--- title: "Army successfully tests Apache with new ammunition meant to shred drone swarms" description: "The new airburst-capable 30mm round is meant to give the helicopters drone hunting capabilities without extensive new training for pilots." date: "2026-02-17" modified: "2026-02-17" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-apache-counter-drone-bullets/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Army" - "Drones" - "Helicopters" - "Military Branches" - "News" - "Tech & Tactics" tags: - "adsafety" --- # Army successfully tests Apache with new ammunition meant to shred drone swarms ![An AH-64E Apache crew, assigned to 1-3 Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, prepares to engage during aerial gunnery training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 2, 2025. Gunnery qualifications are a cornerstone of their ability to provide a lethal and credible aviation force to U.S. Army Europe and Africa, essential for maintaining the combat readiness and lethality of 1-3 Attack Battalion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Josefina Garcia)]() *An AH-64E Apache prepares to engage during aerial gunnery training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 2, 2025. Army photo by Spc. Josefina Garcia.* The Army is one step closer to turning the AH-64 Apache helicopter into a [drone]()-hunting tool. Soldiers recently carried out live-fire tests of a new explosive round specifically designed to take out enemy drones at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona. The tests involved Apaches firing the new 30x113mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive rounds at multiple types of small drones. The Apache is designed for and used to provide aerial support for ground forces, but as uncrewed aerial systems or drones have quickly become a part of warfare, the Army is looking to use the existing helicopters as drone hunters. In this case, the new airburst-capable bullet is meant to turn the Apache’s existing 30mm cannon into a tool to shred drone swarms. The test took place in December — just two months after the Army [revealed]() the new ammunition — although the Army only [announced]() it late last week. The Army noted that the ammunition can be used against targets other than drones, although the rounds are designed as a counter-UAS tool. One of the selling points of the new bullet is its proximity fuse, letting it detonate mid-air near a target, allowing it to take out a drone even if it can't get a direct hit. That offers a clear air-to-air benefit against increasingly larger or denser drone swarms. And according to one test pilot, the new weapon has an additional benefit: It doesn't have a “substantial training requirement on the maintainers or pilots who fire it.” ![A Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, conducts maintenance on an AH-64E Apache helicopter v.4, on February 12, 2026. The maintenance is part of routine procedures to ensure the aircraft's readiness for future missions. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. George Prince)]() *A soldier with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade works on an AH-64 Apache helicopter. Army photo by Staff Sgt. George Prince.* The Army and the military as a whole have been rapidly trying to build out its arsenal of drones and its counter-drone weapons. With the rapid rise of drones in combat, the military has been forced to use existing munitions and systems, with many — such as the Standard Missiles fired by the Navy against Houthi drones in the Red Sea — being costly and hard to quickly replenish. The Air Force has had some success with using the A-10 Warthog against drones in the Middle East, but that system is being phased out. The Army, in particular, has been looking for cheaper weapons to use with existing platforms. Like the other branches it’s tested directed energy or laser weapons. One of those, the [LOCUST](), was recently lent to Customs and Border Protection at the southern border, and fired last week, causing an [abrupt closure]() of the air space around El Paso. While the military is working to train troops on using their own drones offensively, a major concern has been defending against enemy UAS. Joint Inter-Agency Task Force 401, the Army-led body working to develop defensive tactics against drones. Soldiers have been training with a variety of weapons for the task, ranging from electromagnetic jammers to lasers and more conventional [kinetic weapons]() as well. In Decembe,r a Department of Defense Inspector General’s report found that the military was [failing to meet rules]() on defending bases against enemy drones. In the fall the Army [revealed]() it was developing new 25mm and 30mm bullets for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and Apache helicopter, respectively. At the time, no window was announced for when the Apache’s new airburst round could be fielded. The Army's new release on the December test noted the program is accelerating to support "urgent fielding" for soldiers, suggesting that the new 30mm ammunition could see action soon. ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()