• Exploding rounds turn Apache attack copter into a drone hunter Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Flipboard Email The US Army is turning its AH-64 Apache attack helicopter into a drone hunter thanks to a new 30-mm round for its M230 chain-gun that can take out Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) using a proximity fuse that unleashes a blast of high-velocity shrapnel. • Serving with the US Army and others since 1986, the Boeing Apache AH-64 made its name as a tank-killing ground-attack helicopter notorious for its ability to penetrate enemy territory using terrain for cover, hover in wait, and then pop up to destroy its target without warning. • However, the one thing it’s never been known for is air-to-air combat - much less as an anti-drone platform. • That would be like using a howitzer to hunt pigeons. • It’s theoretically possible, but I wouldn’t set the table for pigeon pie just yet. • Unfortunately, with drone warfare evolving by leaps and bounds, that’s pretty much what the US Army’s Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS) strategy wants the Apache to do.
Article Summaries:
- The U.S. Army is equipping its AH‑64 Apache attack helicopter with a new 30‑mm XM1225 “Apex” round that uses a proximity fuse to destroy unmanned aircraft. The round, developed from the WWII‑era proximity fuse concept, detonates when it nears a target, releasing a cloud of high‑velocity shrapnel that can take out small drones, exposed personnel and light craft. Army tests confirm the ammunition is safe, fully compatible with the Apache’s M230 chain‑gun and fire‑control systems, and offers a cost‑effective counter‑UAS capability as part of its C‑sUAS strategy.
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