REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — They are the eyes and ears of the AH-64 Apache, extending the crew's situational awareness on the battlefield.
Launched effects, or LE, will be a family of small, unmanned and autonomous or semi-autonomous air vehicles that can be equipped with a variety of payloads for different missions, such as reconnaissance, electronic warfare and kinetic strikes.
In 2025, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center conducted live-fire launches of LE from a test stand at Redstone Arsenal. This exercise provided test data needed to validate the design and analysis of the Launched Effects Dispenser for Ground and Rotorcraft, or LEDGR.
“The government-developed LEDGR launcher is a key element of DEVCOM AvMC’s common LE solution, empowering Soldiers to employ a wide array of launched effects from a single system,” said Col. Justin Highley, commander of the center’s aviation operations at Fort Eustis, Virginia. “We successfully demonstrated the system on an AH-64 and are now integrating that same capability onto a UH-60, and this commonality simplifies training and enhances operational readiness. Ultimately, this comprehensive LE solution extends the reach and lethality of our Soldiers, providing a decisive advantage on the future battlefield.”
LEDGR will provide the capability to forward launch LE from rotorcraft and ground vehicles at tactical altitudes and speeds. The prototype is being developed by a multi-organizational Integrated Product Team that includes DEVCOM AvMC; Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office; UAS PMO Product Office - Command, Control, and Effects; and Naval Surface Warfare Center - Dahlgren Division Battle Management System Office.
LEDGR is employed by a Modular Effects Launcher, or MEL, designed to carry and deploy a variety of payloads, including munitions, sensors and other effects. The MEL will allow for rapid and efficient reconfiguration to carry these different combinations from different platforms.
The development of a common launching solution for both the AH-64 Apache and the UH-60 Black Hawk platforms enhances operational flexibility and interoperability, allowing for a more versatile integration of unmanned systems in various mission environments. One of the most significant advantages of launched effects is the ability to increase the helicopter's standoff distance from threats. Helicopter mounted LE also enables the ground force commander to reach greater distances due to the helicopter’s ability to while masked, advance forward, engage and return.
LEDGR is also a case study in how the Army is disrupting material development and capability advancement. By leveraging LEDGR data rights, the Army can share developed technologies with multiple vendors, fostering competition and innovation in the industrial base while expediting the process.
The current design and installation efforts, coupled with planned demonstrations for both the AH-64 and UH-60 platforms, are strategically aligned to field a significant Transformation in Contact capability for the Army by late 2026.
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About DEVCOM AvMC: DEVCOM AvMC is the nexus of Army aviation and missile modernization, where the operational requirements of Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) are fused with the acquisition strategies of the Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAE). As the Army’s primary source of deep technical expertise, the Center provides the innovative science and responsive life-cycle engineering that allows the PAEs to execute programs at speed, delivering the asymmetric capabilities required to ensure our Soldiers dominate future conflicts.
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