12th CAB proves AH-64 effectiveness in counter-drone operations

US Army tests AH-64 Apache in counter-drone role

The US Army’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB) has used the AH-64E Apache in a counter-drone role during an exercise in Germany, in what the unit described as a first for the European theater.  In a release published on March 19, 2026, the brigade said that soldiers from the 2-159th Attack Battalion had used the helicopter’s existing weapons to engage and destroy drones in air-to-air engagements during Operation Skyfall at the Grafenwoehr…

U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters demonstrate counter-drone capability during Operation Skyfall in Germany

The exercise marked the first time in the European theater that the Apache has been employed as a counter-unmanned aerial system platform. The demonstration highlights the growing need to adapt rotary-wing aviation to evolving battlefield threats. The AH-64E Apache’s speed and agility allow it to intercept aerial threats that may evade traditional defenses. With a maximum speed exceeding 180 miles per hour, the platform offers a flexible option …

Apache Effective In Counter-Drone Operations

MARCH 19, 2026 – Soldiers of the 2-159th Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, demonstrated adaptability to the modern battlefield during Operation Skyfall at Grafenwoehr Training Area this week. For the first time in the European theater, the AH-64E Apache proved itself as a viable counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platform, using its existing weapon systems to engage and destroy drones in air-to-air combat. This exercise highlig…

12th CAB proves AH-64 effectiveness in counter-drone operations

ANSBACH, Germany -- Soldiers of the 2-159th Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, demonstrated adaptability to the modern battlefield during Operation Skyfall at Grafenwoehr Training Area this week. For the first time in the European theater, the AH-64E Apache proved itself as a viable counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platform, using its existing weapon systems to engage and destroy drones in air-to-air combat.