The US Army is exploring ways to boost the lethality of its AH-64 Apache helicopter fleet, including through the integration of a next-gen capability in a recent warfighting experiment.
At Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), the attack chopper fired the ALTIUS-700 medium-range launched effect (MR-LE) against a variety of targets.
The demo showed how the pairing can allow commanders to push sensing forward and employ unmanned systems to confront adversaries, keeping soldiers out of the initial line of fire.
“They accomplished the launches from both a hover and while moving,” said Edgar Castillo, project engineer at YPG. “Hosting this was really good for us and the army.”
The test stretched further by exploring the integration of command and control, sensors, targeting, and weapon systems as part of broader multi-domain operations.
The US Army has been experimenting with integrating drones and launched effects across formations, enabling coordinated actions designed to penetrate, exploit, and defeat advanced adversaries.
ALTIUS-700 at a Glance
The Altius-700 is a seven-inch-class (17.8-centimeter) launched effect designed to support intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and electronic warfare missions.
It can remain airborne for roughly four hours and operate at ranges of up to 460 kilometers (286 miles).
With a munition payload capacity comparable to an AGM-114 Hellfire missile, the weapon is designed to deliver highly precise, high-impact strikes against large and armored targets, including tanks, vehicles, vessels, and infrastructure.
In earlier trials, the Altius-700 MR-LE was fired from a Black Hawk helicopter, validating its performance across multiple phases of operations.
Collaborative Testing
The recent demo formed part of the Cross Domain Fires Concept Focused Warfighting Experiment led by the Aviation Future Capability Directorate (A-FCD).
The initiative ran alongside a larger distributed test, with additional activity at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and White Sands Missile Range.
The effort brought together personnel from the A-FCD, soldiers from Fort Bliss’ 1st Armored Division, and multiple industry partners in a coordinated testing environment.
Across the campaign, participants executed complex three-week tactical scenarios while maintaining efficiency in both execution and evaluation.
“From the get-go, YPG helped facilitate our test,” said Josh Higgins, senior director of army aviation strategy at Anduril Industries. “My whole team had never had such a tremendous experience like this at a private range or government facility.”
