Myanmar Rebels Claim Drone Strike Downed Military Helicopter

[geovalin]

 

In a sign of shifting battlefield tactics, Myanmar’s Kachin Independence Army (KIA) claims it has used a first-person view (FPV) drone to down a Myanmar military helicopter—marking a dramatic escalation in the country's ongoing civil conflict.

 

The attack reportedly took place on 20 May in Shwegu, a town in Kachin State near the Chinese border, during a resupply mission to the junta’s embattled forces. According to KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu, the FPV drone targeted an Mi-17 Hip transport helicopter as it hovered above a football pitch near Infantry Battalion 56’s headquarters. The craft later crashed, killing all onboard.

 

Footage shared on social media appears to show a drone streaking towards the helicopter’s rotors moments before a small explosion. The authenticity of the video remains unverified, but the military has confirmed the helicopter’s loss—though it attributes the crash to mechanical failure.

 

The incident echoes similar drone tactics developed on the front lines in Ukraine, where low-cost FPV drones have proven devastating against armoured vehicles and aircraft. Their appearance in Myanmar’s jungles suggests a worrying leap in the capabilities of ethnic armed groups.

 

The KIA, one of Myanmar’s most experienced and well-equipped rebel forces, has increasingly coordinated with pro-democracy militias since the 2021 military coup. Together, they’ve made gains across Kachin and the neighbouring Sagaing region, challenging the junta’s air dominance in an area long considered its stronghold.

 

Since late 2023, Myanmar’s military—once seen as unshakeable—has suffered major setbacks, particularly in eastern and western regions where ethnic armed alliances have mounted a concerted offensive. At least five helicopters and three fighter jets are reported lost since the coup, as resistance groups grow bolder and more technologically adept.

 

Though the government has downplayed the KIA’s claim, dismissing it as propaganda, analysts warn that such drone attacks could further degrade the junta’s ability to control supply lines and reinforce isolated outposts.

 

As the battle for Bhamo intensifies, the skies above Myanmar may no longer offer the sanctuary they once did. For the embattled Tatmadaw, this could mark the start of a new phase in the war—where even hovering helicopters are no longer safe from below.

 

-2025-05-24