Key Points and Summary – In a live-fire event dubbed Operation Flyswatter, the U.S. Army’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopter proved it can double as a potent counter-drone platform.
-Flying from MCAS New River, a South Carolina Army National Guard crew scored 13 kills in 14 engagements against unmanned aerial systems, using JAGM and Hellfire missiles, APKWS-guided Hydra rockets, and 30mm cannon fire.
An AH-64 “Apache” attack helicopter assigned to 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, flies overhead during Training Exercise Hydra on Utah Test and Training Range, Utah, May 7, 2025. Exercise Hydra is a Utah National Guard-led, joint, multi-domain combat training exercise designed to simulate real-world operations across air, land, and cyber domains. The exercise brings together the 151st Wing (KC-135), 419th Fighter Wing (F-35), 19th Special Forces Group, 65th Field Artillery Brigade, and multiple Army and Air Force elements to test joint targeting, rapid insertion, battlefield communication, and dynamic problem-solving.
(Utah Army National Guard photo taken by Spc. Dustin B. Smith)
-With EO/IR and radar sensors networked via Link 16, the Apache detected, tracked, and destroyed both small and larger drones while operating at low altitude and under weather.
-The test validated the Apache’s emerging role as a mobile air defense asset.
The AH-64E Just Became the Army’s Surprise Mobile Air Defense Platform
The AH-64E Apache attack helicopter recently successfully demonstrated its anti-drone capability during a live-fire event called Operation Flyswatter.
The exercise, the Army announced, took place at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in New River, NC.
“The exercise, led by the Apache Project Management Office (PM Apache), brought together Army, National Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and industry partners to validate the Apache’s Version 6 (V6) software and weapons package against the rapidly evolving drone threat,” the Army said in its announcement.
It was a crew from the South Carolina Army National Guard (SCARNG) that flew the mission profiles.
“We successfully achieved 13 kills out of 14 engagements, proving the Apache—using its current software and systems—is a lethal and adaptable solution to the drone threat,” Chief Warrant Officer 5 Daniel York, PM Apache New Equipment Training (NET) Team Manager, said in the Army’s announcement.
AH-64E v6. Image Credit: Industry handout.
“The Apache can engage both small and larger drones with a wide range of munitions, underscoring its operational flexibility and combat relevance.”
CW5 Joel Gooch, State Standardization Pilot, in that Army announcement, went on to declare Operation Flyswatter “an overwhelming success.”
“The Apache proved it can counter UAS with radar and laser-guided missiles, laser-guided rockets, and the 30mm—while leveraging both EO/IR [Electro-Optical/Infra-Red] and radar sensors. With Link-16 integration, it demonstrated it can operate as a true mobile air defense platform, filling a gap that ground systems alone can’t cover,” Gooch said after the tests.
The Munitions Used, and Results Achieved
In the exercise, the helicopters used the following munitions, per the Army release:
“Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) guided by Fire Control Radar; Radio Frequency (RF) and Semi-Active Laser (SAL) III Hellfire missiles using both radar and laser designations; Hydra-70 rockets with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guidance, striking three of four UAS, with buddy-lase tactics proving especially effective; and 30mm M789 high-explosive dual-purpose rounds, achieving close-range kills at under 300 meters.”
And in addition to the 13 kills, the exercise achieved more, according to the Army. It confirmed that “Link 16 data sharing and radar cueing significantly reduce sensor-to-shooter timelines, also validating the Apache’s ability to “fight under weather and at low altitudes where other platforms struggle.”
The Army also recommended expanding Apache battalion training to include a Counter-UAS Mission Essential Task.
“This demonstration reinforces the Apache’s continued role as a vital combat asset,” York said in the Army release. “As UAS threats proliferate, Apache crews are proving they can meet the challenge and remain at the forefront of Army aviation.”
Operation Fly Swatter was also the name of an extended 12th Air Commando Squadron mission during the Vietnam War, involving “malaria-control spraying in South Vietnam.” The recent exercise, however, spelled “flyswatter” as one word.
About the AH-64 Apache
The Apache began life as the AH-64A in 1984 and has since evolved into the AH-64E. The Apache program, per Boeing, consists of 1,280 aircraft that have flown over 5 million flight hours, more than 1 million of them in combat.
“With the AH-64E in production until at least 2028, the Apache will serve the US Army and its partner nations as the world’s primary attack helicopter into the 2060s,” Boeing says of the helicopter on its website.
“As Boeing and the U.S. Army continue to invest in next-generation technologies, the Apache brings affordable Modular Open Systems Architecture capability to serve as a centerpiece in the Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) battlefield for decades to come.”
The Apache was first developed by Hughes Helicopters, but a series of mergers placed it under the auspices of McDonnell Douglas and, ultimately, Boeing.
The helicopter has also been used by many other countries, including Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, and, earlier this year, India.
That last deployment led to an odd episode late last month.
To India and Back
As reported by The War Zone, three AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters were set for delivery to India, on board an Antonov Airlines An-124 cargo aircraft. However, that aircraft “returned to the United States with the Apaches still onboard, after a long stopover in the United Kingdom.”
Why did this happen?
Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.
Boeing told the outlet that unspecified “logistical issues” prevented the immediate delivery of the Apaches. The plane-spotting X account, KiwaSpotter, followed the entire episode.
Even before this happened, the first three Apaches had been delivered to India this summer.
“We are currently addressing logistical issues caused by external factors to complete the delivery process for the remaining aircraft,” Boeing told TWZ. “We remain closely engaged with the U.S. government and Indian Army and continue working to execute our contract as expeditiously as possible to meet India’s needs and fleet requirements.”
Deccan Chronicle reported on November 13 that the delay was due to a specific reason: Turkey had denied the use of its airspace.
“Earlier this month, the Antonov transport aircraft carrying the three helicopters landed in the UK from the US for refuelling,” that report said. “However, it could not proceed further as Turkey did not grant permission for it to enter its airspace. After waiting for around eight days, the aircraft returned to the US.”
A New Contract
Meanwhile, GovConWire reported on Wednesday that the Army had awarded Boeing a new $4.68 billion firm-fixed-price contract for additional Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and Longbow crew trainers. The contract includes $2.29 billion in foreign military sales for Poland, Egypt, and Kuwait.
“The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $4,685,369,804 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of new-build Apache AH-64E attack helicopters, Longbow crew trainers, and associated components, spares, and accessories,” the official Pentagon website says of the deal.
“Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2032. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Poland, Egypt, and Kuwait) funds for $2,295,831,204 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-26-C-0002).”
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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