US Army trains Apache crews to counter Iranian-style Shahed drones: NYT

WASHINGTON, Oct 27: The US Army is training Apache attack helicopter crews to shoot down drones similar to Iran’s Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles, testing new ways to counter a threat that has played a significant role in the ongoing war with Iran, The New York Times reported Monday.

Apache crews from the Army’s 2-159th Attack Battalion participated this month in an exercise in Germany called Skyfall 2, where they pursued and engaged propeller-driven Outlaw drones with wingspans of about 11 feet. The drones were selected to resemble the size of Russian and Iranian long-range Shahed attack drones.

During the exercise, the Apache helicopters used 30-millimeter training rounds, missiles and rockets to engage the targets. According to the report, one crew successfully shot down all four drones launched during a single flight.

Despite their relatively slow speed and simple design, Iranian Shahed drones have proved difficult to stop, with some penetrating US air defenses during the conflict. The New York Times reported that these drones were responsible for almost all US military deaths recorded in the war with Iran up to the time of its report.

The report also cited an incident in June in which a Shahed drone brought down an Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. Both pilots survived the incident.

It remains unclear whether the drone deliberately targeted the helicopter or whether the two aircraft collided accidentally, the newspaper reported.

The Army’s training exercise highlights efforts to adapt existing attack helicopters to counter relatively inexpensive, one-way attack drones, which have become a significant challenge for military forces operating in the region.