VIDEO A US Apache attack helicopter launched a new type of weapon from the air for the first time that increases its strike range by 10 times

The US military launched an Altius 700 rocket-propelled kamikaze drone from an AH-64E Apache helicopter for the first time. The Altius 700 drone, which can also be configured for long-range surveillance missions, is one of the flagship products of Anduril Industries, one of America's next-generation arms companies that has come to be worth more than $60 billion.

Anduril and the US Army have integrated the Altius 700 system on an Apache AH-64E helicopter, providing a 10-fold increase in range, writes the specialized publication Caliber Defense, citing a company statement.

The Altius 700 is a family of loitering munitions (no kamikaze drones) and reconnaissance drones built by Anduril Industries. They are capable of extended range operations, reaching up to 460 km for the unarmed version and 160 km for the Altius 700M with an explosive charge.

The purpose of the test now presented publicly by Anduril is to allow the AH-64E Apache helicopter to extend its range, practically being able to attack more targets and stay away from the front line.

But the tests now build on previous integrations where other Altius drone variants were integrated and launched from UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, an active program as early as 2020.

Tenfold increase in attack range of the Apache helicopter

Such an integration of kamikaze drones on AH-64 Apache helicopters represents a significant increase in the attack range, writes the British publication.

Currently, the AH-64E can launch either AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at a range of up to 11 km or AGM-179 JAGM missiles at a range of up to 16 km. Some missiles on the market, such as the Rafael Spike NLOS, can provide an extended range of up to 50 kilometers.

An Altius 700M drone, with an explosive charge, can reach up to 160 km, according to the manufacturer, so the attack range of an Apache would be increased 10 times compared to the most powerful missiles currently in the equipment.

Altius 700 is not the only option in this field. Caliber Defense writes that the US Navy has selected L3 Harris' red wolf kakiaze drone, which offers a range of 370 km, for the Marine Corps' AH-1Z Viper helicopters.

Drone or… missile?

“Launching a drone or a loitering munition like the Altius 700 from a helicopter is an extremely useful solution. It extends range and allows a highly versatile platform – like the AH-64E – to transport combat power to more places. However, a data link between the helicopter and the drone is likely to be required, as well as the drone's need for GPS for navigation,” comments the author of the Caliber Defense article.

“That means there is a link that can be jammed or broken. All these aspects can be solved by guidance algorithms, computer vision and search systems. But the costs increase exponentially, and the effector basically becomes a missile. So these tests should be closely monitored, not least because they help clarify how the US views its attack helicopters. But the resilience of the effectors to electronic warfare is essential,” the specialized publication writes on military technologies.

Anduril, the new American player on the arms market that has grown rapidly in recent years

Anduril Industries was founded in 2017 by several American tech entrepreneurs and specializes in defense systems based on artificial intelligence, autonomous drones and advanced sensors. It started as a tech startup, but in a very short time it grew exponentially. As of June 2025, the company had a market value of $30 billion. Today, it is worth more than 60 billion dollars.

The company is named after the famous sword Narsil / Andúril from the writings of British author JRR Tolkien, also seen in the Lord of the Rings films as the weapon given to Aragorn by the elves in the very first feature film.

The company was founded by Palmer Luckey, a famous virtual reality entrepreneur. He created Oculus VR in 2021 and the company was bought by Facebook in 2014 for two billion dollars.

In just eight years, Anduril won several contracts with the Pentagon, including the development of an autonomous fighter jet, called Fury, but also numerous drone systems that rely on AI functions.

Anduril has close ties to financiers and technology advisers to President Donald Trump, and the company's advantage is that it can produce various weapons, as well as defense systems, at much lower prices and in much shorter time than the giants of the defense industry.

Anduril also develops software solutions that integrate sensors, drones, radars, cameras, satellites – all in a common interface, and the company uses artificial intelligence for analysis and quick decision, suggesting actions to operators or activating automatic reactions.