The Air Current
• Carter Johnston
Eurosatory 2026 spotlights helicopters as scalable counter-UAS platforms, from Airbus H160M “agnostic” drone integration to H145
Global conflict lessons are driving fresh counter-drone concepts built around lower-cost platforms, with the Pentagon increasingly looking to helicopters as aerial shooters and sensing nodes. At Eurosatory 2026, Airbus Helicopters highlights a “agnostic” H160M Guépard approach targeting first delivery in late 2028, plus plans to broaden the H145M into anti-drone roles and to team rotorcraft with drones for missions including life-saving operations and wildfire response.
