US Army’s Historic Rocket-Powered Launch of Altius 700 Drone from Apache Helicopter | – The Times of India

An AH-64E Apache attack helicopter has successfully carried out the first-ever rocket-powered launch of Anduril Industries’s Altius 700 drone, marking a significant milestone for the U.S.

Army’s launched effects program.The test was conducted during Concept Focused Warfighting Experiment 26 (CFWE26) at Yuma Proving Ground, where Apache aviators from the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center carried out the airborne launch.

The demonstration highlighted how launched effects systems can expand the range, lethality and sensing capabilities of Army attack helicopters.

By pairing the Apache’s maneuverability with the Altius 700’s extended range, the integration is designed to improve battlefield awareness and precision strike options for pilots operating in contested environments.

Launched effects are small unmanned systems that can be deployed from aircraft or ground platforms to perform missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance, electronic warfare or strike support.

The successful test builds on earlier efforts to integrate the Altius system with Army rotorcraft. In September 2025, the drone was also successfully launched from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.The Altius 700 has served as the primary test platform for a government-developed universal launch system intended for low-altitude launches from rotary-wing aircraft.Anduril has been working closely with the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center to integrate launched effects across Army aviation platforms as the service develops new concepts for distributed sensing and precision effects in future operations.The latest test is expected to support the Army’s broader modernization push, which aims to give crewed aircraft the ability to deploy drones for scouting, targeting and long-range engagement while keeping pilots farther from enemy threats.