In the U.S., a Black Hawk Helicopter Deployed a Swarm of Altius-700 Drones for Autonomous Target Detection and Engagement

In the U.S., a Black Hawk Helicopter Deployed a Swarm of Altius-700 Drones for Autonomous Target Detection and Engagement:

In the U.S., an H-60M Black Hawk helicopter deployed a swarm of Altius-700 drones, which autonomously detected targets, exchanged data with one another, and engaged them.

Anduril reported this and also released a video.

The demonstration took place during Project Convergence Capstone 6. The Black Hawk crew engaged several Altius-700 drones in a joint mission to test their ability to operate autonomously as a swarm.

This approach lets the drones distribute tasks and share the information they gather with other drones. As a result, the helicopter crew can use the drones as forward-deployed sensors and strike assets without flying directly toward the target.

The Altius-700 can be equipped with various payloads depending on the mission. In particular, it can be used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Its strike version, the Altius-700M, is designed to destroy targets, has a range of up to 160 km, and can remain airborne for up to 75 minutes.

The tests are part of the development of the Air-Launched Effects (A-LE) concept—using unmanned systems launched from manned aircraft to carry out missions at a significant distance from them.

During a three-day test phase in the Mojave Desert, H-60M crews launched and controlled several unmanned systems in a networked configuration. The U.S. Army also tested their performance under high-temperature conditions.

The next phase of the program is expected to involve using the Altius-700 alongside an armored unit, allowing testing of the autonomous system as part of a tactical formation.

This is not the first time the Altius-700 has been tested with U.S. Army Aviation. In April 2026, an AH-64E Apache launched an Altius-700 missile for the first time at the Yuma Proving Ground.

Launch of Altius-700 drones from a Black Hawk and engagement of targets. August 2026. Photo credits: Anduril Industries

Even earlier, in 2024, Anduril released the results of tests of the strike version, the Altius-700M. During tests at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, the drone achieved six direct hits across six missions, including a mock-up of an anti-aircraft missile system.

The U.S. Army is also considering the Altius-700M for the LRPM program—a long-range, high-precision weapon system for helicopters. It is designed to let crews engage targets at long range without flying close to them.

The Altius family is also linked to support for Ukraine. The United Kingdom previously ordered Altius-600M and Altius-700M systems for the Ukrainian military under contracts totaling £30 million.

Pièces jointes:

UU7IiFuXjgU Résumé en français : En août 2026, un hélicoptère Black Hawk de l'armée américaine a lancé un groupe de drones Altius-700 lors d'une démonstration. Ces drones sont capables de détecter des cibles de manière autonome, de partager des informations entre eux et d'attaquer des cibles sans intervention humaine directe. Cette démonstration a eu lieu dans le cadre du projet Convergence Capstone 6. Les drones peuvent être utilisés pour des missions de reconnaissance ou de guerre électronique, et la version d'attaque peut frapper des cibles jusqu'à 160 km de distance et rester en vol jusqu'à 75 minutes. Les tests ont été réalisés dans le désert de Mojave et ont permis d'évaluer leur performance dans des conditions de forte chaleur. L'objectif est d'utiliser ces drones en coordination avec des unités blindées pour des missions tactiques. Ce n'est pas la première fois que les drones Altius-700 sont testés. En avril 2026, un hélicoptère Apache avait déjà lancé un drone Altius-700. De plus, le Royaume-Uni a commandé des systèmes Altius pour soutenir l'armée ukrainienne. En résumé, cette technologie vise à permettre aux hélicoptères de mener des missions à distance, tout en réduisant les risques pour les pilotes.