In one of our publications, we discussed how Russia is developing a new tactic, specifically launching an FPV drone from a helicopter to destroy the Magura V5. This news attracted attention not only because the enemy is seeking another means to counter our maritime drones, but also because the Russians are attempting to merge a helicopter and a drone on the battlefield.
Now we have a new example of this trend, but this time the French are experimenting with the combination of a helicopter and an FPV drone, within a very intriguing concept.
Regarding the experiment, we have a rather general description: the French portal Opex360 reported that "recently" the 3rd Helicopter Regiment of the Army Aviation conducted an experiment involving placing a drone operator aboard an unnamed type of helicopter, and they were satisfied with the results.
At first glance, nothing particularly noteworthy seems to have occurred in this story. However, it appears that the French themselves see it differently, as they describe this experiment as an integral part of their conceptual exploration of "crossbreeding" helicopters and various types of drones into a unified reconnaissance-strike complex that will have potential for the future.
Initially, the French military envisions that this complex will allow for the integration of existing types of helicopters and UAVs in order to leverage current models to gain new capabilities on the battlefield.
For instance – including operators of reconnaissance UAVs within the crews of Tiger attack helicopters to enhance situational awareness.
Alternatively, they propose seating drone operators as additional crew members on transport-descent NH90 and H160M helicopters to reduce the cognitive load on the primary crew.
Looking ahead, the French military anticipates that in 10-15 years they will have specialized types of drones designed for use with various types of helicopters.
Previously, Defense Express also reported that we need to know about kamikaze drones from France that are expected to be delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the near future.