The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word GUNSHIPS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
G
U
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S
H
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "such helicopters" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case such helicopters = gunships.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does GUNSHIPS mean?
GUNSHIPS noun- A ship equipped with heavy artillery.
- An armed helicopter tasked to attack the enemy.
- (air force) A transport airplane equipped with large calibre guns typical of armoured fighting vehicles