The AH-64 Apache is getting a proximity fuze 30mm cannon to shoot down drones
The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has evolved into a counter-drone platform in recent years – something we’ve been following closely. The Israeli Air Force pioneered this role for the AH-64 for years, with the US military formally codifying it and adding new capabilities in the process. Now, as we suggested a while back, the Apache is getting proximity-fused 30mm cannon shells for its chin-mounted M230 cannon that will add to its drone-killing arsenal, giving it a cheaper and more versatile engagement option than some alternatives.
Crazy footage of an IAF Apache helicopter chasing a Hezbollah drone over northern Israel and shooting it down with cannon fire from its chaingun
Apaches live-fired the 30x113mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) ammunition last December, according to a recent Army release. The tests took place at the service’s sprawling Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) in southern Arizona. Several test engagements occurred against a variety of drone targets.
A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter assigned to 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron, 2nd Infantry Division fires an M230 Bushmaster chain gun during live fire aerial gunnery training at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, Republic of Korea, March 6, 2025. proficiency, and increased overall force readiness. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Neil McLean) Staff Sgt. Cornelius McLean
Specialized APEX ammunition works by detonating only when it is close to an object, then it explodes in a spray of shrapnel. It’s important to shoot down drones because they’re small, freely moving targets, and the Apache’s monocle-aimed chin gun isn’t a sniper rifle in terms of accuracy. At the same time, the rounds can also be used against surface targets – including personnel, soft-skinned vehicles, and small boats, for example – providing unique area effects compared to the Apache’s standard high-explosive, high-explosive ammunition.
Variants of the M230 cannon, for which Northrop Grumman is now the prime contractor, have already become an increasingly popular choice for countering low-end drone threats from the ground. A lightweight M230LF version, designated the M914 in military service, has found its way into counter-drone vehicles. This includes Sgt. Stout Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system based on 8×8 Stryker light armored vehicle. The Army is also exploring separate self-destruct and other types of proximity-fused 30mm ammunition for use with the M914. The new APEX ammo offers improved performance with the Apache/M230 combo being plug-and-play. To our knowledge other rounds have never been cleared for use on Apache for use on ground-based systems.
The M-SHORAD is at the heart of its multi-material turret with its M230 derivative. (US Army)
An official Army release on the successful testing of the XM1225 reads, in part:
“Developed and managed by Product Manager Medium Caliber Ammunition (PdM MCA) from Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, the XM1225 APEX cartridge is designed to meet modern threats, including UAS, open personnel, and small boats, without modifications to Apache’s M230 control system. Extensive safety testing has been performed to ensure reliable performance, making it a safe and effective addition to Apache’s arsenal. This innovative design offers enhanced lethality and operational flexibility. Ensures seamless integration into existing platforms while providing
…The primary objective was to evaluate the accuracy of the XM1225 cartridge and compare its performance to the legacy M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) cartridge under similar conditions. A secondary objective was to collect data against ground and UAS targets in mixed loads of XM1225 and M789 rounds.
Initial results were highly successful, with the XM1225 meeting all accuracy requirements and demonstrating exceptional effectiveness against land and UAS targets. The XM1225’s proximity-fuze capability allows it to detonate closer to the target, creating a larger lethal radius and significantly improving its ability to neutralize airborne and dispersed threats. This capability gives the Apache a significant edge to warfighters in modern combat scenarios, dominating the battlefield in air-to-ground and air-to-air engagements.
U.S. Soldiers with the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, South Carolina National Guard conduct their annual air-gunnery qualification exercise at Poinsett Range, Sumter, South Carolina, May 22, 2024. Tim Andrews
A key feature of APEX ammunition is that it requires little additional training for Apache crews to successfully operate as it performs identically, ballistically, to the M789 high-explosive dual-purpose (HEDP) rounds already fielded. Those shells use an impact/graze fuse to command detonation.
A major issue with using any gun for aerial counter-drone work is that standard high-explosive or incendiary cannon rounds simply keep traveling until they hit something, then they explode. This makes any horizontal or overhead shots very problematic, as rounds can fly several miles before hitting the ground. Anyone or anything in that unpredictable area will do no good. High-deflection shots are also risky, especially considering the size of the drone. Not only do most of the rounds miss and still hit somewhere below, but the aircraft can easily fly into the drone itself, as it has trouble determining its distance and keeping track in the air. So, having self-destructing rounds, and even better, ones with proximity fuses that do the same, is key.
As it stands now, the AH-64 has modified AGM-114 missiles that use a longbow radar to engage aerial targets. Laser directed hell fire Potentially Another option. Regardless, any Hellfire is well spent in the six figure range. Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) laser-guided rockets are a low-cost option, with a low-to-mid five-figure price tag. It is unclear whether the AH-64 has been cleared to use versions of the air-to-air optimized fixed-wing, air-launched, counter-unmanned aircraft systems ordnance (FALCO) APKWS II, which also use proximity fuzes to engage aerial targets.
So, giving the AH-64s a gun option, and a more reliable and safe way to fire a fuze round at close range, would be a huge boon for teams working on counter-drone missions. Apaches can carry a full 1,200 rounds of 30mm ammunition, and they can be reloaded very quickly at forward austerity locales on the ground.
So as it sits now, it won’t be long before the AH-64 has a new arrow in its anti-drone quiver.