Stay-fire trials of the AH-64 with XM1225 APEX ammunition come as each U.S. and Russian assault helicopters experiment with proximity-fused cannon rounds to defeat small UAVs.
The U.S. Military carried out the primary profitable dwell fireplace check of the 30×113 mm XM1225 Aviation Proximity Explosive (APEX) ammunition, employed by an AH-64 Apache assault helicopter in an air-to-air engagement at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The XM1225 is a brand new programmable proximity fuzed spherical that explodes across the goal, and eases the employment of the 30 mm gun towards drones as a kill might be achieved even with out a direct hit.
The check is targeted on enhancing the helicopter’s counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities. In line with the service’s press launch, the trial occurred in December 2025, though it was solely revealed on Feb. 12, 2026.
The AH-64E Model 6 (V6) already has good C-UAS capabilities, which had been validated in a large counter-drone drill in August 2025 the place the AGM-179 JAGM, AGM-114 Hellfire II, the APKWS II and its chin-mounted M230 chain gun had been used. On the time, the M230 employed the usual M789 Excessive Explosive Twin Goal (HEDP) cartridge,
The same development was claimed to be launched additionally by Russia on the Ka-52M Alligator assault helicopter. The helicopter is alleged to have employed a brand new 30 mm airburst spherical first showcased by Rostec on the current World Protection Present 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
Russia-aligned channels have additionally posted a video, claimed to be footage from the electro-optical turret of a Ka-52M taking pictures down various Ukrainian drones utilizing its on-board gun. Whereas one supply claims 25 drones had been downed within the total sortie, Kremlin-aligned Telegram channel ‘Rybar’ has put the determine at 50.
Fight footage reveals the newest 30mm ammo in motion towards Ukrainian UAVs. The 2A42 now fires new shells with shrapnel and distant fuzes. In line with Russian ‘Fighterbomber’ Telegram channel a single ‘Ka-52’ crew shot down 25 drones in a single fight sortie.” pic.twitter.com/OxkmRzGO7j
— H. Memarian (@HEMemarian) February 19, 2026
XM1225 spherical on the Apaches
The U.S. Military’s launch doesn’t point out the kind of goal drones or the variety of such plane shot down throughout the XM1225 testing from the AH-64 mounted M230 gun. The hooked up photographs confirmed an XM1225 exploding earlier than a metal plate and a detailed up of the spherical, however didn’t seize the Apache firing the gun.
In line with the assertion, the cartridge doesn’t require modifications to the Apache’s M230 Space Weapon System or fireplace management system, however had nonetheless “undergone in depth security testing to make sure dependable efficiency” earlier than being built-in with the Apache.
The XM1225 was used towards a number of UAS targets at “varied ranges,” proving “precision, versatility, and lethality.” The XM1225 APEX cartridge is “designed to counter fashionable threats, together with UAS, uncovered personnel, and small boats.”
A number of companies, together with the Product Supervisor Medium Caliber Ammunition (PdM MCA) from Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey; Venture Supervisor Apache, Military Analysis Heart; U.S. Military Fight Capabilities Growth Command’s (DEVCOM) Aviation and Missile Heart; DEVCOM Armaments Heart; Yuma Take a look at Heart; and the Redstone Take a look at Heart had been concerned within the XM1225’s growth and the December 2025 trial.
Testing targets and outcomes
The trial primarily evaluated the XM1225 APEX cartridge’s efficiency and accuracy towards the legacy M789 Excessive Explosive Twin Goal (HEDP) cartridge underneath an identical situations. Personnel additionally gathered information on “combined a great deal of XM1225 and M789 rounds towards each floor and UAS targets,” that might inform future developments.
This might additionally embrace the by-product of the M230 cannon used on the Maneuver Quick-Vary Air Protection System (M-SHORAD) primarily based on the 8×8 Stryker wheeled armored personnel service (APC). This information might be shared with the M230’s developer Northrop Grumman to “set manufacturing, speed up supply and obtain an Pressing Materiel Launch,” defined the service.
“Preliminary outcomes had been extremely profitable, with the XM1225 assembly all accuracy necessities and […] effectiveness towards each floor and UAS targets,” the Military launch mentioned. Detonating close to the goal with its proximity-fuzed setting, the XM1225 creates a “bigger deadly radius,” helpful in each air-to-air and air-to-ground roles.
Maj. Vincent Franchino, check pilot and Assault Division chief at Redstone Take a look at Heart, praised the XM1225’s efficiency towards “tender skinned floor and aerial” targets “as long as these targets are inclined to detection, classification, and monitoring.” It is a minor shortcoming, given the arrival of devoted smaller, ground-based anti-drone radars presumably networked with the AH-64 that would use its personal Millimeter Wave Radar (MMR).
Lastly, Christopher Butts from the Venture Supervisor Maneuver Ammunition Techniques Warfighter Ammunition Data Program (WAIP) oversaw “ammunition loading on the refueling and rearming station and taking part in all After Motion Evaluations.” His documentation and suggestions from Military aviation grasp gunners and pilots will additional inform the manufacturing, techniques and procedures of the XM1225 APEX rounds from the AH-64.
“[…] the XM1225 provides a brand new functionality to the arsenal of 30mm proximity ammunition, giving the Apache Assault Helicopter one other deadly choice to defeat modernized threats,” the Military added in its launch.
Ka-52 swatting down drones
The Ka-52M is probably the most fashionable model of the Alligator utilized by the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF), and has been identified to make use of 2M39 Igla Man-Transportable Air Protection (MANPAD) missiles, often in quad-racks on each the outboard weapons stub wings. Movies from October 2024 and June 2025 present its use.
Unique footage of the target management of the fight work of the Ka-52M crew, which destroyed 25 enemy UAVs in two fight sorties.
Undoubtedly, taking out 14 UAVs on the primary sortie and touchdown one other 11 on the second is a world report, and the crew deserves state awards,… pic.twitter.com/mPIeXh8WhO
— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺 🇮🇪 (@SMO_VZ) February 20, 2026
The Alligator’s most notable use was thwarting Ukraine’s failed counter-offensive in mid-2023, utilizing its 9-A-4172K Vikhr-1 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) at standoff ranges to destroy Kyiv’s largely Western-origin armor. We have now beforehand coated the essentially totally different Russian and Western floor, armored, artillery and assault helicopter doctrines.
A ruSSian Ka-52 spends 3 Igla missiles to shot down a Ukrainian drone. pic.twitter.com/UhfxwMjG3H
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△ 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇺🇲🇬🇷 (@TheDeadDistrict) June 9, 2025
For the involved mission set claimed within the current C-UAS video, the Ka-52 seems to have used its 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 automated cannon put in on the starboard aspect of the fuselage along side the brand new spherical. The gun can fireplace each Excessive-Explosive (HE) and Armor Piercing (AP) rounds, with an efficient vary of 1,500 meters on floor targets and a slant vary of two,500 meters for low flying targets.
Bekhan Ozdoev, Industrial Director of Weapons, Ammunition and Particular Chemical substances Cluster of Rostec, says the brand new “munition is designed to extend the probability of hitting small drones and loitering munitions.” He went on to clarify that the helicopter’s “sighting system calculates probably the most advantageous detonation level in accordance with the goal flight path, permitting for reaching a drone with shrapnel. Time for detonation is enter routinely through an optical line.”
One other comparable photograph posted on the identical Telegram channel earlier right now. Russian Mi-28 sequence and Ka-52 sequence assault helicopters have been using the 9M39 to intercept Ukrainian drones over Russian and Russian-occupied territory. pic.twitter.com/jQnCwXHShC
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) June 11, 2025
In line with some sources, the 2A42 would possibly require modifications earlier than utilizing this spherical as its customary configuration doesn’t permit it to totally exploit the advantages of airburst munitions. It must be famous that it’s not potential to independently confirm if the helicopter within the video used the brand new airburst spherical.
A number of stills from a newly launched Russian MoD video exhibiting a VKS Ka-52M, armed with two B8V20-A rocket pods and 4 9-A-4172K Vikhr-1 ATGMs, departing on a fight sortie. The nonetheless picture on the underside proper offers a more in-depth take a look at its GOES-451M EO concentrating on system turret. pic.twitter.com/rJRhCtWQM3
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) January 28, 2026
