The US's most advanced Apache attack helicopter is losing its battlefield edge
A US Army official said the Apache helicopter faces threats that may reduce its battlefield prowess.
Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan said the older Apache AH-64D is no longer a "war-winning capability."
Efforts are focused on upgrading the latest Echo model to integrate it with drone technology.
The US's formidable Apache attack helicopter is increasingly under threat on future battlefields, a top US Army official said this week.
Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the US Army's deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, described how and why the Army is phasing out older versions of the Apache, and modernizing the most recent variant.
The older AH-64D, which is now into its third decade of service, "is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today," Ryan said at a conference at the Center for a New American Security.
The Delta model has also become prohibitively expensive to fly and operate, he added.
Even the most recent upgrades to the AH-64E — the most advanced Apache helicopter — "are also on the cusp of being capabilities where we don't necessarily see them contributing to the fight the way they have done perhaps in the past," Ryan said.
Apache attack helicopters have the speed and firepower to destroy an enemy's fortified positions or to rout an ambush on friendly positions, but they are increasingly threatened by the proliferation of accurate air defenses.
First introduced into Army service in 1986, the Apache has long been one of the most — or even the most — feared multi-role attack helicopters.
Armed with a 30mm chain gun and Hellfire anti-tank missiles, Apaches dominated the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan.
However, upgraded air defenses and cyber tactics capable of interfering with the Apache's complex digital systems may end its reign as an apex predator that can support ground forces.
Meanwhile, although the Apache's Hellfire missiles have successfully taken down drones in exercises, drones have also been known to return the compliment. Either way, the shift towards uncrewed systems has prompted a rethink of the helicopter's dominance overall.
At the CNAS conference, Ryan alluded to a recent classified call between top military brass that gave a bleak picture of how comparable Ukrainian and Russian helicopters had fared in Ukraine.
"I'll leave it to your imagination about the effectiveness of those platforms on the battlefield over there today," he said, but added, "Extremely limited. Extremely limited."
This would include the Russian Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" — long considered a close rival to the Apache — which, despite its advancements, has been repeatedly shot down. Both sides are armed with modern air defenses that have limited the operations of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, turning the war into a slug-it-out ground fight that plays to Russia's numerical advantages in soldiers and artillery.
Open-source intelligence site Oryx has identified 64 Ka-52s damaged or destroyed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ryan's statements came amid an efficiency drive at the Pentagon aimed at building what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called "a leaner, more lethal force."
In April, Hegseth directed Pentagon leadership to take on a wide-ranging transformation of the armed forces, including moving to "reduce and restructure manned attack helicopter formations and augment with inexpensive drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries."
At the CNAS conference, Ryan said that "we just simply spread ourselves too thin, and now we're making a bold correction again."
As part of this, the retirement of Delta-model Apaches is being accelerated, with only the latest Echo model being focused on for modernization. Personnel tasked with maintaining and flying the older aircraft are to be transferred to the newer formations, in what will be a welcome staffing boost, Ryan said.
The AH-64E features more powerful engines as well as flares designed to fool heat-seeking missiles.
Nonetheless, according to manufacturer Boeing, demand for the latest Apache variant remains strong worldwide, and efforts to make it work more closely with drones, known as Manned-Unmanned Teaming, or MUM-T, have been underway for a decade.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Palantir, Meta, OpenAI, And Thinking Machines Just Had Their Executives Sworn Into The US Army Reserve
Four top tech executives have joined the U.S. Army Reserve as lieutenant colonels, skipping basic training and stepping directly into roles aimed at helping modernize the military. The initiative is part of a broader push by the Army to bring in private-sector innovation and reshape how the service approaches technology, talent, and modernization. The executives—Palantir (NYSE:PLTR) Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, Meta (NASDAQ:META) CTO Andrew Bosworth, OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil, and advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former OpenAI Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew — will serve in a new unit called Detachment 201, also known as the Army's Executive Innovation Corps. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can 'Detachment 201 is being created to bring in tech innovation executives to help the Army ... on broader conceptual things like talent management, how do we bring in tech-focused people into the ranks of the military, and then, how do we train them,' Army Chief of Staff spokesperson Col. Dave Butler, told Breaking Defense on June 13. Unlike traditional recruits, these executives will not attend boot camp. Instead, they will go through an express training program that covers marksmanship, physical fitness, Army history, and protocols. They will be expected to serve about 120 hours per year and pass annual fitness tests. 'You could think of it as a pilot' of a lighter version of basic training, Butler told Business Insider. The detachment's name, 201, references the HTTP status code indicating a newly created resource—a fitting metaphor for a new kind of Army asset. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . According to an Army statement, the new officers will work on 'targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems.' Their advisory roles will include input on AI-powered military systems and optimization tools for soldier fitness. However, safeguards will be in place to avoid conflicts of interest with their current or former employers. 'We've done this over and over when our nation needed top talent,' Butler told Breaking Defense. 'The difference is we used to do it in wartime. Now we're doing it ahead of wartime so that we can prepare and deter.' This marks another move by the Trump administration to align more closely with Silicon Valley. Palantir, Anduril, and other VC-backed defense tech startups have increasingly become major players in national security. Meta recently partnered with Anduril to develop augmented reality tools and AI systems for military direct commissioning has been used to bring in specialized talent, such as doctors or chaplains, during times of war. This move represents a peacetime shift aimed at long-term transformation. 'Their swearing-in is just the start of a bigger mission to inspire more tech pros to serve without leaving their careers,' the Army statement said. 'Showing the next generation how to make a difference in uniform.' Read Next: How do billionaires pay less in income tax than you?.UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Palantir, Meta, OpenAI, And Thinking Machines Just Had Their Executives Sworn Into The US Army Reserve originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Business Insider
17 hours ago
- Business Insider
A company on Russia's doorstep that sent its war robots to Ukraine got a crash course in what soldiers need
A European defense firm's ground robots are being used by Ukrainian soldiers. The experiences there have led to key changes in its products, the Milrem Robotics' CEO told BI. He said Europe's militaries should be learning from Ukraine's fight in case Russia attacks. A military robotics company based in a NATO country bordering Russia says battlefield use of its machines in Ukraine provided valuable insight that led it to rethink its technology and how it could better meet wartime demands. Estonia 's Milrem Robotics makes autonomous ground robots that can be used to gather intelligence, evacuate wounded troops, dispose of explosive devices, and carry weaponry like machine guns. Its THeMIS model, which can carry a payload of up to 2,645.5 pounds and travel at up to 12 miles per hour, is in Ukraine, clearing mines, carrying cargo, and moving out injured soldiers. Kuldar Väärsi, the founder and CEO of Milrem Robotics, told Business Insider that Western weapons makers and militaries need to be learning from what's happening in Ukraine and that the company's experiences there have led to some changes in its products. Väärsi said that developments in Ukraine are "totally different" from peacetime, when weapons are used in training and exercises. The company has been closely watching for ways to make its robots better, both to help Ukraine and to help Europe if needed. One key area has been the simplicity of use. He said the THeMIS was "already quite simple and very easy system to control," but the needs on the battlefield meant it had to be even simpler. He said that in peacetime, equipment might only be used by experienced troops with training. "In Ukraine, in real war, you can't follow that," Väärsi said. "Basically, anybody who needs that equipment will use it, and the more intuitive and simple you make the user interface and you make the usability, the more certain you can be that actually it'll be properly used and efficiently used and it'll be useful for the troops." The electronic warfare battle in Ukraine, in which both sides are jamming and spoofing everything — drones, comms, GPS, and more— has also sparked big changes in uncrewed systems technology. "What we have learned and changed and implemented in our systems is everything related to EW, communication, and cyber," the Milrem CEO said. Evolutions in countermeasures like electronic warfare have led to developments like fiber-optic drones and AI-enabled drones that are resistant to enemy jamming. "What we can see as a trend in Ukraine is that technologies around communication change basically weekly," Väärsi said, referring to the combat systems that rely heavily on stable signals. The feedback from Ukraine means "we have changed quite significantly our design and our products," he said. Väärsi said the company was "very eager" to provide its systems to Ukraine it is based in Estonia, a country once part of the Soviet Union like Ukraine and a current Russian neighbor worried about the possibility of an attack on its sovereignty. Estonia is among the biggest defense spenders in NATO as a proportion of GDP and one of the countries sounding the alarm the loudest about Russia. "It's our mission to support Ukraine as much as we can, to help them win this war. And even if it's as little as sending our vehicles, then we should certainly do it," Väärsi said. He said it's a good business move, too. "If you look at it from the validation perspective, the equipment which doesn't justify itself in Ukraine, why should that be even necessary?" Milrem was founded in 2013, and Väärsi said that before this war, "quite a lot of people were talking about unmanned ground vehicles in defense," but there were also "lots of doubts around it." This war "has demonstrated that unmanned ground vehicles have a really important place on the battlefield," he said. Learning from Ukraine Many Western governments want their countries' battlefield technology in Ukraine so companies can learn how best to be ready for any potential conflict with Russia — something many European countries warn could happen. It's something many Western defense companies want too. Their products can be battle-tested and updated, proving their worth and increasing sales. Luke Pollard, the UK's armed forces minister, said last month:"If you are a drone company and you do not have your kit on the front line in Ukraine, you might as well give up." Väärsi said that Milrem Robotics has a team that regularly visits Ukraine, meets military units, and works directly with the operators who use the company's equipment. It will also soon have a team based in Ukraine to "be closer to Ukrainian forces and to support them even better," he shared. Many companies work closely with soldiers to aid development. A Ukrainian drone operator previously told BI that he texts and FaceTimes with drone makers about their products to encourage a better iterative design and development process. Robots of the future Ground robots are particularly useful on the battlefield because they can be used to move a lot more weight than the flying drones and often more than humans can, fire from positions that are not safe for soldiers to fight from, and travel closer to Russian positions than any human fighter can safely. Väärsi said he sees the robots' role "as a first line of defense or offense," keeping troops safer. That benefits Ukraine, which doesn't have manpower to spare. "You don't move your troops in front, but you move your unmanned systems," he said. Väärsi noted Ukraine, which has a rapidly growing defense industry, has also developed a "very capable" ground robots industry. It's a technology the West and others as well are looking at more and more. Germany's ARX Robotics opened Europe's largest production facility for ground military robots this year, and companies across the continent are making new models. Milrem is playing a leading role, heading a consortium developing unmanned ground systems that received $56 million in funding from the European Defense Fund. Its robots are capable platforms that Russian researchers actually put a bounty on, encouraging soldiers to try to steal one to advance Russia's work in this space. The company's other products include larger combat vehicles, like HAVOC, which has a payload capacity of 5 tons. It also has an AI-enabled intelligent functions kit, which lets the vehicles move autonomously. It says that its products are part of robotics programs or in service in 19 countries, including the US, UK, and Germany. Ground robots are one of many things Ukraine's international partners are watching closely as they look into what sort of tactics, weaponry, and so on they should adopt. Milrem collaborates with companies that are in Ukraine, and Väärsi encouraged other foreign defense companies to do the same. "What I consider very important is that in Europe we need to learn and very seriously learn what is ongoing in Ukraine: what works, what doesn't work, what mindsets need to be shifted to be better equipped if — hopefully that never happens — but if Russia decides to expand their activities in the warfare."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Microsoft to reportedly cut thousands of jobs, focusing on sales teams
Microsoft is reportedly planning to cut thousands of jobs, primarily targeting its sales workforce, according to Bloomberg. The layoffs are part of an effort to streamline operations amid significant investments in AI infrastructure. The company is spending heavily on servers and data centres to support AI development. The job cuts are expected to be announced in early July 2025, following the close of Microsoft's fiscal year. Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the reductions will mainly affect sales teams but may extend to other areas. The timing could still shift, and the company has not provided official comments, the report said. In April, Microsoft informed employees it would rely more on third-party firms to manage software sales to small and mid-size customers. This follows a previous round of layoffs in May 2025, which eliminated 6,000 positions, mostly in product and engineering roles, while largely preserving customer-facing teams such as sales and marketing. Earlier in June 2025, reports emerged that Microsoft is planning to reduce more than 300 jobs as part of its cost management strategy. In May 2025, Microsoft reduced its global workforce by about 3%, affecting around 6,000 employees across various levels and regions. The AI boom has significantly affected the tech labour market, with companies prioritising AI-focused roles and leveraging AI technology to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. As of June 2024, Microsoft employed approximately 228,000 full-time employees, with 55% based in the US. The company continues to implement organisational changes to position itself for success in a rapidly evolving market. Recently, reports of Microsoft Rus, the company's subsidiary in Russia, filing for bankruptcy also surfaced. This followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's statements against foreign service providers acting against Russian interests. "Microsoft to reportedly cut thousands of jobs, focusing on sales teams" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
