Are drones the end of the combat helicopter?

Source: Ukrainian Defence Ministry”

“The proliferation of small, cheap, remotely guided drones has led some to question if crewed helicopters have a viable future in combat.” (FlightGlobal, How the Ukraine war has (and has not) changed the helicopter’s role in combat)

The role of the helicopter in a combat area is strong. Until drones came. And we might ask, what is the future of the helicopter? Today, helicopters are still needed for troop transportation. Cases like Maduro, the Venezuelan president’s capture, are impossible without helicopters and human operators. But helicopters require advancements. Like a higher speed to survive in a combat zone. The new anti-drone kamikaze drones can make operations like Maduro's capture impossible or more dangerous. Those drones can wait on roofs and then attack helicopters. The medium-sized kamikaze drones and cruise missiles can carry air-to-air missiles for attacking aerial targets. 

This means that the drones might not kill helicopters, but they can change the tactics and models of helicopters. But helicopters are also advancing. Active denial systems. Like lasers and microwaves can improve a helicopter’s survivability. Combat helicopters like Ka-52 “Alligator”. Faced a lot of losses in Ukraine. And the reason for that is that. Those helicopters are used near the front line. And those crews were not prepared for drones. The thing is that the tactics are also advancing. The EMP- and ECM-based denial systems can also make helicopters still valuable. Helicopters can use their machine guns, laser-guided rockets, and bullets against the drones. Intelligent ammunition increases those helicopters' abilities. 

Things like high-speed jets and missiles. These are systems that should render helicopters obsolete. Unable to operate. The missile threat caused a situation. There helicopters. Started to operate with jet fighters. The next-generation helicopters can be faster, stealthier, and equipped with multi-purpose systems. Those systems can sweep the area. And destroy the computers. Of the drones. The anti-radiation missiles can affect the drone operators or their control systems. The optical wire-control drone is problematic because the “light leak” uncovers the point. Where the operator sits. Or the location of the control system.  The laser weapon can also cut those control wires. 

Ka-52. This helicopter played a big role in the combat area. There is a possibility. The crews were not prepared for drones. It’s also possible that the lack of fire-and-forget weapons caused lots of losses. If the weapon uses traditional laser guidance. The pilot must keep those helicopters steady. And that gives the defender time to aim fire at those systems. 

“Source: Efrem Lukatsky/AP/Shutterstock

Russia is believed to have lost several Kamov Ka-52 coaxial attack helicopters during the failed air assault on Antonov airport in Hostomel, Ukraine.”(FlightGlobal, How the Ukraine war has (and has not) changed the helicopter’s role in combat)

Source: US Marine Corps

“Ukraine has expressed an interest in purchasing AH-1Z attack and UH-1Y utility helicopters from US rotorcraft manufacturer Bell” (FlightGlobal, How the Ukraine war has (and has not) changed the helicopter’s role in combat)

The helicopter can sweep the roofs by using EMP pulses. When we look at the history of warfare, the new systems cause chaos when they arrive. But then the counter-tactics. And countermeasures are advancing. Helicopters can act as platforms. For drones and counter-drones. The problem with drones is this: anyone can buy them. And anyone can turn them into weapons. A drone is more than a missile. It can be dropped from an aerial vehicle, a satellite, or from a pocket. A drone can lie on the roof of trucks. This allows it to slip into military bases. The battery capacity limits its operational radius. The new batteries. Those that can be reloaded in seconds are tools that can turn drones more capable. The futuristic drones can reload those batteries. From other drones wirelessly. Or. Using the wire that is connected to the manipulator. 

But then back to helicopters. Any protection and weapon systems are useless if they are not in use. The EMP and ECM require activation. And the new types of weapons that put operators to sleep by using signals that activate cerebral centers. In the brain. Can deny the use of drones. But the fact is that. People like drug dealers can also use drones to guard their safety. Those drones can attack competitors and officials. And they are a threat to SWAT officers. And maybe people like Putin already have drone swarms positioned on the Kremlin wall. 

When we look at systems like the Ukrainian “Sting” drone. There is a possibility. That somebody copied those drones illegally. The civilian drone can be vulnerable to ECM. But the problem is that. Those systems must be on. The drone itself can hide in places like balconies. The remote-control devices can be installed into standard internet sockets. An operator can operate them anywhere on Earth or in space. Those drones can use FPV technology, but the operator can also use normal TV screens. And the drone can attack very fast. If the operator sits somewhere other than in the front. That person doesn’t need virtual glasses. Standard computer screens or TVs can be used to control those drones. 

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/2025/12/how-the-ukraine-war-has-and-has-not-changed-the-helicopters-role-in-combat/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_(drone)

Ukraine can probably jam Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.

"Kh-47M2 Kinzhal. 2018 Moscow Victory Day Parades" (Wikipedia)

The jammer system called Lima has proven effective against those hypersonic missiles. Says Kyiv Independent. This is good news for defense. And another thing is that. If the system can turn hypersonic missiles off course, that could be a big step. Against things. Like kinetic energy warheads. There are claims that the Russian new “Oreshnik” intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) can have kinetic energy warheads. But the accuracy of those missiles is about 200 m, which is too low for kinetic ammunition, which requires extremely high precision. That ammunition is a terror tool. If. They do not have high enough accuracy. The kinetic energy ammunition. It could be a powerful tool. Against the aircraft carriers. If they are accurate enough. 

The kinetic ammunition is like a bullet that requires a direct hit. And that means. The kinetic energy ammunition. It cannot affect harder targets. But a hypersonic warhead can be devastating if its pressure wave hits non-armoured targets. There are actually two ways to make the jammer systems. The first one. It is. The ECM system that sends radio signals. That covers the enemy communication and tracking systems. Another version is to create a plasma cloud between the radio transmitter and receiver. The high-altitude plasma layer can deny the GPS operations. The Ukrainian “Lima” system is proven effective against Kinzhals, but also drone swarms and glide bombs.

Or. That’s what the Kyiv Independent reports. The system disturbs satellite communication. That makes it impossible to navigate drones and communicate with them using satellites. There is a possibility. To replace part of those satellite-based systems with aircraft and ground stations. But those systems are more vulnerable than satellites. But things like communication satellites are also vulnerable to ASAT systems. The system could use similar technology with AGM-88 HARM. It detects the satellite and then destroys it. The system. It can be silo-based. Or launched from high-flying aircraft. 

(ResearchGate)

(kyivindependent)

(Kyivpost)

And that requires developing the systems. that are independent of GPS and radio signals. The system can use inertial and terrain-contour matching (TERCOM) to guide an aircraft to a target. This kind of system uses visual route recognition. The system compares aerial pictures of its route. With images that are stored in its memory. The system. It operates in UV- IR. And visual wavelengths. 

Another version is the electromagnetic pulse (EMP). The EMP is sometimes connected to the nuclear explosions. And in many scenarios, nuclear attack begins when nuclear warheads are detonated. In a low Earth orbiter. This thing destroys electronics immediately. But actors like the U.S. Air Force have tested and used the conventional EMP- or “E-bomb”. The system is based. On the high-energy radio or microwave impulse. That impulse is formed by pressing the battery. By using explosives. But there is also a possibility. Of creating EMP pulses without explosives. In those cases, the radio or microwave transmitters are equipped with high-power impulse capacitors. 

The system. It loads electricity into those capacitors. When the system sends the EMP pulse. It just loads electricity from those capacitors to the radio transmitter. The big difference between the explosive and capacitor systems is that. Those capacitors can be reloaded, and the system can give EMP pulses multiple times. The explosive-based systems are always single-use. 

So, what is the EMP? It’s simply the high-power electromagnetic impulse. When high-power radio signals hit the electric circuit. It forms the surge. That destroys all electricity. In some visions, the agent can slip the high-power capacitor into the data center. And then that capacitor sends an electric impulse to the computers. Another version is that the captured power plant. It sends high-power electricity to the enemy's electric network. 

The fact is that any radio transmitter can act as an E-bomb. This means that any radar can act as this kind of system. There is a possibility. To aim the EMP pulses at the incoming missiles, which can destroy their electronics. The high-power jammer signals can also blind its altimeters. And leave detonation to less accurate barometric systems. If the missile uses a radar system. For the last-period guidance, the jammer can deny its ability to detect the target. But the EMP can destroy all the electronics. That missile needs for its operations. Without those electronics, the missile cannot find its target. Even if it uses only inertial. Or it cannot even detonate its warhead without those electric components. 

The EMP weapon can affect drone swarms. But they are also powerful tools for hypersonic warheads. Those missiles can use the high-power electromagnetic transmitters to shut down defense. 

There is also a possibility of denying the missile launch by using the EMP bombs. The high-power EMP pulse can destroy the missile’s computers, which denies its launch. But the EMP weapons are not so harmless as people might think. Crossing high-power radio impulses form electric arcs into the air. Those electric arcs can light a match. Those radio impulses can be extremely dangerous. The radio impulses jump from the ionosphere. And that means they can destroy targets behind the walls. The system bases. Two aimed radio transmitters that send crossing radio signals with opposite polarity. These kinds of systems can be dangerous. Against unprotected targets from long distances. 

https://kyivindependent.com/patriots-or-no-patriots-ukraine-may-have-solved-the-problem-of-russias-kinzhal-missiles/

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/26235

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334070738_High-Power_Microwave_Energy_as_Weapon

https://www.sofx.com/ukraines-lima-jammer-behind-successful-disruption-of-russian-glide-bomb-strikes/

Printable neurons boost the BCI system.

“An aerosol jet printer in Hersam’s laboratory deposits electronic inks onto a flexible polymer substrate. Credit: Mark Hersam/Northwestern University” (ScitechDaily, An aerosol jet printer in Hersam’s laboratory deposits electronic inks onto a flexible polymer substrate. Credit: Mark Hersam/Northwestern University)

The new technology makes it possible to create printable artificial neurons. Those artificial neurons enable the symbiosis between living neurons and computers. This kind of system is the new tool for the BCI (Brain-Computer Interface). The old-fashioned microchips require deep-brain surgery. The goal should be in the systems that require only surface surgery. Or, they don’t need surgery at all. Those new flat microchips can be put on the skull, between skin and bone. 

And they can be put on the skull in a day surgery. These kinds of systems can make the symbiosis between AI and humans closer than ever. The ability to create such BCI systems could restore life. To people with paralysis. But otherwise, those systems can make it possible to create a system. That allows humans to jump onto the internet. Anytime they want. The ability to control computers. Using the brain waves. Makes it possible to read a person’s thoughts. 

The BCI is the most effective user interface. But it can be the worst thing in history. The ability to communicate between computers. And neurons make it possible to create things, like artificial memories. Those artificial memories. Can be used for positive. Or. Negative things. The positive way to use those systems. It is to create new ways to study things. But in a negative way, that thing makes it possible to create individuals who hate other people. 

Those systems make it possible to create the real-life Manchurian candidates. Artificial memories that seem very realistic can be tools that make humans look like clowns. There are novels there, people who want to destroy other people’s political careers create. The faked memories about heroic actions in cases that never happened. Then the person will be marked as a liar. This is one way to control people. 

In the same way, when researchers create systems that erase bad memories. That kind of therapy can turn against the justice system. There is a possibility that people who have access to that technology can erase things like memories of violence or sexual violence. In the hands of some kind of bad people, this kind of technology can also make it possible to create a hitman who doesn’t remember a thing about his dirty work. This is one thing that we must realize when we create this kind of system.  If somebody can really remove the victim’s memory. 

That can make it possible to hide even the worst crimes that we can imagine. It’s possible to create systems that deny the neurotransmitter actions in the brain’s memory cells. Nanotechnical medicines. Acoustic or photoacoustic systems can drive chemicals. Just into the wanted brain areas. Those systems could also destroy the neurotransmitters from the targeted areas. 

This makes it possible to block memory cells. And this kind of technology can make it possible. To release a person from the trauma. The same technology in the wrong hands makes it possible to hide horrible crimes. In the cases of military and dark operations, those operators will not even remember. Those things. 

https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-print-artificial-neurons-that-can-talk-to-the-brain/

New robots and thoughts about them.

“Artistic rendering of R66 TURBINETRUCK equipped with Sikorsky’s proven MATRIX autonomy system.” (IE)

China wants 8500 AI robots for power grid operations. U.S. Marines want the transporter drones. And maybe Ukraine wants those AI robots and cargo drones. It can transport those drones. To the back of the enemy. The drone that can fix power grids can also act as a combat machine. The man-shaped robot can also have similar wings. 

Like bats have. Those biomimicking systems can have. The ability to fly. The man-shaped flying robot. It can be the tool. That is more versatile than. Nobody expected. The biomimicking man-shaped robot can be like the creature. From a Gustave Doré painting. The same pilotless helicopter that carries cargo can also drop bombs. Or use machine guns. 

Those robots can make power grids self-fixing. But those AI robots can also be the next step for battlefield robots, which can also do police work. The AI robots can detect any damage in the power grid or railways. They can also make repairs without human orders. So, when robots see problems, they fix them.

The  human-shaped robots can travel with large-scale cargo drones. Automated helicopters can transport those systems to the place. They are needed there. But the man-shaped robots are multipurpose tools. They can turn into weapons by pushing the button. And that makes those robots complicated systems. The robot that cleans people’s houses. It can turn into a weapon. By downloading a new algorithm into its memory. The programs determine. The use of robots.

“The State Grid is turning the world’s largest utility into a real-world testbed for embodied AI by deploying robots at a massive scale.” (IE)

A winged man-shaped robot can look like this. 

There is a possibility that in certain cases. Somebody downloads riot-control programs. To the robots that clean parks. This means that. If somewhere. It is a riot. Or a public demonstration, those robot workers turn into riot police in seconds. In the hands of authoritarian governments, that kind of system can be devastating. The new drones and robotics are ultimate tools. 

Versatility. It is the thing that makes drones a threat and an opportunity. At the same time. Flying drones can perform almost the same missions as manned aircraft. They can carry people or robots. To the roof of buildings. Or the submarine drone can release those man-shaped robots into the water. The man-shaped robot can also operate in the same roles as a combat swimmer. In some cases.  

Large-sized bombs like MOPs can also be put on the quadcopter. The quadcopter drone can fly the MOP in the last part of the mission. Maybe those systems cannot transport. The 10,000 kg version of the bunker buster. In some of the most futuristic models, the saucer-shaped drone can carry the cannon straight above the target. And then the drone can shoot the ammunition straight from above. 

https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-marines-pilotless-cargo-helicopter

https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/china-8500-robots-power-grid

The human worker can be cheaper than the AI. But there is more…

The race between humans and AI is more complicated than just money. There are stories that hiring human workers is just cheaper than developing the AI. This is one of the things that should support humans. But then we face one thing. Working and workers are much more than just their salaries and work. When we think of robots that work in factories, those machines can be more expensive than humans. In a short period, the cost of those machines is far higher than that of humans. 

We think the first step. The short-period costs. But then we must realize that the robot. It is not in its position for a couple of weeks. It has the guarantee. The robot can operate for years in some shopping centers as a cleaner. Things like low-paid cleaners give a bad image. For places like shopping centers. So. Reputations and other kinds of things are also connected to workers. The worker is not only the thing. That needs a salary and working clothes. Things about what the worker looks like and how the worker behaves are also important. If a worker is alone all the time. Or the attitude to work is negative, which causes burnout. And workers must sometimes pass things like security checks. That causes costs. 

The other thing is this. If  software engineers run multiple AI agents. At the same time. And those AI agents replace five human workers. The costs of those AI agents can be higher. Than the salary of the engineer. But is it higher than those five workers? Another thing is that. The AI costs. They are about 10-200 euros  (dollars) per seat. So the operator can operate as many seats as they want by using remote control tools. This means that every AI agent costs 200 euros. But there is no human. Required for those remote seats. And I think that the worker costs more than just 200 euros/month. In the case that the operator operates five 200-euro remote computers with a 2000-euro salary. The costs of those AI chatbots are 1000 euros. So they can be higher than an uneducated person’s salary. But the problem is that. The uneducated person might not know what to do. 

The purpose of the workplace is not to pay for nothing. They must make money for their owners. This means that the worker, private corporations, and the state do not have the same assets. The state needs taxes, and workers need salaries. And the company owners want money. The last two actors don’t want to pay taxes. And the salary is not the only cost of the human workers. They need working clothes. They need breaks. And they need rest. The human worker can steal. Or, open the door to the wrong persons. 

But then we must remember that the robot or AI doesn’t need breaks. They don’t need salaries. They need only electricity. If we want the AI to work 24/7/365, that means the workplace needs three human workers for that kind of thing. The workplace needs a different person. For day, evening, and nightshifts. This means that. The effectiveness. Of. The AI is crushing. Then another thing is that. The human worker can be hidden for permanent work. Or they can be fixed-term employees. This means that the AI can replace humans. Who are hired for fixed-time projects. The problem with AI is that. It doesn’t seek jobs from competitors. It doesn’t strike. And it doesn’t need any kind of breaks. 

Human workers can change their workplace; they can tell things. That they should not tell. And when. Human workers are needed; they can have working contracts with other firms. In the same way, robots can seem expensive. But robots don’t need breaks. They have no family at home, which disturbs their focus. A robot can make products 24/7 without a salary. The robot will not get infections. This means that the workplace doesn’t need to hire deputies for those places. It’s hard to get a well-trained short-period worker who can replace, for example, a sick engineer for a couple of days.

And those things are always important when the AI acts as a competitor to humans. In old-fashioned production lines. Human workers are important. But the humanity or psychological aspect. Is the thing that makes human workers “not suitable” for human workers. The working life requires things that are not suitable for humans. The requirement for effective working means that the system benefits the AI. The problem is not in the AI. It’s in attitudes. If a worker falls from working life. It's hard to get the route back in there. 

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/bosses-more-money-ai-agents-human-salary

Drones are the next step in the evolution of the battlefield.

Drones are insects of the battlefield. They are like intelligent bullets. And the main thing is that. Their operators don’t. Basically need. Of any kind of training. The R&D cycle in drones is very short. And that’s why drones can be used to test aerodynamic solutions for aircraft. They can be used for intelligence and tactical reconnaissance. And kamikaze operations. When the drone travels to the target. It can also send information about the battlefield. The same drone that makes kamikaze operations.

It can also transmit enemy locations for friendly forces. Drones can also carry loudspeakers for psychological operations.

The philosophy in drone warfare is this. Which one wins, the swarm of bees or the tiger? The fact is this. If those bees know where to put their stingers, they can beat the tiger. Those bees must know only the weak point of the hair of that cat. Then they must just attack. In this version, evolution chose the structure that is less complicated and less dependent on individuals. Than that of the tiger. This means that a bee swarm is a formation of individuals. Those are easy to replace.

The bee swarm can lose a couple of its members. And those insects are easy to replace. This is one of the things that we must realize. One drone might be simple and easy to shoot down. But when even thousands of drones attack the defenders, it means the defenders are in trouble, even if those drones cannot make an escape. And decoy maneuvers. The defender must destroy all incoming drones. That causes a situation. The defender runs out of ammunition. This requires the ability to use things. Like directed energy weapons. Even a small drone can cause vital damage to the high-tech fire control systems.

When we look at history, we know that things. Like naval air wings and submarines were critical tools in Pacific campaigns. The U.S. Navy didn’t start. To use the naval air wing as they use it for free will. Japan forced them to make a decision. To give the prime role. In the Pacific campaign, submarines and naval aircraft.  Japanese naval aircraft destroyed most of the Pacific fleet battleships in Pearl Harbour. So, the U.S. Navy must find a replacement for the battleships. And that replacement was submarines and a naval air wing.  

“Drones are prepared for use at a March 2026 exercise led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on March 18, 2026. U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Julia Lebens” (Defense One)

In the same way. Lack of tanks and anti-tank helicopters forced Ukraine to find a new system that can destroy tanks. The answer was drones. There were experiences with drones from Afghanistan. First, drones were large, slow-flying. Remotely-controlled aircraft. But then the enemy learned to live with those slow-flying tools. And today. The MQ-9 “Reaper” drones face the biggest losses because they are easy targets. For air defense. The advancement of evolution chose a new route. To the route that is known from bee swarms. The large-sized drones. Replaced by using the swarms of small kamikaze drones.

Those kamikaze-drones. Can operate by using web- or cloud-based architecture. Those kamikaze-drones are very simple tools. They can be manufactured in container-sized automatic factories by using printer technology. The AI-based systems. Can load the algorithms into the drones. That they manufacture. The operator can load the electric engines. And micro-electronics to the magazine in the mobile drone factory. The 3D printer can make the trunk for drones, even from plastic or metal garbage. This is the new advancement for drone technology. The defense and offense technology can be modified to react to those threats.

Fast advances. In drone technology. Mean. Nations and actors must adjust their counter-drone strategies. The Pentagon saw that the regular and existing tactics against drone swarms are useless. This means that Western nations should share and benefit more from  data. That. They can collect. From the Ukraine war.

The fact is that. Ukraine has the latest experience. From drone and anti-drone operations. Drones are not toys. They are easy to get. And they are easy to transform into weapons. The underestimation of drones can form the new Pearl Harbour. Even small drones can destroy the large radar sets and communication platforms. They can make holes in submarines’ hulls. And they can be used. To prepare the area for a larger-scale and more expensive missile strikes. Drones can make surprise attacks. Against early warning radar systems.

https://www.reuters.com/graphics/UKRAINE-CRISIS/DRONES/dwpkeyjwkpm/

https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/04/pentagon-ukraine-counter-drone/413087/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor

https://medium.com/@batrobin/drones-are-the-next-step-in-the-evolution-of-the-battlefield-fabe5697b422

Some people are concerned about the Claude Mythos program.

The “Mythos” is Anthropic Corporation’s most powerful tool. The tool is an AI-based vulnerability testing tool. The tool is created for “Project Glasswing”. Whose purpose is to develop new tools to map vulnerabilities in systems. The problem with that project is that all vulnerability testing tools are suitable for hacking. One of the things that disturbs people is that Anthropic didn’t offer its AI to the public. 

“So rather than make it widely available to Claude users, Anthropic gave 12 tech companies access via Project Glasswing, which it described as "an effort to secure the world's most critical software". (BBC)

This means that 12 companies can have access to all data on the net. 

Vulnerability testing is vital for the systems that should be protected against hackers. The Mythos tool is not public. And I think that the users must be accepted. For the user, by using some special methods. The main problem is that hackers will not tell people that they are hackers. They might look like regular vulnerability testers.

But those people can act as real attackers. The problem with hackers is that they can look like normal people. And they can use these kinds of tools to prepare. Or make cyber attacks. In the best scenarios. Those hackers can use a firm to order those hacking tools for them. Because some firm pays the bill. The hacker’s identity is not uncovered. 

“Ciaran Martin, former head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, told the BBC earlier this week the claim Mythos could unearth critical vulnerabilities much more quickly than other AI models had "really shaken people". (BBC)

"The second thing is that even with existing weaknesses that we know about, but organizations might not have patched against, might not be well defended against, it's just a really good hacker." He said.” (BBC)

The main problem is this: only good hackers can find the weaknesses that other hackers can use. The same programs that uncover malware. Can turn into malware testers. Hackers can use those tools to test their code against firewalls and virus scanners. The AI is a tool that can detect vulnerabilities faster than ever before. The vulnerability means. The hackers can use vulnerabilities only. If they know about them. And if hackers know some kind of vulnerability before the “good guys”. That can open up lots of data to bad boys. Some people believe and fear. The AI development. Turns so fast that nobody can control it. 

https://www.anthropic.com/glasswing

https://www.armorcode.com/blog/anthropics-claude-mythos-and-what-it-means-for-security

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk1py1jgzko

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmarkman/2026/04/08/what-is-claude-mythos-and-why-anthropic-wont-let-anyone-use-it/