FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — Fort Riley troops stood in formation Friday as a fleet of Kiowa helicopters flew overhead in a symbolic tribute to the retiring aircraft.

Unlike the heavily armored Apache helicopters, Kiowas are intended to be flown so low they’ve been outfitted with wire cutters in front of the cockpit in case the helicopter encounters power lines.

Chief Warrant Officer Tim Riordan told The Manhattan Mercury that he’s grown to love the Kiowa. But he said advances in drone technology and the need to trim costs have led the Army to replace the Kiowa with a combination of Apache helicopters and Shadow unmanned aerial systems.

Riordan and other pilots will fly the unit’s Kiowas to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, where the helicopters will be stored.