---
title: "This Attack Helicopter Can Launch Drones From Midair"
description: "American aerospace manufacturer MD Helicopters's new attack helicopter can launch up to seven payloads, ranging from powered missiles to small drones."
date: "2019-04-17"
modified: "2019-04-17"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/attack-helicopter-launch-drones"
categories:
  - "Drones"
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "drones"
  - "helicopter"
  - "Military drones"
  - "the digest"
---

# This Attack Helicopter Can Launch Drones From Midair

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/attack-helicopter-launch-drones.png>)
*\<em\>Image: MD Helicopters\</em\>*

## Twin Attack Helicopter

American aerospace manufacturer MD Helicopters just announced details of its upcoming MD 969 Twin Attack Helicopter at a military trade show in Nashville, Tennessee.

In the rear of the fuselage of the helicopter, [*The Drive* reports](<https://www.twz.com/27515/new-md-explorer-gunship-features-internal-tubes-for-launching-guided-munitions-and-drones>), a munitions guiding system pops out to deploy seven payloads ranging from powered missiles to small drones that could carry out their own missions independently from the copter.

## Launch Tube Offensive

A possible existing drone that could be launched from the helicopter's Common Launch Tube (CLT) is military contractor Raytheon's Coyote. The Coyote is a small drone that has been used in the past to [gather vital information](<https://www.twz.com/14692/noaas-flying-hurricane-hunters-launch-suicidal-coyote-drones-into-the-middle-of-storms>) about hurricanes — especially in places where hurricane wind speeds are too high for crewed aircraft to fly.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/systima-system.png>)
*Image Credit: Systima Technologies*

In a military context, small drones launched through the tube could increase awareness of ground and air-based operations when line of sight is obscured, according to an [official press release](<https://www.mdhelicopters.com/md-helicopters-enhances-md-969-twin-attack-helicopter-with-7-shot-common-launch-tube-(clt)-system.html>).

"The CLT is part of a flexible, roll-on/roll-off launch system that is easily integrated into existing platforms," said Tom Prenzlow, President of Systima Technologies, maker of the the launch tube system, in a press release.

## Drone Swarms

It's not the only possible future use of drones on the battlefield.

Earlier this year, [Futurism reported](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/military-swarming-attack-drones-enemy-aircraft>) on the British military's interest in developing drone swarm technology that could surround enemy aircraft and force them out of the sky.

**READ MORE:** [New MD Explorer Gunship Features Internal Tubes For Launching Guided Munitions And Drones](<https://www.twz.com/27515/new-md-explorer-gunship-features-internal-tubes-for-launching-guided-munitions-and-drones>) \[*The Drive*\]

**More on military drones:** [*Military Contractors Are Churning out New Anti-Drone Weapons*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/anti-drone-weapons>)

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)