U.S. Army Trains Apache Pilots to Shoot Drones; RAF Plans AI Drone Integration
Source reports published 26 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm AEST
The U.S. Army is training Apache helicopter pilots to engage drones, while the Royal Air Force plans to integrate AI-enabled drones into its operations. This shift reflects a broader trend in warfare towards autonomous systems and remote control.
What happened
- The U.S. Army is training Apache helicopter pilots to engage drones as part of a broader military assessment of technology in modern warfare.
- Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth of the Royal Air Force outlined plans for Typhoon fighters to be accompanied by four AI-enabled drones capable of patrolling hundreds of miles.
- This shift, dubbed ‘autonomy, not flesh’, aims to revolutionize warfare, reduce the reliance on military personnel, and prepare the RAF to potentially fight Russia by 2030.
- The RAF’s strategy mirrors the Anglo-American second world war model of ‘steel, not flesh’, relying on aircraft rather than infantry to avoid trench warfare.
- The UK defense secretary stated a goal of readiness to fight and win within 1,000 days.
- AI is being utilized by multiple nations, including Israel, the US, Russia, and Ukraine, to accelerate target selection and increase the pace of bombing missions.
- The use of AI-enabled drones for long-range strikes against targets within Russia, as demonstrated by Ukrainian drones, is also being explored.
Original reporting
- New York Times World: U.S. Army Trains Apache Helicopter Pilots to Shoot Drones
2026-10-26T10:00:51+00:00 - Guardian: ‘Autonomy, not flesh’: RAF chief outlines AI drone-powered future
2026-10-26T00:00:00+00:00