Attack Helicopters Remain Vital to the American Way of War

I’ve spent a career looking at the battlefield through the periscope of a tank, and I know what it means to rely on a platform that skeptics call a “relic.” For decades, pundits have predicted the death of the Main Battle Tank, yet every time the lead starts flying, the grunt on the ground looks for the 70-ton beast with the 120mm smoothbore to clear the path.

Today, with the advent of widespread drone usage in Ukraine, some of that same “obsolescence” talk is being directed at the attack helicopter.

We’ve all seen the grainy footage from that war: a drone’s-eye view homing in on a target until the screen dissolves into static. Drone warfare is on everyone’s mind, leading many to ask if manned aviation has finally met its “Revolution in Military Affairs.”

As a retired tank officer, I’ve seen technologies come and go, but I know one thing for certain: cheap mass cannot replace high-end, combined-arms maneuver.

Despite the undeniable impact of drones, the attack helicopter is far from a museum piece. It remains a vital, irreplaceable component of the American way of war due to its unique ability to operate from unimproved spaces, its maneuverability, its versatility, and its resilience.