The U.S. Army recently conducted tests with a new 30 mm munition designed to intercept drones, evaluated from AH-64 Apache attack helicopters at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The new round, dubbed APEX, aims to improve helicopters’ ability to counter unmanned aerial vehicles on the battlefield.
The Yuma Test Center at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, tests a new 30mm proximity explosive projectile for aircraft on December 9, 2025. Credits: DVIDS
The trials were carried out by the Yuma Test Center, where the performance of this new munition—designed to operate with the M230 Chain Gun, the primary weapon mounted under the Apache’s fuselage—was assessed. According to test officials, the projectile was developed specifically to neutralize drones through a proximity detonation, generating a cloud of fragments in front of the target.
As explained by the test officer who led the evaluation, the new round shares several characteristics with the ammunition currently used by the Apache, such as the M789 High Explosive Dual-Purpose and the M788 training round. However, unlike those variants, APEX—short for Aviation Proximity Explosive—is designed to detonate before impacting the target, creating a fragmentation pattern intended to destroy or damage unmanned aerial systems.
“APEX was developed to be a fragmentation round that would get close to the UAS and create a fragmentation pattern that destroys it,” said test officer Walter McCormick. He added: “Its form and function are similar, except that it detonates in front of the target rather than hitting it and then detonating.”
Tests with helicopters and drones
During the Yuma range trials, two main sub-tests were conducted. The first was intended to compare the new projectile’s performance with that of ammunition currently in service, while the second focused on real engagements against drones. In total, around 1,200 rounds were fired during the evaluations, at both short and long range. The U.S. Army Apache helicopters involved engaged different targets—including various types of drones and ground targets—in order to assess the effectiveness of the fragmentation pattern generated by the new munition.
To collect data during the tests, a broad set of tracking and recording assets was used. These included UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters acting as chase aircraft, kinetic tracking systems, telemetry, high-speed cameras, and multiple ground-based sensors. The Black Hawks enabled precise assessment of projectile impact points from the Apaches, while cameras and sensors deployed on the range provided a full 360-degree view of the test events.
Responding to the growing drone threat and next steps
The statement also notes that developing munitions specifically designed to counter drones responds to an increasingly urgent need for armed forces. In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles have become one of the most widely used systems in modern conflicts, as seen in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The next step for the APEX munition will be obtaining the Airworthiness Release (AWR), a safety certification required to allow soldiers to employ the system from Apache helicopters. This stage is an important milestone in the development process, as it enables controlled operational use and eventual entry into service within U.S. Army units.
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