The Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter will receive a boost to its anti-drone capabilities with new proximity-fused cannon ammunition.
The helicopter has successfully tested the 30mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) ammunition against unmanned aircraft systems at Arizona’s Yuma Proving Ground, according to the US Army.
The UASs were successfully engaged at various ranges with the ammunition, which was developed by the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey.
A central element to the Apache’s firepower is its M230 30mm cannon, which ordinarily fires the M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose cartridge at a cyclic rate of 625 rounds per minute. The work sought to assess the XM1225 APEX against the Apache’s legacy M789.
“The XM1225’s proximity fuse has the potential to increase soft skinned ground and aerial target vulnerability, providing the attack community an additional capability so long as those targets are susceptible to detection, classification, and tracking,” says US Army major and test pilot Vincent Franchino.
This is the second time in recent months that the US Army has highlighted the Apache’s evolving counter-UAS capability. In a November 2025 exercise, an AH-64E detected, tracked, and defeated 13 of 14 UASs.
This work, designed to test the helicopter’s Version six software (V6) against UAS threats, saw the Apache use four distinct weapons against drones: the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground missile, the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, Hydra 70 rockets equipped with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), and the 30mm cannon using M789 rounds.
Helicopters are playing an increasing role in shooting down low-cost drones. During 2025 US Navy operations in the red sea the Sikorsky MH-60R naval warfare helicopter used APKWS and .50 calibre machine guns to take out drones launched by Houthi militants.
Ukraine also uses helicopters to hunt Russian drones, downing them with door-mounted guns.
Unlike fighter aircraft, helicopters can better match a drone’s relatively low airspeed, allowing them to set up more precise shots.
