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France Follows Ukraine’s Lead With Helicopter-Launched Interceptor Drone Trials
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France’s 4th Air Combat Brigade is preparing to test helicopter-launched interceptor drones after completing initial flight trials with the French-made AST78, Forces Operations Blog (FOB) reported on October 20.
The 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment has been evaluating the AST78 since early 2026 as part of a wider effort to integrate drones into French Army aviation. Two remote pilots have now been trained, and testing has expanded from ground launches to flights involving both Gazelle and NH90 Caïman helicopters.
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France’s interest in launching interceptor drones from helicopters mirrors a tactic Ukraine has already begun testing against Russian long-range drones. Ukrainian forces have demonstrated the use of an An-28 aircraft carrying P1-SUN interceptors to hunt Iranian-designed Shahed-type Russian drones, using an airborne launch platform to extend the drones’ reach and position them closer to incoming targets.
The trials have accumulated around 40 flight hours. In one scenario, an AST78 flew alongside a Gazelle for 12 kilometers, reaching speeds of up to 280 kilometers per hour.
“Eighteen months ago, we still thought this would be impossible,” one of the remote pilots told FOB.
The next major step is expected in early 2027, when the regiment plans its first interception trials against a fixed-wing drone at the DGA missile test center on Île du Levant. The tests are expected to focus on launching the interceptor from a helicopter, aligning it with a target, and practicing the interception procedure.
The regiment stressed that the project remains experimental, but noted that the conflict in the Near and Middle East has accelerated French efforts to explore additional options for countering drones, according to FOB.
Launching interceptors from helicopters could extend their effective reach beyond that of ground-based systems and complement existing weapons such as the MISTRAL 3 missile, the Tiger helicopter’s 30 mm cannon, and door-mounted machine guns.
The AST78 can currently reach speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. According to the report, adjusting the angle of its propellers could increase that to around 400 kilometers per hour, potentially allowing it to engage faster targets, including Shahed-type drones and some crewed aircraft, FOB reported.
Because the interceptor requires FPV control for highly maneuverable terminal attacks, developers are also considering artificial intelligence and improvements to its optical systems. These upgrades could reduce the workload on the remote pilot during target designation and tracking.
The 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment is also drawing on lessons from foreign partners, including the United Kingdom, as French Army aviation continues experimenting with drone integration.
France is not alone in adapting helicopter-based counter-drone tactics from Ukraine’s experience. Finland’s military had previously tested NH90 helicopters against drone targets using side-mounted M134 Miniguns and small arms during the MalletStrike125 exercise, explicitly citing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
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