.com, the Apache already has a suite of features and capabilities that let it hunt and destroy drones. The helicopter is fast, can track small targets thanks to its Longbow radar and Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight system, and swap to different weapons to suit the target. All the Army needs now is a way to let an AH-64 Apache carry DARPA's high-pulse microwave drone fryer (and shrink it so it doesn't weigh 10 tons), and the helicopter could turn into the perfect anti-drone menace.