The exercise centered on a demanding tactical combination. A UH-1Y crew supported rappelling operations while also preparing to neutralize an airborne unmanned target, with U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Gideon Mcconnon, a helicopter crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, seen firing an M134 Minigun at a drone. That pairing is significant because it reflects the operational reality now facing expeditionary forces: helicopters tasked with assault support or overwatch may also have to react immediately to hostile drones appearing over a landing zone, a temporary operating site, or a maneuver element. WTI 2-26 served as a rehearsal for missions in which aviation crews must transition quickly from mobility support to short-range aerial defense without the benefit of a static or uncontested environment.

The UH-1Y Venom is well-suited to that role because it combines utility, speed, and mission flexibility in a single platform. Bell gives the helicopter a maximum speed of 170 knots, a cruise speed of 147 knots, and a maximum range of 325 nautical miles, while Army Recognition notes that the type is powered by two T700-GE-401C engines and can rapidly redeploy along exposed border areas while performing assault support, escort, reconnaissance, command-and-control, and other multi-role missions. Those characteristics matter in a counter-drone context because the aircraft can insert personnel, remain responsive over dispersed terrain, and reposition fast enough to investigate or intercept suspicious low-altitude tracks. Rather than treating transport and protection as separate functions, the Venom allows them to be combined within a single rotary-wing platform.

~4:30 in the video you can see a drone getting shredded by a door gunner on a minigun.