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US Army, Anduril complete first helicopter-launched Altius 700 from AH-64E Apache

At Yuma Proving Ground an AH-64E Apache launched a rocket-powered Anduril Altius 700 loitering munition in the service's first 'launched-effect' deployment from the attack helicopter. The medium-range drone carries a ~15 kg warhead and is reported to have a nominal range of about 160 km, extending Apache strike reach.

Discovered 2026-04-07T04:02:20.547186-07:00 | 2026-04-07T04:02:20.547186-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

Demonstrates the Army's pushed move to "launched effects": integrating a rocket‑boosted Altius 700 onto an AH‑64E validates a rapid, air‑launched standoff strike concept that keeps crewed platforms further from threat envelopes. See the Army's recent launched‑effects integration work (source:2267f29e-fc16-4594-8fbc-8e243fe384b5).
Confirms Anduril's transition from demonstrations toward operational strike scaling: the test ties directly to the company's expanded production and loitering‑munition programs and underpins demand for rapid manufacture of expendable strike systems (source:c1053682-48e3-475e-8a02-a7f9dfff2e65) (source:a5920b51-8e03-4754-bc0f-80ec0f4c01e2).

Reported By

insidedefense.com orbitaltoday.com calibredefence.co.uk ex2.com.au defenceconnect.com.au aviationnews.eu