Overview
- Test crews at Yuma Test Center fired about 1,200 rounds in two subtests that compared APEX with the legacy M789 and engaged aerial and ground targets at short and long ranges.
- APEX is designed for the Apache’s M230 cannon and closely matches the form and ballistics of the M788 and M789 rounds to limit integration changes.
- Instrumentation included UH-60 Black Hawk chase aircraft for overhead scoring, Kineto tracking mounts, telemetry, high‑speed video, still photography and multi‑angle ground cameras.
- Yuma Proving Ground serves as the Army’s primary interagency range for counter‑small UAS testing, offering nearly 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace and year‑round test conditions.
- Based on the test data, the program is pursuing an airworthiness release that would authorize Soldiers to fire APEX from Apaches and set conditions for materiel release and fielding.