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Boeing AH-64 Apache

April 02, 2023

This article is about the American attack helicopter. For the highway, see AH64 (highway).

The Boeing AH-64 Apache (/əˈpætʃi/) is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's forward fuselage, and four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament and stores, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 has significant systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

AH-64 Apache
An AH-64 Apache from the U.S. Army's 101st Aviation Regiment in Iraq
Role Attack helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer
First flight 30 September 1975[1]
Introduction April 1986[2]
Status In service
Primary users United States Army
Produced 1975–present
Number built 2,400 as of April 2020[3]
Variants AgustaWestland Apache

The Apache began as the Model 77 developed by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. The prototype YAH-64 was first flown on 30 September 1975. The U.S. Army selected the YAH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, and later approved full production in 1982. After purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984, McDonnell Douglas continued AH-64 production and development. The helicopter was introduced to U.S. Army service in April 1986. The advanced AH-64D Apache Longbow was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, with over 2,400 AH-64s being produced by 2020.[3]

The U.S. Army is the primary operator of the AH-64. It has also become the primary attack helicopter of multiple nations, including Greece, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. It has been built under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache. American AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel used the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. British and Dutch Apaches have seen deployments in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Development

Advanced Attack Helicopter

Main article: Advanced Attack Helicopter
 
An early Hughes YAH-64 prototype with T-tail

Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of projects like the U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II and the Marine Corps AV-8A Harrier, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role that would still be under Army command.[4][5] The 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning combat fixed-wing aircraft. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability for terrain following nap-of-the-earth (NoE) flying.[6] To this end, the U.S. Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) program on 15 November 1972.[7][8] As a sign of the importance of this project, in September 1973 the Army designated its five most important projects as the "Big Five", with the AAH included.[9]

Proposals were submitted by Bell, Boeing Vertol/Grumman team, Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky. In July 1973, the U.S. Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircraft's Toolco Aircraft Division (later Hughes Helicopters). This began the phase 1 of the competition.[10] Each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test program. Hughes' Model 77/YAH-64A prototype first flew on 30 September 1975, while Bell's Model 409/YAH-63A prototype first flew on 1 October 1975. After evaluating the test results, the Army selected Hughes' YAH-64A over Bell's YAH-63A in 1976. Reasons for selecting the YAH-64A included its more damage tolerant four-blade main rotor and the instability of the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear arrangement.[11][12]

 
A YAH-64A prototype in 1982

The AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program under which three pre-production AH-64s would be built, additionally, the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit were upgraded to the same standard.[11] Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile.[13] Development of the Hellfire missile had begun in 1974, originally known by the name of Helicopter Launched, Fire and Forget Missile ('Hellfire' being a shortened acronym),[14] for the purpose of arming helicopter platforms with an effective anti-tank missile.[citation needed]

Into production

In 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the U.S. Army for Operational Test II. The Army testing was successful, but afterward it was decided to upgrade to the more powerful T700-GE-701 version of engine, rated at 1,690 shp (1,260 kW). The AH-64 was named the Apache in late 1981, following the tradition of naming Army helicopters after Native American tribes. It was approved for full-scale production in 1982.[15] In 1983, the first production helicopter was rolled out at Hughes Helicopter's facility at Mesa, Arizona. Hughes Helicopters was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for $470 million in 1984 (equivalent to $1,226,000,000 in 2021).[16] The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997.[17] In 1986, the incremental or flyaway cost for the AH-64A was $7M and the average unit cost was approximately $13.9M based on total costs.[16]

A 1985 Department of Defense engineering analysis by the inspector general's office reported that significant design deficiencies still needed to be addressed by the contractor. The Army project manager Col. William H. Forster published a list of 101 action items. In 1986, the four 22-foot-long main rotor blades, each made from steel and composite material glued together to maximize strength and minimize weight by the Composite Structures Division of Alcoa Composites, were added to the list. The steel-composite rotors could not meet the Army specification for a life of 1500 flight hours, and needed replacment after just 146 hours. After six changes to the design, the rotor blade life was extended to 1400 hours by early 1991.[18]

Further development

During the 1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an AH-64B, featuring an updated cockpit, new fire control system and other upgrades. In 1988, funding was approved for a multi-stage upgrade program to improve sensor and weapon systems.[19] Technological advance led to the program's cancellation in favor of more ambitious changes. In August 1990, development of the AH-64D Apache Longbow was approved by the Defense Acquisition Board. The first AH-64D prototype flew on 15 April 1992.[20] Prototype testing ended in April 1995. During testing, six AH-64D helicopters were pitted against a bigger group of AH-64As. The results demonstrated the AH-64D to have a sevenfold increase in survivability and fourfold increase in lethality compared to the AH-64A.[21][22][23] On 13 October 1995, full-scale production was approved;[24] a $1.9-billion five-year contract was signed in August 1996 to upgrade 232 AH-64As into AH-64Ds.[25] On 17 March 1997, the first production AH-64D flew. It was delivered on 31 March.[26]

 
A YAH-64A in 1984

Portions of the Apache are produced by other aerospace firms. AgustaWestland has produced number of components for the Apache, both for the international market and for the British Army's AgustaWestland Apache.[27] Since 2004, Korea Aerospace Industries has been the sole manufacturer of the Apache's fuselage.[28][29][30] Fuselage production had previously been performed by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical. The transfer of fuselage production led to a prolonged legal dispute between Teledyne Ryan and Boeing.[31]

The AH-64D program cost a total of $11 billion through 2007.[32] In April 2006, Boeing was awarded a $67.6 million fixed-price contract for the remanufacture of several existing U.S. AH-64As to the AH-64D configuration. Between May 2009 and July 2011, a further five contracts were issued to remanufacture batches of AH-64As into AH-64Ds.[33] Since 2008, nations operating the older Apaches have been urged to undertake modernization programs as support for the AH-64A is withdrawn.[34]

By May 2019, Boeing tested in a wind tunnel a compound Apache scale model with a pusher propeller, a small wing to increase range and speed, and a counter-torque tail rotor like the cancelled Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne of the 1960s. It competed for the U.S. Army's FLRAA unveiled in April, developed from the Future Vertical Lift Capability Set 3 (medium rotorcraft) without the attack requirement, while the U.S. Army's FARA should replace the retired Bell OH-58 Kiowa scout and up to half of the AH-64 fleet.[35]

Design

Overview

Apache
version		 Engine version Engine power
AH-64A+/D[36] General Electric T700-701 1,696 shp (1,265 kW)[15]
AH-64A+/D General Electric T700-701C 1,890 shp (1,410 kW)[37]
AH-64E General Electric T700-701D 1,994 shp (1,487 kW)[38]
WAH-64D Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 2,100 shp (1,600 kW)[39]

The AH-64 Apache has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor.[40] The crew sits in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the co-pilot/gunner.[41] Both crew members are capable of flying the aircraft and performing methods of weapon engagements independently.[42] The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage.[43][44] Various models of engines have been used on the Apache; those in British service use engines from Rolls-Royce. In 2004, General Electric Aviation began producing more powerful T700-GE-701D engines, rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW) for AH-64Ds.[45]

The crew compartment and rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23 mm (0.91 in) rounds. The airframe includes some 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) of protection and has a self-sealing fuel system to protect against ballistic projectiles.[46] This compartment also incorporates a transparent blast shield between the pilot and gunner seats so that at least one crew member can survive in the event of a direct hit, but the canopy and windows are otherwise unrated against ballistic threats.[47]

The aircraft was designed to meet the crashworthiness requirements of MIL-STD-1290,[48] which specifies minimum requirement for crash impact energy attenuation to minimize crew injuries and fatalities. This was achieved through incorporation of increased structural strength, crashworthy landing gear, seats and fuel system.

On a standard day, when temperatures are 59 °F (15 °C), the AH-64 has a vertical rate of climb of 1,775 feet per minute (541 m/min), and a service ceiling of 21,000 feet (6,400 m).[49] However, on a hot day, when temperatures are 70 °F (21 °C), its vertical rate of climb is reduced to 1,595 fpm (486 m/min), and service ceiling is reduced to 19,400 feet (5,900 m) due to less dense air.[50]

Avionics and targeting

 
AH-64 Apache in flight

One of the revolutionary features of the Apache was its helmet mounted display, the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS);[51][52] among its capabilities, either the pilot or gunner can slave the helicopter's 30 mm automatic M230 Chain Gun to their helmet, making the gun track head movements to point where they look. The M230E1 can be alternatively fixed to a locked forward firing position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS).[53][54] On more modern AH-64s, the TADS/PNVS has been replaced by Lockheed Martin's Arrowhead (MTADS) targeting system.[55]

U.S. Army engagement training is performed under the Aerial Weapons Scoring System Integration with Longbow Apache Tactical Engagement Simulation System (AWSS-LBA TESS), using live 30 mm and rocket ammunition as well as simulated Hellfire missiles. The Smart Onboard Data Interface Module (SMODIM) transmits Apache data to an AWSS ground station for gunnery evaluation.[56] The AH-64's standard of performance for aerial gunnery is to achieve at least 1 hit for every 30 shots fired at a wheeled vehicle at a range of 800–1,200 m (870–1,310 yd).[57]

 
British Apache pilot with IHADSS

The AH-64 was designed to perform in front-line environments, and to operate at night or day and during adverse weather conditions.[58] Various sensors and onboard avionics allows the Apache to perform in these conditions; such systems include the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures,[59] GPS, and the IHADSS.[53][58] Longbow-equipped Apaches can locate up to 256 targets simultaneously within 50 km (31 mi).[60] In August 2012, 24 U.S. Army AH-64Ds were equipped with the Ground Fire Acquisition System (GFAS), which detects and targets ground-based weapons fire sources in all-light conditions and with a 120° visual field. The GFAS consists of two sensor pods working with the AH-64's other sensors, and a thermographic camera that precisely locates muzzle flashes.[61]

In 2014, it was announced that new targeting and surveillance sensors were under development to provide high-resolution color imagery to crews, replacing older low definition black-and-white imaging systems.[62] Lockheed received the first contract in January 2016, upgrading the Arrowhead turret to provide higher-resolution color imaging with longer ranges and a wider field of view.[63] In 2014, the U.S. Army was adapting its Apaches for increased maritime performance as part of the Pentagon's rebalance to the Pacific. Additional avionics and sensor improvements includes an extended-range radar capable of detecting small ships in littoral environments, software adaptions to handle maritime targets, and adding Link 16 data-links for better communications with friendly assets.[64]

Armament and configurations

Mission[40] Hellfire 30 mm
rounds		 Hydra 70 Maximum
speed
(knots)		 Rate of
climb
(feet/min)		 Endurance
(hours)
Anti-Armor 16 1,200 0 148 990 2.5
Covering Force 8 1,200 38 150 860 2.5
Escort 0 1,200 76 153 800 2.5

The AH-64 is adaptable to numerous different roles within its context as Close Combat Attack (CCA).[40] In addition to the 30 mm M230E1 Chain Gun, the Apache carries a range of external stores and weapons on its stub-wing pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, and Hydra 70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.756 in) rockets.[65] The Hellfire is designed to defeat stationary or moving tanks as far away as 6,500 meters.[66]

Since 2005, the Hellfire missile outfitted with a thermobaric warhead is designated AGM-114N; this missile version is intended for use against ground forces and urban warfare operations.[67][68] In October 2015, the U.S. Army ordered its first batch of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guided 70 mm rockets for the Apache.[69]

Starting in the 1980s, the Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and the AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radiation missile were evaluated for use upon the AH-64.[70][71] The Stinger was initially selected; the U.S. Army was also considering the Starstreak air-to-air missile.[70][72] External fuel tanks can also be carried on the stub wings to increase range and mission time.[40] The stub-wing pylons have mounting points for maintenance access; these mountings can also be used to secure personnel externally for emergency transport.[73] Stinger missiles are often used on non-U.S. Apaches, as foreign forces do not have as many air superiority aircraft to control the skies.[74] The AH-64E initially lacked the ability to use the Stinger to make room for self-defense equipment, but the capability was added back following a South Korean demand.[75]

 
AH-64 Apache weapon loadout

The AH-64E is able to control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), used by the U.S. Army to perform aerial scouting missions previously performed by the OH-58 Kiowa. Apaches can request to take control of an RQ-7 Shadow or MQ-1C Grey Eagle from ground control stations to safely scout via datalink communications. There are four levels of UAV interoperability (LOI): LOI 1 indirectly receives payload data; LOI 2 receives payload data through direct communication; LOI 3 deploys the UAV's armaments; and LOI 4 takes over flight control. UAVs can search for enemies and, if equipped with a laser designator, target them for the Apache or other friendly aircraft.[76][77]

Boeing has suggested that the AH-64 could be fitted with a directed energy weapon. The company has developed a small laser weapon, initially designed to engage small UAVs, that uses a high-resolution telescope to direct a 2–10 kW beam with the diameter of a penny out to a range of 5.4 nmi (10.0 km; 6.2 mi). On the Apache, the laser could be used to destroy enemy communications or radio equipment.[78] On 26 June 2017, the Army and Raytheon announced they had successfully completed the first-ever helicopter-based flight demonstration of a high energy laser system from an AH-64.[79]

On 14 July 2016, it was reported that the AH-64 had successfully completed testing of the MBDA Brimstone anti-armor missile.[80] In January 2020, the U.S. Army announced it was fielding the Spike NLOS missile on AH-64E Apaches as an interim solution to acquire new munitions that provide greater stand-off capabilities.[81]

Operational history

United States

 
U.S. Army testing of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) via an AH-64 Apache Longbow at Cibola Range, Yuma Proving Ground

Twentieth century

In January 1984, the U.S. Army formally accepted its first production AH-64A and training of the first pilots began later that year.[82][83] The first operational Apache unit, 7th Battalion, 17th Cavalry Brigade, began training on the AH-64A in April 1986 at Fort Hood, Texas.[84][85] Two operational units with 68 AH-64s first deployed to Europe in September 1987 and took part in large military exercises there.[84][86]

Upon fielding the Apache, capabilities such as the FLIR's use in extensive night operations made it clear that it was capable of operating beyond the forward line of own troops (FLOT) to which previous attack helicopters were normally restricted.[87] It was discovered that the Apache was coincidentally fitted with the Have Quick UHF radio system used by the U.S. Air Force, allowing inter-service coordination and joint operations such as the joint air attack teams (JAAT). The Apache has operated extensively with close air support (CAS) aircraft, such as the USAF's Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and the USMC's McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, often acting as a target designator to conserve the Apache's own munitions.[88] The Apache was first used in combat in 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama. It participated in over 240 combat hours, attacking various targets, mostly at night.[89][90] General Carl Stiner, the commander of the operation, stated: "You could fire that Hellfire missile through a window from four miles away at night."[91]

Nearly half of all U.S. Apaches were deployed to Saudi Arabia following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.[91] During Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991, eight AH-64As guided by four MH-53 Pave Low IIIs destroyed part of Iraq's radar network in the operation's first attack,[92] allowing the attack aircraft to evade detection.[93] Each Apache carried an asymmetric load of Hydra 70 rockets, Hellfires, and one auxiliary fuel tank.[94] During the 100-hour ground war, a total of 277 AH-64s took part, destroying 278 tanks, numerous armored personnel carriers and other Iraqi vehicles,[92][95] for a total of over 500 kills.[96] One AH-64 was lost in the war, crashing after a close range rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) hit, the crew survived.[97] While effective in combat, the AH-64 presented serious logistical difficulties. Findings reported in 1990 stated "maintenance units could not keep up with the Apache's unexpectedly high work load..."[98] To provide spare parts for combat operations, the U.S. Army unofficially grounded all other AH-64s worldwide; Apaches in the theater flew only one-fifth of planned flight-hours.[99] Such problems were evident before the Gulf War.[100]

 
AH-64 during an extraction exercise at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo in 2007 with a soldier on the avionics bay.

The AH-64 played roles in the Balkans during separate conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s.[101][102] During Task Force Hawk, 24 Apaches were deployed to a land base in Albania in 1999 for combat in Kosovo. These required 26,000 tons of equipment to be transported over 550 C-17 flights, at a cost of US$480 million.[103] During these deployments, the AH-64 encountered problems, such as deficiencies in training, night vision equipment, fuel tanks, and survivability.[104][105]

In 2000, Major General Dick Cody, 101st Airborne's commanding officer, wrote a strongly worded memo to the Chief of Staff about training and equipment failures.[106] Almost no pilots were qualified to fly with night vision goggles, preventing nighttime operations.[107] The Washington Post printed a front-page article on the failures, commenting: "The vaunted helicopters came to symbolise everything wrong with the Army as it enters the 21st century: Its inability to move quickly, its resistance to change, its obsession with casualties, its post-Cold War identity crisis".[108] Although no Apache combat missions took place, two were lost in training exercises.[109] An effective network of Yugoslav air defenses stopped Apaches from being deployed on combat missions in Kosovo.[107][109]

21st century

See also: List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Iraq War and List of aviation accidents and incidents in the war in Afghanistan
 
AH-64 over Baghdad, Iraq on a reconnaissance mission, 2007

U.S. Apaches served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2001.[110] It was the only Army platform capable of providing accurate CAS duties for Operation Anaconda, often taking fire and quickly repaired during the intense early fighting.[111] Apaches often flew in small teams with little autonomy to react to threats and opportunities, requiring lengthy dialogue with centrally micromanaged command structures.[112] U.S. AH-64Ds typically flew in Afghanistan and Iraq without the Longbow Radar in the absence of armored threats.[113] On 21 December 2009, a pair of U.S. Apaches attacked a British-held base in a friendly fire incident, killing one British soldier.[114]

In 2003, the AH-64 participated in the invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.[115] On 24 March 2003, 31 Apaches were damaged; one was shot down in an unsuccessful attack on an Iraqi Republican Guard armored brigade near Karbala.[116] Iraqi tank crews had set up a "flak trap" among terrain and effectively employed their guns.[117][118] Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache,[119] but the farmer denied involvement.[120] The AH-64 came down intact and the crew were captured;[117] it was destroyed via air strike the following day.[121][122]

AH-64 engaging Taliban insurgents over Afghanistan

By the end of U.S. military operations in Iraq in December 2011, several Apaches had been shot down by enemy fire and lost in accidents. In 2006, an Apache was downed by a Soviet-made Strela 2 (SA-7) in Iraq, despite it being typically able to avoid such missiles.[123] In 2007, four Apaches were destroyed on the ground by insurgent mortar fire using web-published geotagged photographs taken by soldiers.[124] Several AH-64s were lost to accidents in Afghanistan.[125][126][127][128] Most Apaches that took heavy damage were able to continue their missions and return safely.[118] By 2011, the U.S. Army Apache fleet had accumulated more than 3 million flight hours since the first prototype flew in 1975.[129] A DOD audit released in May 2011 found that Boeing had frequently overcharged the U.S. Army for routine spare parts in helicopters like the Apache, ranging from 33.3 percent to 177,475 percent.[130]

On 21 February 2013, the 1st Battalion (Attack), 229th Aviation Regiment at Joint Base Lewis–McChord became the first U.S. Army unit to field the AH-64E Apache Guardian; a total of 24 AH-64E were received by mid-2013.[131] On 27 November 2013, the AH-64E achieved initial operating capability (IOC).[132] In March 2014, the 1st–229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion deployed 24 AH-64Es to Afghanistan in the type's first combat deployment.[133] From April through September 2014, AH-64Es in combat maintained an 88 percent readiness rate.[134] The unit's deployment ended in November 2014, with the AH-64E accumulating 11,000 flight hours, each helicopter averaging 66 hours per month. The AH-64E flies 20 mph (32 km/h) faster than the AH-64D, cutting response time by 57 percent, and has better fuel efficiency, increasing time on station from 2.5–3 hours to 3–3.5 hours; Taliban forces were reportedly surprised by the AH-64E attacking sooner and for longer periods. AH-64Es also worked with medium and large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to find targets and maintain positive ID, conducting 60 percent of the unit's direct-fire engagements in conjunction with UAVs; Guardian pilots often controlled UAVs and accessed their video feeds to use their greater altitudes and endurance to see the battlespace from standoff ranges.[135][136][137]

In 2014, the Army began implementing a plan to move all Apaches from the Army Reserve and National Guard to the active Army to serve as scout helicopters to replace the OH-58 Kiowa. Using the AH-64 to scout would be less expensive than Kiowa upgrades or purchasing a new scout helicopter. AH-64Es can control UAVs like the MQ-1C Grey Eagle to perform aerial scouting missions; a 2010 study found the teaming of Apaches and UAVs was the most cost-effective alternative to a new helicopter and would meet 80 percent of reconnaissance requirements, compared to 20 percent with existing OH-58s and 50 percent with upgraded OH-58s. National Guard units, who would lose their attack helicopters, criticized the proposal.[138][139] In March 2015, the first heavy attack reconnaissance unit was formed with 24 Apaches and 12 Shadow UAVs.[140]

In July 2014, the Pentagon announced that Apaches had been dispatched to Baghdad to protect embassy personnel from Islamic State militant attacks. On 4 October 2014, Apaches began performing missions in Operation Inherent Resolve against Islamic State ground forces.[141] In October 2014, U.S. Army AH-64s and Air Force fighters participated in four air strikes on Islamic State units northeast of Fallujah.[citation needed] In June 2016, Apaches were used in support of the Iraqi Army's Mosul offensive[142] and provided support during the Battle of Mosul, sometimes flying night missions supporting Iraqi operations.[143] In December 2019, two Apaches provided overwatch for U.S. Marines to secure the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq after armed militants, supported by Iran, attempted to storm the facility.[144][145]

Israel

 
IAF AH-64D "Saraph"

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) first received AH-64As in 1990,[146] for a fleet of 42 by 2000.[147] The IAF's choice to buy Apaches over upgrading its AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters was controversial.[148] In 2000, Israel was interested in acquiring up to 48 AH-64Ds, but U.S. reluctance to share the source code complicated the prospect.[147] In April 2005, Boeing delivered the IAF's first AH-64D.[149] In 2001, the U.S. government was allegedly investigating misuse of the Apache and other U.S.-supplied military equipment against Palestinians.[150] In 2009, the sale of six AH-64Ds was reportedly blocked by the Obama Administration, pending interagency review, over concerns they may pose a threat to civilian Palestinians in Gaza.[151][152] In IAF service, the AH-64A was named Peten (Hebrew: פתן, for Cobra[N 1]), while the AH-64D was named Saraph[146] (Hebrew: שרף, for venomous/fiery winged serpent).[154]

During the 1990s, Israeli AH-64As frequently attacked Hezbollah outposts in Lebanon.[155][156][157] On 13 April 1996, during Operation Grapes of Wrath, an Apache fired two Hellfire missiles at an ambulance in Lebanon, killing six civilians.[158] During the al-Aqsa Intifada in the 2000s, AH-64s were used to kill senior Hamas figures, such as Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, and Adnan al-Ghoul.[159][160] Human Rights Watch documented instances of IAF Apaches attacking civilian homes during the 2002 Jenin operation, killing one civilian.[161] Consequently, HRW urged the US government to seek written assurances from Israel that Apaches would not be used to violate humanitarian law in the future.[161]

IAF Apaches played a prominent role in the 2006 Lebanon War, launching strikes into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah forces.[162][163] IAF Apaches also attacked civilian targets, killing many, including women and children.[164] During this war, two AH-64As collided, killing one pilot and critically wounding three.[165] In another incident in the conflict, an IAF AH-64D crashed due to a main rotor malfunction, killing the two crew.[166] In late 2007, the IAF put further purchases and deliveries of AH-64Ds on hold while its performance envelope was investigated.[154] Israeli officials praised the Apache for its role in Operation Cast Lead in 2008, against Hamas in Gaza.[167] IAF Apaches have often patrolled the skies over Gaza; strikes against insurgents by these helicopters has become a frequent occurrence.[168][169][170]

In the 2010s, the IAF pursued upgrades to its AH-64A fleet as new AH-64D orders had been blocked.[171][172] In June 2010, Israel decided not to upgrade all AH-64As to AH-64Ds due to funding constraints and lack of U.S. cooperation.[171][173] In December 2010, the IAF was examining the adoption of a new missile system as a cheaper and lightweight complement to the Hellfire missile, either the American Hydra 70 or the Canadian CRV7.[174] By 2013, IAF AH-64As were receiving a comprehensive upgrade of their avionics and electrical systems.[175] The AH-64As are being upgraded to the AH-64Ai configuration, which is near the AH-64D standard.[171] IAF Apaches can carry Spike anti-tank missiles instead of the Hellfire.[171][176] The latest AH-64D-I integrates Israeli systems such as Elta communications suite, Elbit mission management system, Rafael Combat Net system and Elisra self-protection suite.[177]

IAF AH-64s occasionally saw use in the air-to-air role. The first operational air-to-air kill took place on 24 May 2001, after a civilian Cessna 152 aircraft entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon and repeatedly refused to answer or comply with air traffic control (ATC) warnings; an IAF AH-64A fired on the Cessna, resulting in its disintegration.[178][179] The second air-to-air kill occurred on 10 February 2018, after an Iranian UAV entered Israeli airspace from Syria, an AH-64 destroyed it with a missile.[180]

United Kingdom

Main article: AgustaWestland Apache
 
UK Army Air Corps Westland WAH-64D Apache Longbow displays at a UK airshow

The UK currently operates a modified version of the AH-64D Block I Apache Longbow; initially called the Westland WAH-64 Apache, it is designated the Apache AH1 by the British Army. Westland built 67 WAH-64 Apaches under license from Boeing,[181] following a competition between the Eurocopter Tiger and the Apache for the British Army's new Attack Helicopter in 1995.[182][183] Important deviations made by AgustaWestland from the U.S. Apache variants include changing to more powerful Rolls-Royce engines,[184] and the addition of a folding blade assembly for use on naval ships.[185]

On 11 July 2016, the Ministry of Defence confirmed a U.S. Foreign Military Sale (FMS) worth $2.3 billion for 50 AH-64Es to be built in Mesa, Arizona. Leonardo Helicopters in the UK is to maintain the current fleet of Apaches until 2023–2024, with a long-term plan for Leonardo and other UK companies to "do most of the work" on the new fleet.[186] The deal includes an initial support contract for maintenance, spare parts, and training simulators; components from the older WAH-64s "will be reused and incorporated into the new helicopters where possible." The type is due to enter service with the British Army in 2022.[187] Approval for the re-manufacture of fifty of the UK's WAH-64 Mk 1 fleet to AH-64E Apache Guardian standard had been given by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in August 2015.[188] They will utilize the General Electric T700 engine rather than the Turbomeca RTM322 of the WAH-64; the first off-the-shelf purchase of a GE engine by the Ministry of Defence.[189] The first two AH-64Es were delivered to the British Army on 26 November 2020.[190]

Netherlands

The Dutch government initially showed an interest in acquiring Apache helicopters in the late 1980s, when it stated that it may purchase as many as 52.[191] A competition held in 1994 against the Eurocopter Tiger and the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra led to the Royal Netherlands Air Force ordering 30 AH-64D Apaches in 1995.[192][193][194] Deliveries began in 1998[195] and ended in 2002.[196][197] The RNLAF Apaches are equipped with the Apache Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (AMASE) self-protection system to counter infrared (IR) missile threats.[198][199]

The RNLAF Apaches' first deployment was in 2001 to Djibouti, Africa.[200] They were also deployed alongside U.S. AH-64s in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[201] In 2004, six Dutch AH-64s were deployed as part of the Netherlands contribution to Multinational force in Iraq to support the Dutch ground forces.[202] The Apaches performed close combat support and display of force missions, along with providing reconnaissance information to ground forces. In February 2006, the Netherlands contribution to NATO forces in Afghanistan was increased from 600 to 1,400 troops and 6 AH-64s were sent in support.[203]

Shortly after Apaches were deployed to Hamid Karzai International Airport, as part of the Dutch contribution to ISAF, on 10 April 2004, a pair of Dutch Apaches came under light gunfire close to Kabul.[204] On 17 December 2007, an RNLAF Apache flew into power lines during a night flying exercise in the Netherlands, forcing an emergency landing and causing a lengthy blackout in the region.[205] On 17 March 2015, a RNLAF Apache crashed during a training mission in Mali. Both pilots died. The Ministry of Defence opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.[206]

In February 2018, the Netherlands decided to upgrade all their AH-64Ds to the latest AH-64E standard via a FMS contract with the US, along with 17 APG-78 fire control radar units.[207] In November 2021, the process to upgrade AH-64Ds began and RNLAF is to receive the upgraded AH-64Es between 2023 and 2025.[208]

Saudi Arabia

See also: Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen and List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen

Following the 1991 Gulf War, during which many U.S. Apaches operated from bases within Saudi territory,[209][210] Saudi Arabia purchased twelve AH-64As for the Royal Saudi Land Force.[211][212] It has been speculated that the Saudi purchase motivated Israel to also procure Apaches.[213] In August 2006, Saudi Arabia began negotiations for Apache upgrades worth up to $400M, possibly remanufacturing their AH-64As to the AH-64D configuration.[214] In September 2008, the U.S. Government approved a Saudi Arabian request to buy 12 AH-64Ds.[215] In October 2010, Saudi Arabia requested a further 70 AH-64Ds as part of a possible massive arms deal.[216][217]

 
Royal Saudi Land Forces AH-64A, 2005

In November 2009, the Royal Saudi Land Force, as part of a military effort against insurgent border intrusions, launched Operation Scorched Earth; this involved Apaches launching air strikes against Houthi rebels operating inside neighboring Yemen.[218][219] In January 2010 the rebels claimed to have shot down an Apache; this was denied by the Saudi military.[220] In late January 2010, the leader of the Shiite rebels announced their withdrawal from Saudi territory, this announcement followed a key battle on 12 January when Saudi forces reportedly took control of the border village of Al Jabiri.[221]

As an escalation of the Yemeni Civil War, starting on 26 March 2015, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and several other regional allies started a military operation in Yemen. Both the Saudi Army Aviation and the United Arab Emirates Air Force used their AH-64s in combat against an alliance between elements of the Yemeni Army loyal to the former president Saleh and the Houthis. The Apaches were mostly involved in border patrol and strikes in North Western Yemen. Over the years, several Saudi and an Emirati Apaches were lost to incidents and enemy fire, although exact numbers have not been independently confirmed.[222] On 17 March 2017, an Apache reportedly attacked a Somali refugee boat, killing 42 refugees.[223] Saudi Arabia denied involvement, though it and the United Arab Emirates are the only militaries using Apaches during the conflict.[224][225]

United Arab Emirates

 
An UAEAF Apache conducts deck landing qualifications aboard the USS Fort McHenry.

The United Arab Emirates purchased 30 AH-64As between 1991 and 1994,[226] and began upgrading to AH-64D specification in 2008.[227] In December 2016, the U.S. State Department approved a proposed sale of another 37 AH-64Es and Congress was notified; this consisted of 28 re-manufactured and nine new-build helicopters.[228]

A UAE AH-64 was reportedly lost on 17 October 2017;[229] a replacement was approved by the US in 2019.[230]

Egypt

In 1995, the Egyptian Air Force placed an order for 36 AH-64As.[231] These Apaches were delivered with the same avionics as the U.S. fleet at that time, except for indigenous radio equipment.[232] In 2000, Boeing announced an order to remanufacture Egypt's Apache fleet to the AH-64D configuration,[233] except for Longbow radar, which had been excluded by the U.S. government.[234] In 2009, Egypt requested a further 12 AH-64D Block IIs with Longbow radars through a FMS.[235][236]

In August 2012, the Egyptian Armed Forces undertook a large-scale military operation to regain control of the Sinai Peninsula from armed militants. Air cover throughout the operation was provided by the Egyptian Air Force's Apaches, which reportedly destroyed three vehicles and killed at least 20 militants.[237] Up to five Egyptian Apaches were temporarily stationed in the Sinai following an agreement between Egypt and Israel.[238] In September 2015, an Egyptian Apache attacked a group of foreign tourists in the Western Desert, killing 12 people and injuring 10. The Egyptian Interior Ministry stated that the group, whom were mistaken for militants, were in a restricted area.[239]

In November 2018, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of ten AH-64Es and associated equipment to Egypt, valued at US$1 billion, pending the sale clearing Congress.[240][241]

India

 
An IAF AH-64E in 2019

In 2008, the Indian Air Force (IAF) released a tender for 22 attack helicopters; there were six contending submissions: Sikorsky's UH-60 Black Hawk, the AH-64D, Bell's AH-1 Super Cobra, Eurocopter's Tiger, Mil's Mi-28 and AgustaWestland's A129 Mangusta.[242] In October 2008, Boeing and Bell withdrew.[243] In 2009, the competition was restarted.[244][245] In December 2010, India requested the sale of 22 Apaches and associated equipment.[246] On 5 October 2012, IAF Chief NAK Browne confirmed the Apache's selection.[247] The IAF sought control of the 22 Apaches for air combat missions, while the Army Aviation Corps argued that they would be better used in army operations.[248] In April 2013, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) decided that the 22 AH-64s would go to the IAF.[249] India ordered the 22 AH-64Es in 2015.[250]

On 11 May 2019, India received its first AH-64E in a ceremony at Boeing's Mesa, Arizona facility.[251] On 3 September 2019, 8 AH-64Es were inducted into the IAF's 125 Helicopter Squadron at Pathankot Air Base, Punjab.[252][253] On 12 June 2018, the U.S. Department of State approved a possible FMS to India for six more AH-64Es and associated equipment in an estimated $930 million deal. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress for approval.[254][252] In February 2020, another six for the Indian Army were ordered, including weapons, equipment, and training; deliveries are planned to begin in 2023.[255]

Other users

 
ROCA AH-64E in 2014

Greece received 20 AH-64As by 1995; another 12 AH-64Ds were ordered in September 2003.[231][256]

Singapore purchased 20 AH-64Ds in two batches between 1999 and 2001.[257] In October 2010, training was suspended following the forced crash-landing of an Apache.[258]

In 2005, Kuwait purchased 16 AH-64Ds.[259]

On 26 August 2013, Indonesia and the U.S. finalized a contract for eight AH-64E Apaches worth $500 million.[260] The first was displayed on 5 October 2017 as part of a military exercise in Indonesia, to mark the 72nd anniversary of its armed forces.[261] The first batch of AH-64s for the Indonesian Army arrived in Indonesia on 18 December 2017.[262][263]

Japan ordered 50 AH-64Ds,[231] which were built under license by Fuji Heavy Industries, designated "AH-64DJP". The first helicopter was delivered to the JGSDF in early 2006.[264] The order was halted after 13 aircraft were delivered due to cost.[265] In 2017, it was announced that the targeting systems of the 13 aircraft would be upgraded.[266] One was destroyed in a crash in February 2018 with the deaths of both crew.[267][268][269]

 
Indonesian Army Aviation AH-64E in 2018

In June 2011, Taiwan (Republic of China) agreed to the purchase of 30 AH-64Es with weapons and associated equipment.[270][271] On 5 November 2013, Taiwan received the first six AH-64s.[272] On 25 April 2014, a Taiwanese AH-64E crashed into a three-story building during a training flight in bad weather conditions, the first AH-64E airframe loss.[273][274] An investigation ruled out mechanical failure and concluded that the pilots had rapidly descended through clouds at low altitude without checking flight instruments to maintain adequate height; the Army expanded simulator training in response.[275] In October 2014, Taiwan's fifth and final batch of AH-64Es was delivered.[276]

In 2009, South Korea showed interest in the Apache,[277][278] potentially related to plans to withdraw many U.S. Apaches from the country.[279] On 21 September 2012, the U.S. Congress was notified of the possible purchase of 36 AH-64E, along with associated equipment and armament.[280] It competed against the Bell AH-1Z Viper and the TAI/AgustaWestland T-129;[281] in April 2013, South Korea announced plans to buy 36 AH-64Es.[282] The first four AH-64Es were delivered in May 2016,[283] and all 36 were deployed by January 2017.[284]

Future and possible users

 
Two US Army Apaches during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019, in Queensland, Australia

Iraq requested the sale of 24 AH-64s in April 2013;[285] In January 2014, a sale, including the helicopters, associated parts, maintenance, and training, was cleared by the U.S. Congress.[286][287] However, the proposal was not accepted by the Iraqi government and expired in August 2014.[288]

In July 2012, Qatar requested the sale of 24 AH-64Es with associated equipment and support.[289] The sale was approved on 27 March 2014.[290] In March 2019, Qatar received the first of 24 AH-64Es ordered.[291]

In July 2016, the UK placed an order for 50 AH-64Es through the U.S. FMS program instead of upgrading their Westland-built WAH-64s.[292]

In July 2019, Australia issued a request for information for Project Land 4503 to replace the Army's Eurocopter Tiger ARH helicopters.[293][294] On 15 January 2021, the Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds announced that the AH-64E had been selected to replace the Tiger ARH.[295][296] A fleet of 29 AH-64Es will be acquired with a planned initial operational capability of 12 helicopters in 2026 and full operational capability in 2028.[296][297][298]

In October 2019, the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) was offered two types of attack helicopters and selected the AH-64, pending government approval.[299] However, due to the Apache's high costs, the BAF choose the competing Russian Mi-28NE Night Hunter.[300]

In November 2019, the U.S. State Department approved a FMS to Morocco of 24 AH-64Es (with an option for a further 12), this allows Morocco to negotiate an order.[301]

On 30 April 2020, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced it had received U.S. State Department approval and notified Congress of a possible sale to the Philippines of either six AH-1Z attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $450 million or six AH-64Es and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.[302][303]

On 21 April 2022, Polish Ministry of National Defence shortlisted two models in competition for the "Kruk" (Raven) Program aimed at modernizing the Polish Land Forces' fleet of attack helicopters, with the competitors being the AH-64E and Bell's AH-1Z Viper.[304] On 8 September 2022, Polish Minister of Defence Mariusz Błaszczak announced that the AH-64E has won and set out to procure 96 helicopters to form six squadrons.[305][306]

Variants

AH-64A

 
Israeli Air Force AH-64A Peten

The AH-64A is the original production attack helicopter. The crew sit in tandem in an armored compartment. It is powered by two GE T700 turboshaft engines. The A-model was equipped with the −701 engine version until 1990 when the engines were switched to the more powerful −701C version.[307]

U.S. Army AH-64As are being converted to AH-64Ds. The service's last AH-64A was taken out of service in July 2012 before conversion at Boeing's facility in Mesa, Arizona.[308] On 25 September 2012, Boeing received a $136.8M contract to remanufacture the last 16 AH-64As into the AH-64D Block II version and this was planned to be completed by December 2013.[309][needs update]

AH-64B

In 1991, after Operation Desert Storm, the AH-64B was a proposed upgrade to 254 AH-64As. The upgrade would have included new rotor blades, a Global Positioning System (GPS), improved navigation systems and new radios. U.S. Congress approved $82M to begin the Apache B upgrade. The B program was canceled in 1992.[310] The radio, navigation, and GPS modifications were later installed on most AH-64As via other upgrades.

AH-64C

Additional funding from Congress in late 1991 resulted in a program to upgrade AH-64As to an AH-64B+ version. More funding changed the plan to upgrade to AH-64C, which would include all of the changes to be included in the AH-64D except for mast-mounted radar and newer −700C engine versions. However, the C designation was dropped after 1993.[311] With AH-64As receiving the newer engine from 1990, the only difference between the AH-64C and the AH-64D was the radar, which could be moved from one aircraft to another; thus the decision was made to simply designate both versions as AH-64D.[311]

AH-64D

 
An AH-64D tests the AGM-179 JAGM at the Yuma Proving Ground

The AH-64D Apache Longbow is equipped with a glass cockpit and advanced sensors, the most noticeable of which being the AN/APG-78 Longbow millimeter-wave fire-control radar (FCR) target acquisition system and the Radar Frequency Interferometer (RFI), housed in a dome located above the main rotor.[312][313] The radome's raised position enables target detection while the helicopter is behind obstacles (e.g. terrain, trees or buildings). The AN/APG-78 is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 128 targets and engaging up to 16 at once; an attack can be initiated within 30 seconds.[314][315] A radio modem integrated with the sensor suite allows data to be shared with ground units and other Apaches, allowing them to fire on targets detected by a single helicopter.[316]

The aircraft is powered by a pair of uprated T700-GE-701C engines. The forward fuselage was expanded to accommodate new systems to improve survivability, navigation, and 'tactical internet' communications capabilities. In February 2003, the first Block II Apache was delivered to the U.S. Army, featuring digital communications upgrades. The Japanese Apache AH-64DJP variant is based on the AH-64D;[146] it can be equipped with the AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles for self-defense.[317][318]

AH-64E

 
AH-64E Apache Guardian

Formerly known as AH-64D Block III, in 2012, it was redesignated as AH-64E Guardian.[319][320] It has improved digital connectivity, the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System, more powerful T700-GE-701D engines with upgraded face gear transmission to handle more power,[321] capability to control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), full IFR capability, and improved landing gear.[322][323] New composite rotor blades, which completed testing in 2004, increase cruise speed, climb rate, and payload capacity.[324] Deliveries began in November 2011.[325] Full-rate production was approved on 24 October 2012,[citation needed] 634 AH-64Ds will be upgraded into AH-64Es.[326]

Changes in production lots 4 through 6 include a cognitive decision aiding system and new self-diagnostic abilities. The updated Longbow radar has an oversea capacity, potentially enabling naval strikes; an AESA radar is under consideration.[327] It will have a L-3 Communications MUMT-X datalink in place of two older counterparts, communicating on C, D, L, and Ku frequency bands to transmit and receive data and video with all Army UAVs.[328] Lots 5 and 6 will have Link 16 data-links.[329] The AH-64E is to be fit for maritime use.[330] The Army expressed interest in extended-range fuel tanks for greater endurance.[136] As of April 2020, 500 AH-64Es have been delivered.[3]

AH-64F

In 2014, Boeing conceptualized an Apache upgrade prior to the introduction of the U.S. Army's anticipated attack version of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft, forecast to replace the Apache by 2040. The conceptual AH-64F would have greater speed via a new 3,000 shp turboshaft engine from the Improved Turbine Engine Program, retractable landing gear, stub wings to offload lift from the main rotor during cruise, and a tail rotor that can articulate 90 degrees to provide forward thrust.[331] In October 2016, the Army revealed they would not pursue another Apache upgrade to focus on funding FVL; the Army will continue buying the Apache through the 2020s until Boeing's production line ends in 2026, then FVL is slated to come online in 2030.[332]

Compound Apache

In October 2018, Boeing began testing the AH-64E Block 2 Compound, a compound helicopter design which added a larger fixed wing and a pusher propeller to the Apache airframe to provide additional lift and thrust, respectively. In addition, the engine exhaust was redirected downwards.[333] Collectively, the modifications were anticipated to improve speed to 185 kn (343 km/h; 213 mph), range to 460 nmi (850 km; 530 mi), payload to 5,900 lb (2,700 kg), and fuel economy. A 30% scale model completed wind tunnel testing in January 2019. The Compound Apache has been pitched as an interim replacement for the Apache before its replacement under the Future Vertical Lift program.[334]

Sea Apache

 
A U.S. Army AH-64A Apache aboard USS Nassau during Joint Shipboard Weapons and Ordnance training

During the 1980s naval versions of the AH-64A for the United States Marine Corps and Navy were examined.[335][336] Multiple concepts were studied with altered landing gear arrangements, improved avionics and weapons.[335] The USMC conducted a two-week evaluation of the Apache in September 1981, including shipboard operation tests. Funding for a naval version was not provided; the USMC continued to use the AH-1.[337]

The Canadian Forces Maritime Command also examined naval Apaches.[338] In 2004, British Army AgustaWestland Apaches were deployed upon the Royal Navy's HMS Ocean, a Landing Platform Helicopter, for suitability testing; there was U.S. interest in the trials.[185] During the 2011 military intervention in Libya, the British Army extensively used Apaches from HMS Ocean.[339] In 2013, US AH-64Ds were tested on several U.S. Navy ships.[340]

Export Apaches

Several models have been derived from the AH-64A, AH-64D and AH-64E for export. The British-built AgustaWestland Apache (assembled from kits purchased from Boeing) is based on the AH-64D Block I with several different systems, including more powerful engines, folding rotor blades, and other modifications for operation from Royal Navy vessels.

Block modification

While a major change in design or role will cause the type designator suffix to change, for example from AH-64D to AH-64E, the helicopters are also subject to block modification. Block modification is the combining of equipment changes into blocks of modification work orders, the modifications in the block (sometimes called a block package) are all done to the helicopter at the same time.[341]

Operators

 
A Hellenic Army AH-64
 
An AH-64E Apache of the Indian Air Force
 
A Fuji Heavy Industries license built Apache for the Japanese GSDF
 
A U.S. Army ski equipped AH-64 training Fort Wainwright, Alaska
  Egypt
  Greece
  India
 
Indonesian Army AH-64E Apache helicopter
  Indonesia
  Israel
  Japan
In December 2022, the Japanese government decided to replace 12 AH-64D, 47 AH-1S, 33 OH-1, and 26 U-125A with unmanned aerial vehicles. Japan plans to increase its defense budget from 1.24% of GDP in fiscal 2021 to around 2.0% within 10 years, and has decided to retire these helicopters and aircraft as part of an effort to spend its defense budget efficiently.[346]
  Kuwait
  Morocco
  Netherlands
  Qatar
  Saudi Arabia
  Singapore
  South Korea
  Taiwan (Republic of China)
  United Arab Emirates
  United Kingdom
  United States

Specifications (AH-64A/D)

 

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2000–2001,[53] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010–2011,[72] Apache AH-64 Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) 1976–2005[351]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner)
  • Length: 58 ft 2 in (17.73 m)
  • Fuselage length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.87 m)
  • Empty weight: 11,387 lb (5,165 kg)
  • Gross weight: 17,650 lb (8,006 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701 turboshaft engines, 1,690 shp (1,260 kW) each (upgraded to 1,890 shp (1,409 kW) T700-GE-701C for AH-64A/D from 1990)
  • Main rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
  • Main rotor area: 1,908.5 sq ft (177.31 m2) 4-bladed main-rotor and 4-bladed tail-rotor in non-orthogonal alignment
  • Blade section: root: HH-02; tip: NACA 64A006[352]

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 158 kn (182 mph, 293 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 143 kn (165 mph, 265 km/h)
  • Never exceed speed: 197 kn (227 mph, 365 km/h)
  • Range: 257 nmi (296 mi, 476 km) with Longbow radar mast
  • Combat range: 260 nmi (300 mi, 480 km)
  • Ferry range: 1,024 nmi (1,178 mi, 1,896 km)
  • Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
  • Disk loading: 9.8 lb/sq ft (48 kg/m2)
  • Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (0.30 kW/kg)

Armament

Avionics

Notable appearances in media

Main article: AH-64 Apache in fiction

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ^ Israel had already used "Tzefa" (צפע), Hebrew for Viper to name its Bell AH-1 Cobras.[153] Donald 2004 states Peten translates to "Viper".[146]

Citations

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Bibliography

  • Bernstein, Jonathan. AH-64 Apache units of operations: Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-848-0.
  • Bishop, Chris. Apache AH-64 Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) 1976–2005. Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-816-2.
  • Donald, David. "AH-64A/D Apache and AH-64D Longbow Apache". Modern Battlefield Warplanes. AIRtime Publishing Inc, 2004. ISBN 1-880588-76-5.
  • Feldman, Shai. The Middle East Strategic Balance, 2003–2004. Sussex Academic Press, 2004. ISBN 1-8451-9003-3.
  • Fisk, Robert. The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. Fourth Estate, 2005. ISBN 978-1-4000-7517-1
  • Government Accounting Office. Staff Study: Advanced Attack Helicopter. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Accounting Office, 1974.
  • Luttwak, Edward. Strategy: the Logic of War and Peace. Harvard University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-674-00703-4.
  • Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (OAVCSA). . Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army. 1973.
  • Powers, Adam. United States Israeli Relations. Nova Publishers, 2002. ISBN 1-59033-133-8.
  • Richardson, Doug and Lindsay Peacock. Combat Aircraft: AH-64 Apache. London: Salamander Books, 1992. ISBN 0-86101-675-0.
  • Thomas, Adams K. The Army After Next: The First Postindustrial Army. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. ISBN 0-275-98107-X.
  • TM 1-1520-251-10 Technical Manual for Helicopter, Attack, AH-64D Longbow Apache, U.S. Army.
  • Williams, James W. A History of Army Aviation: From Its Beginnings to the War on Terror. iUniverse, 2005. ISBN 0-595-36608-2.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to AH-64 Apache.
  • Official website  
  • (archived from the original on 2011-05-01)
  • Apache overview with supporting images on HowStuffWorks.com
  • Top 10: Helicopters – AH-64D Apache. Discovery Channel, 8 May 2007.
  • AH-64E U.S. Army video describing Apache Block III technologies
  • Apache Helicopter Acoustic Analysis
  • "Boeing eyes X-49A technology for Apache attack helicopter".

April 02, 2023
boeing, apache, this, article, about, american, attack, helicopter, highway, ah64, highway, american, twin, turboshaft, attack, helicopter, with, tailwheel, type, landing, gear, arrangement, tandem, cockpit, crew, features, nose, mounted, sensor, suite, target. This article is about the American attack helicopter For the highway see AH64 highway The Boeing AH 64 Apache e ˈ p ae tʃ i is an American twin turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two It features a nose mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems It is armed with a 30 mm 1 18 in M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear under the aircraft s forward fuselage and four hardpoints mounted on stub wing pylons for carrying armament and stores typically a mixture of AGM 114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods The AH 64 has significant systems redundancy to improve combat survivability AH 64 ApacheAn AH 64 Apache from the U S Army s 101st Aviation Regiment in IraqRole Attack helicopterNational origin United StatesManufacturer Hughes Helicopters 1975 1984 McDonnell Douglas 1984 1997 Boeing Defense Space amp Security 1997 present First flight 30 September 1975 1 Introduction April 1986 2 Status In servicePrimary users United States ArmyIsraeli Air Force Egyptian Air Force Royal Netherlands Air ForceProduced 1975 presentNumber built 2 400 as of April 2020 update 3 Variants AgustaWestland ApacheThe Apache began as the Model 77 developed by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army s Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH 1 Cobra The prototype YAH 64 was first flown on 30 September 1975 The U S Army selected the YAH 64 over the Bell YAH 63 in 1976 and later approved full production in 1982 After purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984 McDonnell Douglas continued AH 64 production and development The helicopter was introduced to U S Army service in April 1986 The advanced AH 64D Apache Longbow was delivered to the Army in March 1997 Production has been continued by Boeing Defense Space amp Security with over 2 400 AH 64s being produced by 2020 3 The U S Army is the primary operator of the AH 64 It has also become the primary attack helicopter of multiple nations including Greece Japan Israel the Netherlands Singapore and the United Arab Emirates It has been built under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache American AH 64s have served in conflicts in Panama the Persian Gulf Kosovo Afghanistan and Iraq Israel used the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip British and Dutch Apaches have seen deployments in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq Contents 1 Development 1 1 Advanced Attack Helicopter 1 2 Into production 1 3 Further development 2 Design 2 1 Overview 2 2 Avionics and targeting 2 3 Armament and configurations 3 Operational history 3 1 United States 3 1 1 Twentieth century 3 1 2 21st century 3 2 Israel 3 3 United Kingdom 3 4 Netherlands 3 5 Saudi Arabia 3 6 United Arab Emirates 3 7 Egypt 3 8 India 3 9 Other users 3 10 Future and possible users 4 Variants 4 1 AH 64A 4 2 AH 64B 4 3 AH 64C 4 4 AH 64D 4 5 AH 64E 4 6 AH 64F 4 7 Compound Apache 4 8 Sea Apache 4 9 Export Apaches 4 10 Block modification 5 Operators 6 Specifications AH 64A D 7 Notable appearances in media 8 See also 9 References 9 1 Notes 9 2 Citations 9 3 Bibliography 10 External linksDevelopment EditAdvanced Attack Helicopter Edit Main article Advanced Attack Helicopter An early Hughes YAH 64 prototype with T tail Following the cancellation of the AH 56 Cheyenne in 1972 in favor of projects like the U S Air Force A 10 Thunderbolt II and the Marine Corps AV 8A Harrier the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti armor attack role that would still be under Army command 4 5 The 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning combat fixed wing aircraft The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH 1 Cobra in firepower performance and range It would have the maneuverability for terrain following nap of the earth NoE flying 6 To this end the U S Army issued a Request For Proposals RFP for the Advanced Attack Helicopter AAH program on 15 November 1972 7 8 As a sign of the importance of this project in September 1973 the Army designated its five most important projects as the Big Five with the AAH included 9 Proposals were submitted by Bell Boeing Vertol Grumman team Hughes Lockheed and Sikorsky In July 1973 the U S Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircraft s Toolco Aircraft Division later Hughes Helicopters This began the phase 1 of the competition 10 Each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test program Hughes Model 77 YAH 64A prototype first flew on 30 September 1975 while Bell s Model 409 YAH 63A prototype first flew on 1 October 1975 After evaluating the test results the Army selected Hughes YAH 64A over Bell s YAH 63A in 1976 Reasons for selecting the YAH 64A included its more damage tolerant four blade main rotor and the instability of the YAH 63 s tricycle landing gear arrangement 11 12 A YAH 64A prototype in 1982 The AH 64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program under which three pre production AH 64s would be built additionally the two YAH 64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit were upgraded to the same standard 11 Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time including the laser guided AGM 114 Hellfire missile 13 Development of the Hellfire missile had begun in 1974 originally known by the name of Helicopter Launched Fire and Forget Missile Hellfire being a shortened acronym 14 for the purpose of arming helicopter platforms with an effective anti tank missile citation needed Into production Edit In 1981 three pre production AH 64As were handed over to the U S Army for Operational Test II The Army testing was successful but afterward it was decided to upgrade to the more powerful T700 GE 701 version of engine rated at 1 690 shp 1 260 kW The AH 64 was named the Apache in late 1981 following the tradition of naming Army helicopters after Native American tribes It was approved for full scale production in 1982 15 In 1983 the first production helicopter was rolled out at Hughes Helicopter s facility at Mesa Arizona Hughes Helicopters was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for 470 million in 1984 equivalent to 1 226 000 000 in 2021 16 The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997 17 In 1986 the incremental or flyaway cost for the AH 64A was 7M and the average unit cost was approximately 13 9M based on total costs 16 A 1985 Department of Defense engineering analysis by the inspector general s office reported that significant design deficiencies still needed to be addressed by the contractor The Army project manager Col William H Forster published a list of 101 action items In 1986 the four 22 foot long main rotor blades each made from steel and composite material glued together to maximize strength and minimize weight by the Composite Structures Division of Alcoa Composites were added to the list The steel composite rotors could not meet the Army specification for a life of 1500 flight hours and needed replacment after just 146 hours After six changes to the design the rotor blade life was extended to 1400 hours by early 1991 18 Further development Edit During the 1980s McDonnell Douglas studied an AH 64B featuring an updated cockpit new fire control system and other upgrades In 1988 funding was approved for a multi stage upgrade program to improve sensor and weapon systems 19 Technological advance led to the program s cancellation in favor of more ambitious changes In August 1990 development of the AH 64D Apache Longbow was approved by the Defense Acquisition Board The first AH 64D prototype flew on 15 April 1992 20 Prototype testing ended in April 1995 During testing six AH 64D helicopters were pitted against a bigger group of AH 64As The results demonstrated the AH 64D to have a sevenfold increase in survivability and fourfold increase in lethality compared to the AH 64A 21 22 23 On 13 October 1995 full scale production was approved 24 a 1 9 billion five year contract was signed in August 1996 to upgrade 232 AH 64As into AH 64Ds 25 On 17 March 1997 the first production AH 64D flew It was delivered on 31 March 26 A YAH 64A in 1984 Portions of the Apache are produced by other aerospace firms AgustaWestland has produced number of components for the Apache both for the international market and for the British Army s AgustaWestland Apache 27 Since 2004 Korea Aerospace Industries has been the sole manufacturer of the Apache s fuselage 28 29 30 Fuselage production had previously been performed by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical The transfer of fuselage production led to a prolonged legal dispute between Teledyne Ryan and Boeing 31 The AH 64D program cost a total of 11 billion through 2007 32 In April 2006 Boeing was awarded a 67 6 million fixed price contract for the remanufacture of several existing U S AH 64As to the AH 64D configuration Between May 2009 and July 2011 a further five contracts were issued to remanufacture batches of AH 64As into AH 64Ds 33 Since 2008 nations operating the older Apaches have been urged to undertake modernization programs as support for the AH 64A is withdrawn 34 By May 2019 Boeing tested in a wind tunnel a compound Apache scale model with a pusher propeller a small wing to increase range and speed and a counter torque tail rotor like the cancelled Lockheed AH 56 Cheyenne of the 1960s It competed for the U S Army s FLRAA unveiled in April developed from the Future Vertical Lift Capability Set 3 medium rotorcraft without the attack requirement while the U S Army s FARA should replace the retired Bell OH 58 Kiowa scout and up to half of the AH 64 fleet 35 Design EditOverview Edit Apache version Engine version Engine powerAH 64A D 36 General Electric T700 701 1 696 shp 1 265 kW 15 AH 64A D General Electric T700 701C 1 890 shp 1 410 kW 37 AH 64E General Electric T700 701D 1 994 shp 1 487 kW 38 WAH 64D Rolls Royce Turbomeca RTM322 2 100 shp 1 600 kW 39 The AH 64 Apache has a four blade main rotor and a four blade tail rotor 40 The crew sits in tandem with the pilot sitting behind and above the co pilot gunner 41 Both crew members are capable of flying the aircraft and performing methods of weapon engagements independently 42 The AH 64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with high mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage 43 44 Various models of engines have been used on the Apache those in British service use engines from Rolls Royce In 2004 General Electric Aviation began producing more powerful T700 GE 701D engines rated at 2 000 shp 1 500 kW for AH 64Ds 45 The crew compartment and rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23 mm 0 91 in rounds The airframe includes some 2 500 lb 1 100 kg of protection and has a self sealing fuel system to protect against ballistic projectiles 46 This compartment also incorporates a transparent blast shield between the pilot and gunner seats so that at least one crew member can survive in the event of a direct hit but the canopy and windows are otherwise unrated against ballistic threats 47 The aircraft was designed to meet the crashworthiness requirements of MIL STD 1290 48 which specifies minimum requirement for crash impact energy attenuation to minimize crew injuries and fatalities This was achieved through incorporation of increased structural strength crashworthy landing gear seats and fuel system On a standard day when temperatures are 59 F 15 C the AH 64 has a vertical rate of climb of 1 775 feet per minute 541 m min and a service ceiling of 21 000 feet 6 400 m 49 However on a hot day when temperatures are 70 F 21 C its vertical rate of climb is reduced to 1 595 fpm 486 m min and service ceiling is reduced to 19 400 feet 5 900 m due to less dense air 50 Avionics and targeting Edit AH 64 Apache in flight One of the revolutionary features of the Apache was its helmet mounted display the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System IHADSS 51 52 among its capabilities either the pilot or gunner can slave the helicopter s 30 mm automatic M230 Chain Gun to their helmet making the gun track head movements to point where they look The M230E1 can be alternatively fixed to a locked forward firing position or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System TADS 53 54 On more modern AH 64s the TADS PNVS has been replaced by Lockheed Martin s Arrowhead MTADS targeting system 55 U S Army engagement training is performed under the Aerial Weapons Scoring System Integration with Longbow Apache Tactical Engagement Simulation System AWSS LBA TESS using live 30 mm and rocket ammunition as well as simulated Hellfire missiles The Smart Onboard Data Interface Module SMODIM transmits Apache data to an AWSS ground station for gunnery evaluation 56 The AH 64 s standard of performance for aerial gunnery is to achieve at least 1 hit for every 30 shots fired at a wheeled vehicle at a range of 800 1 200 m 870 1 310 yd 57 British Apache pilot with IHADSS The AH 64 was designed to perform in front line environments and to operate at night or day and during adverse weather conditions 58 Various sensors and onboard avionics allows the Apache to perform in these conditions such systems include the Target Acquisition and Designation System Pilot Night Vision System TADS PNVS passive infrared countermeasures 59 GPS and the IHADSS 53 58 Longbow equipped Apaches can locate up to 256 targets simultaneously within 50 km 31 mi 60 In August 2012 24 U S Army AH 64Ds were equipped with the Ground Fire Acquisition System GFAS which detects and targets ground based weapons fire sources in all light conditions and with a 120 visual field The GFAS consists of two sensor pods working with the AH 64 s other sensors and a thermographic camera that precisely locates muzzle flashes 61 In 2014 it was announced that new targeting and surveillance sensors were under development to provide high resolution color imagery to crews replacing older low definition black and white imaging systems 62 Lockheed received the first contract in January 2016 upgrading the Arrowhead turret to provide higher resolution color imaging with longer ranges and a wider field of view 63 In 2014 the U S Army was adapting its Apaches for increased maritime performance as part of the Pentagon s rebalance to the Pacific Additional avionics and sensor improvements includes an extended range radar capable of detecting small ships in littoral environments software adaptions to handle maritime targets and adding Link 16 data links for better communications with friendly assets 64 Armament and configurations Edit Mission 40 Hellfire 30 mmrounds Hydra 70 Maximumspeed knots Rate ofclimb feet min Endurance hours Anti Armor 16 1 200 0 148 990 2 5Covering Force 8 1 200 38 150 860 2 5Escort 0 1 200 76 153 800 2 5The AH 64 is adaptable to numerous different roles within its context as Close Combat Attack CCA 40 In addition to the 30 mm M230E1 Chain Gun the Apache carries a range of external stores and weapons on its stub wing pylons typically a mixture of AGM 114 Hellfire anti tank missiles and Hydra 70 general purpose unguided 70 mm 2 756 in rockets 65 The Hellfire is designed to defeat stationary or moving tanks as far away as 6 500 meters 66 Since 2005 the Hellfire missile outfitted with a thermobaric warhead is designated AGM 114N this missile version is intended for use against ground forces and urban warfare operations 67 68 In October 2015 the U S Army ordered its first batch of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System APKWS guided 70 mm rockets for the Apache 69 Starting in the 1980s the Stinger and AIM 9 Sidewinder air to air missiles and the AGM 122 Sidearm anti radiation missile were evaluated for use upon the AH 64 70 71 The Stinger was initially selected the U S Army was also considering the Starstreak air to air missile 70 72 External fuel tanks can also be carried on the stub wings to increase range and mission time 40 The stub wing pylons have mounting points for maintenance access these mountings can also be used to secure personnel externally for emergency transport 73 Stinger missiles are often used on non U S Apaches as foreign forces do not have as many air superiority aircraft to control the skies 74 The AH 64E initially lacked the ability to use the Stinger to make room for self defense equipment but the capability was added back following a South Korean demand 75 AH 64 Apache weapon loadout The AH 64E is able to control unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs used by the U S Army to perform aerial scouting missions previously performed by the OH 58 Kiowa Apaches can request to take control of an RQ 7 Shadow or MQ 1C Grey Eagle from ground control stations to safely scout via datalink communications There are four levels of UAV interoperability LOI LOI 1 indirectly receives payload data LOI 2 receives payload data through direct communication LOI 3 deploys the UAV s armaments and LOI 4 takes over flight control UAVs can search for enemies and if equipped with a laser designator target them for the Apache or other friendly aircraft 76 77 Boeing has suggested that the AH 64 could be fitted with a directed energy weapon The company has developed a small laser weapon initially designed to engage small UAVs that uses a high resolution telescope to direct a 2 10 kW beam with the diameter of a penny out to a range of 5 4 nmi 10 0 km 6 2 mi On the Apache the laser could be used to destroy enemy communications or radio equipment 78 On 26 June 2017 the Army and Raytheon announced they had successfully completed the first ever helicopter based flight demonstration of a high energy laser system from an AH 64 79 On 14 July 2016 it was reported that the AH 64 had successfully completed testing of the MBDA Brimstone anti armor missile 80 In January 2020 the U S Army announced it was fielding the Spike NLOS missile on AH 64E Apaches as an interim solution to acquire new munitions that provide greater stand off capabilities 81 Operational history EditUnited States Edit U S Army testing of the Joint Air to Ground Missile JAGM via an AH 64 Apache Longbow at Cibola Range Yuma Proving Ground Twentieth century Edit In January 1984 the U S Army formally accepted its first production AH 64A and training of the first pilots began later that year 82 83 The first operational Apache unit 7th Battalion 17th Cavalry Brigade began training on the AH 64A in April 1986 at Fort Hood Texas 84 85 Two operational units with 68 AH 64s first deployed to Europe in September 1987 and took part in large military exercises there 84 86 Upon fielding the Apache capabilities such as the FLIR s use in extensive night operations made it clear that it was capable of operating beyond the forward line of own troops FLOT to which previous attack helicopters were normally restricted 87 It was discovered that the Apache was coincidentally fitted with the Have Quick UHF radio system used by the U S Air Force allowing inter service coordination and joint operations such as the joint air attack teams JAAT The Apache has operated extensively with close air support CAS aircraft such as the USAF s Fairchild Republic A 10 Thunderbolt II and the USMC s McDonnell Douglas AV 8B Harrier II often acting as a target designator to conserve the Apache s own munitions 88 The Apache was first used in combat in 1989 during Operation Just Cause the invasion of Panama It participated in over 240 combat hours attacking various targets mostly at night 89 90 General Carl Stiner the commander of the operation stated You could fire that Hellfire missile through a window from four miles away at night 91 Nearly half of all U S Apaches were deployed to Saudi Arabia following Iraq s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 91 During Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991 eight AH 64As guided by four MH 53 Pave Low IIIs destroyed part of Iraq s radar network in the operation s first attack 92 allowing the attack aircraft to evade detection 93 Each Apache carried an asymmetric load of Hydra 70 rockets Hellfires and one auxiliary fuel tank 94 During the 100 hour ground war a total of 277 AH 64s took part destroying 278 tanks numerous armored personnel carriers and other Iraqi vehicles 92 95 for a total of over 500 kills 96 One AH 64 was lost in the war crashing after a close range rocket propelled grenade RPG hit the crew survived 97 While effective in combat the AH 64 presented serious logistical difficulties Findings reported in 1990 stated maintenance units could not keep up with the Apache s unexpectedly high work load 98 To provide spare parts for combat operations the U S Army unofficially grounded all other AH 64s worldwide Apaches in the theater flew only one fifth of planned flight hours 99 Such problems were evident before the Gulf War 100 AH 64 during an extraction exercise at Camp Bondsteel Kosovo in 2007 with a soldier on the avionics bay The AH 64 played roles in the Balkans during separate conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s 101 102 During Task Force Hawk 24 Apaches were deployed to a land base in Albania in 1999 for combat in Kosovo These required 26 000 tons of equipment to be transported over 550 C 17 flights at a cost of US 480 million 103 During these deployments the AH 64 encountered problems such as deficiencies in training night vision equipment fuel tanks and survivability 104 105 In 2000 Major General Dick Cody 101st Airborne s commanding officer wrote a strongly worded memo to the Chief of Staff about training and equipment failures 106 Almost no pilots were qualified to fly with night vision goggles preventing nighttime operations 107 The Washington Post printed a front page article on the failures commenting The vaunted helicopters came to symbolise everything wrong with the Army as it enters the 21st century Its inability to move quickly its resistance to change its obsession with casualties its post Cold War identity crisis 108 Although no Apache combat missions took place two were lost in training exercises 109 An effective network of Yugoslav air defenses stopped Apaches from being deployed on combat missions in Kosovo 107 109 21st century Edit See also List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Iraq War and List of aviation accidents and incidents in the war in Afghanistan AH 64 over Baghdad Iraq on a reconnaissance mission 2007 U S Apaches served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2001 110 It was the only Army platform capable of providing accurate CAS duties for Operation Anaconda often taking fire and quickly repaired during the intense early fighting 111 Apaches often flew in small teams with little autonomy to react to threats and opportunities requiring lengthy dialogue with centrally micromanaged command structures 112 U S AH 64Ds typically flew in Afghanistan and Iraq without the Longbow Radar in the absence of armored threats 113 On 21 December 2009 a pair of U S Apaches attacked a British held base in a friendly fire incident killing one British soldier 114 In 2003 the AH 64 participated in the invasion of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom 115 On 24 March 2003 31 Apaches were damaged one was shot down in an unsuccessful attack on an Iraqi Republican Guard armored brigade near Karbala 116 Iraqi tank crews had set up a flak trap among terrain and effectively employed their guns 117 118 Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache 119 but the farmer denied involvement 120 The AH 64 came down intact and the crew were captured 117 it was destroyed via air strike the following day 121 122 source source source source source source source source source source source source source source AH 64 engaging Taliban insurgents over Afghanistan By the end of U S military operations in Iraq in December 2011 several Apaches had been shot down by enemy fire and lost in accidents In 2006 an Apache was downed by a Soviet made Strela 2 SA 7 in Iraq despite it being typically able to avoid such missiles 123 In 2007 four Apaches were destroyed on the ground by insurgent mortar fire using web published geotagged photographs taken by soldiers 124 Several AH 64s were lost to accidents in Afghanistan 125 126 127 128 Most Apaches that took heavy damage were able to continue their missions and return safely 118 By 2011 the U S Army Apache fleet had accumulated more than 3 million flight hours since the first prototype flew in 1975 129 A DOD audit released in May 2011 found that Boeing had frequently overcharged the U S Army for routine spare parts in helicopters like the Apache ranging from 33 3 percent to 177 475 percent 130 On 21 February 2013 the 1st Battalion Attack 229th Aviation Regiment at Joint Base Lewis McChord became the first U S Army unit to field the AH 64E Apache Guardian a total of 24 AH 64E were received by mid 2013 131 On 27 November 2013 the AH 64E achieved initial operating capability IOC 132 In March 2014 the 1st 229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion deployed 24 AH 64Es to Afghanistan in the type s first combat deployment 133 From April through September 2014 AH 64Es in combat maintained an 88 percent readiness rate 134 The unit s deployment ended in November 2014 with the AH 64E accumulating 11 000 flight hours each helicopter averaging 66 hours per month The AH 64E flies 20 mph 32 km h faster than the AH 64D cutting response time by 57 percent and has better fuel efficiency increasing time on station from 2 5 3 hours to 3 3 5 hours Taliban forces were reportedly surprised by the AH 64E attacking sooner and for longer periods AH 64Es also worked with medium and large unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs to find targets and maintain positive ID conducting 60 percent of the unit s direct fire engagements in conjunction with UAVs Guardian pilots often controlled UAVs and accessed their video feeds to use their greater altitudes and endurance to see the battlespace from standoff ranges 135 136 137 In 2014 the Army began implementing a plan to move all Apaches from the Army Reserve and National Guard to the active Army to serve as scout helicopters to replace the OH 58 Kiowa Using the AH 64 to scout would be less expensive than Kiowa upgrades or purchasing a new scout helicopter AH 64Es can control UAVs like the MQ 1C Grey Eagle to perform aerial scouting missions a 2010 study found the teaming of Apaches and UAVs was the most cost effective alternative to a new helicopter and would meet 80 percent of reconnaissance requirements compared to 20 percent with existing OH 58s and 50 percent with upgraded OH 58s National Guard units who would lose their attack helicopters criticized the proposal 138 139 In March 2015 the first heavy attack reconnaissance unit was formed with 24 Apaches and 12 Shadow UAVs 140 In July 2014 the Pentagon announced that Apaches had been dispatched to Baghdad to protect embassy personnel from Islamic State militant attacks On 4 October 2014 Apaches began performing missions in Operation Inherent Resolve against Islamic State ground forces 141 In October 2014 U S Army AH 64s and Air Force fighters participated in four air strikes on Islamic State units northeast of Fallujah citation needed In June 2016 Apaches were used in support of the Iraqi Army s Mosul offensive 142 and provided support during the Battle of Mosul sometimes flying night missions supporting Iraqi operations 143 In December 2019 two Apaches provided overwatch for U S Marines to secure the U S embassy in Baghdad Iraq after armed militants supported by Iran attempted to storm the facility 144 145 Israel Edit IAF AH 64D Saraph The Israeli Air Force IAF first received AH 64As in 1990 146 for a fleet of 42 by 2000 147 The IAF s choice to buy Apaches over upgrading its AH 1 Cobra attack helicopters was controversial 148 In 2000 Israel was interested in acquiring up to 48 AH 64Ds but U S reluctance to share the source code complicated the prospect 147 In April 2005 Boeing delivered the IAF s first AH 64D 149 In 2001 the U S government was allegedly investigating misuse of the Apache and other U S supplied military equipment against Palestinians 150 In 2009 the sale of six AH 64Ds was reportedly blocked by the Obama Administration pending interagency review over concerns they may pose a threat to civilian Palestinians in Gaza 151 152 In IAF service the AH 64A was named Peten Hebrew פתן for Cobra N 1 while the AH 64D was named Saraph 146 Hebrew שרף for venomous fiery winged serpent 154 During the 1990s Israeli AH 64As frequently attacked Hezbollah outposts in Lebanon 155 156 157 On 13 April 1996 during Operation Grapes of Wrath an Apache fired two Hellfire missiles at an ambulance in Lebanon killing six civilians 158 During the al Aqsa Intifada in the 2000s AH 64s were used to kill senior Hamas figures such as Ahmed Yassin Abdel Aziz al Rantisi and Adnan al Ghoul 159 160 Human Rights Watch documented instances of IAF Apaches attacking civilian homes during the 2002 Jenin operation killing one civilian 161 Consequently HRW urged the US government to seek written assurances from Israel that Apaches would not be used to violate humanitarian law in the future 161 IAF Apaches played a prominent role in the 2006 Lebanon War launching strikes into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah forces 162 163 IAF Apaches also attacked civilian targets killing many including women and children 164 During this war two AH 64As collided killing one pilot and critically wounding three 165 In another incident in the conflict an IAF AH 64D crashed due to a main rotor malfunction killing the two crew 166 In late 2007 the IAF put further purchases and deliveries of AH 64Ds on hold while its performance envelope was investigated 154 Israeli officials praised the Apache for its role in Operation Cast Lead in 2008 against Hamas in Gaza 167 IAF Apaches have often patrolled the skies over Gaza strikes against insurgents by these helicopters has become a frequent occurrence 168 169 170 In the 2010s the IAF pursued upgrades to its AH 64A fleet as new AH 64D orders had been blocked 171 172 In June 2010 Israel decided not to upgrade all AH 64As to AH 64Ds due to funding constraints and lack of U S cooperation 171 173 In December 2010 the IAF was examining the adoption of a new missile system as a cheaper and lightweight complement to the Hellfire missile either the American Hydra 70 or the Canadian CRV7 174 By 2013 IAF AH 64As were receiving a comprehensive upgrade of their avionics and electrical systems 175 The AH 64As are being upgraded to the AH 64Ai configuration which is near the AH 64D standard 171 IAF Apaches can carry Spike anti tank missiles instead of the Hellfire 171 176 The latest AH 64D I integrates Israeli systems such as Elta communications suite Elbit mission management system Rafael Combat Net system and Elisra self protection suite 177 IAF AH 64s occasionally saw use in the air to air role The first operational air to air kill took place on 24 May 2001 after a civilian Cessna 152 aircraft entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon and repeatedly refused to answer or comply with air traffic control ATC warnings an IAF AH 64A fired on the Cessna resulting in its disintegration 178 179 The second air to air kill occurred on 10 February 2018 after an Iranian UAV entered Israeli airspace from Syria an AH 64 destroyed it with a missile 180 United Kingdom Edit Main article AgustaWestland Apache UK Army Air Corps Westland WAH 64D Apache Longbow displays at a UK airshow The UK currently operates a modified version of the AH 64D Block I Apache Longbow initially called the Westland WAH 64 Apache it is designated the Apache AH1 by the British Army Westland built 67 WAH 64 Apaches under license from Boeing 181 following a competition between the Eurocopter Tiger and the Apache for the British Army s new Attack Helicopter in 1995 182 183 Important deviations made by AgustaWestland from the U S Apache variants include changing to more powerful Rolls Royce engines 184 and the addition of a folding blade assembly for use on naval ships 185 On 11 July 2016 the Ministry of Defence confirmed a U S Foreign Military Sale FMS worth 2 3 billion for 50 AH 64Es to be built in Mesa Arizona Leonardo Helicopters in the UK is to maintain the current fleet of Apaches until 2023 2024 with a long term plan for Leonardo and other UK companies to do most of the work on the new fleet 186 The deal includes an initial support contract for maintenance spare parts and training simulators components from the older WAH 64s will be reused and incorporated into the new helicopters where possible The type is due to enter service with the British Army in 2022 187 Approval for the re manufacture of fifty of the UK s WAH 64 Mk 1 fleet to AH 64E Apache Guardian standard had been given by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in August 2015 188 They will utilize the General Electric T700 engine rather than the Turbomeca RTM322 of the WAH 64 the first off the shelf purchase of a GE engine by the Ministry of Defence 189 The first two AH 64Es were delivered to the British Army on 26 November 2020 190 Netherlands Edit Royal Netherlands Air Force AH 64D at the Farnborough Airshow 2006 The Dutch government initially showed an interest in acquiring Apache helicopters in the late 1980s when it stated that it may purchase as many as 52 191 A competition held in 1994 against the Eurocopter Tiger and the Bell AH 1 SuperCobra led to the Royal Netherlands Air Force ordering 30 AH 64D Apaches in 1995 192 193 194 Deliveries began in 1998 195 and ended in 2002 196 197 The RNLAF Apaches are equipped with the Apache Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment AMASE self protection system to counter infrared IR missile threats 198 199 The RNLAF Apaches first deployment was in 2001 to Djibouti Africa 200 They were also deployed alongside U S AH 64s in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina 201 In 2004 six Dutch AH 64s were deployed as part of the Netherlands contribution to Multinational force in Iraq to support the Dutch ground forces 202 The Apaches performed close combat support and display of force missions along with providing reconnaissance information to ground forces In February 2006 the Netherlands contribution to NATO forces in Afghanistan was increased from 600 to 1 400 troops and 6 AH 64s were sent in support 203 A Royal Netherlands Air Force AH 64D Apache from the Apache Solo Display Team Shortly after Apaches were deployed to Hamid Karzai International Airport as part of the Dutch contribution to ISAF on 10 April 2004 a pair of Dutch Apaches came under light gunfire close to Kabul 204 On 17 December 2007 an RNLAF Apache flew into power lines during a night flying exercise in the Netherlands forcing an emergency landing and causing a lengthy blackout in the region 205 On 17 March 2015 a RNLAF Apache crashed during a training mission in Mali Both pilots died The Ministry of Defence opened an investigation into the cause of the crash 206 In February 2018 the Netherlands decided to upgrade all their AH 64Ds to the latest AH 64E standard via a FMS contract with the US along with 17 APG 78 fire control radar units 207 In November 2021 the process to upgrade AH 64Ds began and RNLAF is to receive the upgraded AH 64Es between 2023 and 2025 208 Saudi Arabia Edit See also Saudi Arabian led intervention in Yemen and List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Saudi Arabian led intervention in Yemen Following the 1991 Gulf War during which many U S Apaches operated from bases within Saudi territory 209 210 Saudi Arabia purchased twelve AH 64As for the Royal Saudi Land Force 211 212 It has been speculated that the Saudi purchase motivated Israel to also procure Apaches 213 In August 2006 Saudi Arabia began negotiations for Apache upgrades worth up to 400M possibly remanufacturing their AH 64As to the AH 64D configuration 214 In September 2008 the U S Government approved a Saudi Arabian request to buy 12 AH 64Ds 215 In October 2010 Saudi Arabia requested a further 70 AH 64Ds as part of a possible massive arms deal 216 217 Royal Saudi Land Forces AH 64A 2005 In November 2009 the Royal Saudi Land Force as part of a military effort against insurgent border intrusions launched Operation Scorched Earth this involved Apaches launching air strikes against Houthi rebels operating inside neighboring Yemen 218 219 In January 2010 the rebels claimed to have shot down an Apache this was denied by the Saudi military 220 In late January 2010 the leader of the Shiite rebels announced their withdrawal from Saudi territory this announcement followed a key battle on 12 January when Saudi forces reportedly took control of the border village of Al Jabiri 221 As an escalation of the Yemeni Civil War starting on 26 March 2015 Saudi Arabia the United Arab Emirates and several other regional allies started a military operation in Yemen Both the Saudi Army Aviation and the United Arab Emirates Air Force used their AH 64s in combat against an alliance between elements of the Yemeni Army loyal to the former president Saleh and the Houthis The Apaches were mostly involved in border patrol and strikes in North Western Yemen Over the years several Saudi and an Emirati Apaches were lost to incidents and enemy fire although exact numbers have not been independently confirmed 222 On 17 March 2017 an Apache reportedly attacked a Somali refugee boat killing 42 refugees 223 Saudi Arabia denied involvement though it and the United Arab Emirates are the only militaries using Apaches during the conflict 224 225 United Arab Emirates Edit An UAEAF Apache conducts deck landing qualifications aboard the USS Fort McHenry The United Arab Emirates purchased 30 AH 64As between 1991 and 1994 226 and began upgrading to AH 64D specification in 2008 227 In December 2016 the U S State Department approved a proposed sale of another 37 AH 64Es and Congress was notified this consisted of 28 re manufactured and nine new build helicopters 228 A UAE AH 64 was reportedly lost on 17 October 2017 229 a replacement was approved by the US in 2019 230 Egypt Edit In 1995 the Egyptian Air Force placed an order for 36 AH 64As 231 These Apaches were delivered with the same avionics as the U S fleet at that time except for indigenous radio equipment 232 In 2000 Boeing announced an order to remanufacture Egypt s Apache fleet to the AH 64D configuration 233 except for Longbow radar which had been excluded by the U S government 234 In 2009 Egypt requested a further 12 AH 64D Block IIs with Longbow radars through a FMS 235 236 In August 2012 the Egyptian Armed Forces undertook a large scale military operation to regain control of the Sinai Peninsula from armed militants Air cover throughout the operation was provided by the Egyptian Air Force s Apaches which reportedly destroyed three vehicles and killed at least 20 militants 237 Up to five Egyptian Apaches were temporarily stationed in the Sinai following an agreement between Egypt and Israel 238 In September 2015 an Egyptian Apache attacked a group of foreign tourists in the Western Desert killing 12 people and injuring 10 The Egyptian Interior Ministry stated that the group whom were mistaken for militants were in a restricted area 239 In November 2018 the U S Department of State approved the sale of ten AH 64Es and associated equipment to Egypt valued at US 1 billion pending the sale clearing Congress 240 241 India Edit An IAF AH 64E in 2019 In 2008 the Indian Air Force IAF released a tender for 22 attack helicopters there were six contending submissions Sikorsky s UH 60 Black Hawk the AH 64D Bell s AH 1 Super Cobra Eurocopter s Tiger Mil s Mi 28 and AgustaWestland s A129 Mangusta 242 In October 2008 Boeing and Bell withdrew 243 In 2009 the competition was restarted 244 245 In December 2010 India requested the sale of 22 Apaches and associated equipment 246 On 5 October 2012 IAF Chief NAK Browne confirmed the Apache s selection 247 The IAF sought control of the 22 Apaches for air combat missions while the Army Aviation Corps argued that they would be better used in army operations 248 In April 2013 the Indian Ministry of Defence MoD decided that the 22 AH 64s would go to the IAF 249 India ordered the 22 AH 64Es in 2015 250 On 11 May 2019 India received its first AH 64E in a ceremony at Boeing s Mesa Arizona facility 251 On 3 September 2019 8 AH 64Es were inducted into the IAF s 125 Helicopter Squadron at Pathankot Air Base Punjab 252 253 On 12 June 2018 the U S Department of State approved a possible FMS to India for six more AH 64Es and associated equipment in an estimated 930 million deal The U S Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress for approval 254 252 In February 2020 another six for the Indian Army were ordered including weapons equipment and training deliveries are planned to begin in 2023 255 Other users Edit ROCA AH 64E in 2014 Greece received 20 AH 64As by 1995 another 12 AH 64Ds were ordered in September 2003 231 256 Singapore purchased 20 AH 64Ds in two batches between 1999 and 2001 257 In October 2010 training was suspended following the forced crash landing of an Apache 258 In 2005 Kuwait purchased 16 AH 64Ds 259 On 26 August 2013 Indonesia and the U S finalized a contract for eight AH 64E Apaches worth 500 million 260 The first was displayed on 5 October 2017 as part of a military exercise in Indonesia to mark the 72nd anniversary of its armed forces 261 The first batch of AH 64s for the Indonesian Army arrived in Indonesia on 18 December 2017 262 263 Japan ordered 50 AH 64Ds 231 which were built under license by Fuji Heavy Industries designated AH 64DJP The first helicopter was delivered to the JGSDF in early 2006 264 The order was halted after 13 aircraft were delivered due to cost 265 In 2017 it was announced that the targeting systems of the 13 aircraft would be upgraded 266 One was destroyed in a crash in February 2018 with the deaths of both crew 267 268 269 Indonesian Army Aviation AH 64E in 2018 In June 2011 Taiwan Republic of China agreed to the purchase of 30 AH 64Es with weapons and associated equipment 270 271 On 5 November 2013 Taiwan received the first six AH 64s 272 On 25 April 2014 a Taiwanese AH 64E crashed into a three story building during a training flight in bad weather conditions the first AH 64E airframe loss 273 274 An investigation ruled out mechanical failure and concluded that the pilots had rapidly descended through clouds at low altitude without checking flight instruments to maintain adequate height the Army expanded simulator training in response 275 In October 2014 Taiwan s fifth and final batch of AH 64Es was delivered 276 In 2009 South Korea showed interest in the Apache 277 278 potentially related to plans to withdraw many U S Apaches from the country 279 On 21 September 2012 the U S Congress was notified of the possible purchase of 36 AH 64E along with associated equipment and armament 280 It competed against the Bell AH 1Z Viper and the TAI AgustaWestland T 129 281 in April 2013 South Korea announced plans to buy 36 AH 64Es 282 The first four AH 64Es were delivered in May 2016 283 and all 36 were deployed by January 2017 284 Future and possible users Edit Two US Army Apaches during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 in Queensland Australia Iraq requested the sale of 24 AH 64s in April 2013 285 In January 2014 a sale including the helicopters associated parts maintenance and training was cleared by the U S Congress 286 287 However the proposal was not accepted by the Iraqi government and expired in August 2014 288 In July 2012 Qatar requested the sale of 24 AH 64Es with associated equipment and support 289 The sale was approved on 27 March 2014 290 In March 2019 Qatar received the first of 24 AH 64Es ordered 291 In July 2016 the UK placed an order for 50 AH 64Es through the U S FMS program instead of upgrading their Westland built WAH 64s 292 In July 2019 Australia issued a request for information for Project Land 4503 to replace the Army s Eurocopter Tiger ARH helicopters 293 294 On 15 January 2021 the Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds announced that the AH 64E had been selected to replace the Tiger ARH 295 296 A fleet of 29 AH 64Es will be acquired with a planned initial operational capability of 12 helicopters in 2026 and full operational capability in 2028 296 297 298 In October 2019 the Bangladesh Air Force BAF was offered two types of attack helicopters and selected the AH 64 pending government approval 299 However due to the Apache s high costs the BAF choose the competing Russian Mi 28NE Night Hunter 300 In November 2019 the U S State Department approved a FMS to Morocco of 24 AH 64Es with an option for a further 12 this allows Morocco to negotiate an order 301 On 30 April 2020 the U S Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced it had received U S State Department approval and notified Congress of a possible sale to the Philippines of either six AH 1Z attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of 450 million or six AH 64Es and related equipment for an estimated cost of 1 5 billion 302 303 On 21 April 2022 Polish Ministry of National Defence shortlisted two models in competition for the Kruk Raven Program aimed at modernizing the Polish Land Forces fleet of attack helicopters with the competitors being the AH 64E and Bell s AH 1Z Viper 304 On 8 September 2022 Polish Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak announced that the AH 64E has won and set out to procure 96 helicopters to form six squadrons 305 306 Variants EditAH 64A Edit Israeli Air Force AH 64A Peten The AH 64A is the original production attack helicopter The crew sit in tandem in an armored compartment It is powered by two GE T700 turboshaft engines The A model was equipped with the 701 engine version until 1990 when the engines were switched to the more powerful 701C version 307 U S Army AH 64As are being converted to AH 64Ds The service s last AH 64A was taken out of service in July 2012 before conversion at Boeing s facility in Mesa Arizona 308 On 25 September 2012 Boeing received a 136 8M contract to remanufacture the last 16 AH 64As into the AH 64D Block II version and this was planned to be completed by December 2013 309 needs update AH 64B Edit In 1991 after Operation Desert Storm the AH 64B was a proposed upgrade to 254 AH 64As The upgrade would have included new rotor blades a Global Positioning System GPS improved navigation systems and new radios U S Congress approved 82M to begin the Apache B upgrade The B program was canceled in 1992 310 The radio navigation and GPS modifications were later installed on most AH 64As via other upgrades AH 64C Edit Additional funding from Congress in late 1991 resulted in a program to upgrade AH 64As to an AH 64B version More funding changed the plan to upgrade to AH 64C which would include all of the changes to be included in the AH 64D except for mast mounted radar and newer 700C engine versions However the C designation was dropped after 1993 311 With AH 64As receiving the newer engine from 1990 the only difference between the AH 64C and the AH 64D was the radar which could be moved from one aircraft to another thus the decision was made to simply designate both versions as AH 64D 311 AH 64D Edit An AH 64D tests the AGM 179 JAGM at the Yuma Proving Ground The AH 64D Apache Longbow is equipped with a glass cockpit and advanced sensors the most noticeable of which being the AN APG 78 Longbow millimeter wave fire control radar FCR target acquisition system and the Radar Frequency Interferometer RFI housed in a dome located above the main rotor 312 313 The radome s raised position enables target detection while the helicopter is behind obstacles e g terrain trees or buildings The AN APG 78 is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 128 targets and engaging up to 16 at once an attack can be initiated within 30 seconds 314 315 A radio modem integrated with the sensor suite allows data to be shared with ground units and other Apaches allowing them to fire on targets detected by a single helicopter 316 The aircraft is powered by a pair of uprated T700 GE 701C engines The forward fuselage was expanded to accommodate new systems to improve survivability navigation and tactical internet communications capabilities In February 2003 the first Block II Apache was delivered to the U S Army featuring digital communications upgrades The Japanese Apache AH 64DJP variant is based on the AH 64D 146 it can be equipped with the AIM 92 Stinger air to air missiles for self defense 317 318 AH 64E Edit AH 64E Apache Guardian Formerly known as AH 64D Block III in 2012 it was redesignated as AH 64E Guardian 319 320 It has improved digital connectivity the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System more powerful T700 GE 701D engines with upgraded face gear transmission to handle more power 321 capability to control unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs full IFR capability and improved landing gear 322 323 New composite rotor blades which completed testing in 2004 increase cruise speed climb rate and payload capacity 324 Deliveries began in November 2011 325 Full rate production was approved on 24 October 2012 citation needed 634 AH 64Ds will be upgraded into AH 64Es 326 Changes in production lots 4 through 6 include a cognitive decision aiding system and new self diagnostic abilities The updated Longbow radar has an oversea capacity potentially enabling naval strikes an AESA radar is under consideration 327 It will have a L 3 Communications MUMT X datalink in place of two older counterparts communicating on C D L and Ku frequency bands to transmit and receive data and video with all Army UAVs 328 Lots 5 and 6 will have Link 16 data links 329 The AH 64E is to be fit for maritime use 330 The Army expressed interest in extended range fuel tanks for greater endurance 136 As of April 2020 500 AH 64Es have been delivered 3 AH 64F Edit In 2014 Boeing conceptualized an Apache upgrade prior to the introduction of the U S Army s anticipated attack version of the Future Vertical Lift FVL aircraft forecast to replace the Apache by 2040 The conceptual AH 64F would have greater speed via a new 3 000 shp turboshaft engine from the Improved Turbine Engine Program retractable landing gear stub wings to offload lift from the main rotor during cruise and a tail rotor that can articulate 90 degrees to provide forward thrust 331 In October 2016 the Army revealed they would not pursue another Apache upgrade to focus on funding FVL the Army will continue buying the Apache through the 2020s until Boeing s production line ends in 2026 then FVL is slated to come online in 2030 332 Compound Apache Edit In October 2018 Boeing began testing the AH 64E Block 2 Compound a compound helicopter design which added a larger fixed wing and a pusher propeller to the Apache airframe to provide additional lift and thrust respectively In addition the engine exhaust was redirected downwards 333 Collectively the modifications were anticipated to improve speed to 185 kn 343 km h 213 mph range to 460 nmi 850 km 530 mi payload to 5 900 lb 2 700 kg and fuel economy A 30 scale model completed wind tunnel testing in January 2019 The Compound Apache has been pitched as an interim replacement for the Apache before its replacement under the Future Vertical Lift program 334 Sea Apache Edit A U S Army AH 64A Apache aboard USS Nassau during Joint Shipboard Weapons and Ordnance training During the 1980s naval versions of the AH 64A for the United States Marine Corps and Navy were examined 335 336 Multiple concepts were studied with altered landing gear arrangements improved avionics and weapons 335 The USMC conducted a two week evaluation of the Apache in September 1981 including shipboard operation tests Funding for a naval version was not provided the USMC continued to use the AH 1 337 The Canadian Forces Maritime Command also examined naval Apaches 338 In 2004 British Army AgustaWestland Apaches were deployed upon the Royal Navy s HMS Ocean a Landing Platform Helicopter for suitability testing there was U S interest in the trials 185 During the 2011 military intervention in Libya the British Army extensively used Apaches from HMS Ocean 339 In 2013 US AH 64Ds were tested on several U S Navy ships 340 Export Apaches Edit Several models have been derived from the AH 64A AH 64D and AH 64E for export The British built AgustaWestland Apache assembled from kits purchased from Boeing is based on the AH 64D Block I with several different systems including more powerful engines folding rotor blades and other modifications for operation from Royal Navy vessels Block modification Edit While a major change in design or role will cause the type designator suffix to change for example from AH 64D to AH 64E the helicopters are also subject to block modification Block modification is the combining of equipment changes into blocks of modification work orders the modifications in the block sometimes called a block package are all done to the helicopter at the same time 341 Operators Edit A Hellenic Army AH 64 An AH 64E Apache of the Indian Air Force A Fuji Heavy Industries license built Apache for the Japanese GSDF A U S Army ski equipped AH 64 training Fort Wainwright Alaska EgyptEgyptian Air Force 46 AH 64Ds 342 GreeceHellenic Army 28 AH 64A Ds 343 IndiaIndian Air Force 22 AH 64Es in inventory as of July 2020 344 Indian Army 6 AH 64Es on order 345 Indonesian Army AH 64E Apache helicopter IndonesiaIndonesian Army 8 AH 64Es 342 IsraelIsraeli Air Force 48 AH 64A Ds 342 JapanJapan Ground Self Defense Force 12 AH 64D 342 In December 2022 the Japanese government decided to replace 12 AH 64D 47 AH 1S 33 OH 1 and 26 U 125A with unmanned aerial vehicles Japan plans to increase its defense budget from 1 24 of GDP in fiscal 2021 to around 2 0 within 10 years and has decided to retire these helicopters and aircraft as part of an effort to spend its defense budget efficiently 346 KuwaitKuwait Air Force 24 AH 64Ds 342 MoroccoRoyal Moroccan Air Force 36 AH 64Es on order 347 NetherlandsRoyal Netherlands Air Force 28 AH 64Ds 342 QatarQatar Emiri Air Force 24 AH 64Es 348 Saudi ArabiaRoyal Saudi Land Forces 47 AH 64A D Es 342 Saudi Arabia National Guard 12 AH 64Es 349 SingaporeRepublic of Singapore Air Force 19 AH 64Ds 342 South KoreaRepublic of Korea Army 36 AH 64Es 342 Taiwan Republic of China Republic of China Army 29 AH 64Es 342 United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates Air Force 28 AH 64D Es 342 United KingdomSee also AgustaWestland Apache 67 350 United StatesUnited States Army 1 891 AH 64D Es 342 Specifications AH 64A D Edit Data from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 2000 2001 53 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 2010 2011 72 Apache AH 64 Boeing McDonnell Douglas 1976 2005 351 General characteristicsCrew 2 pilot and co pilot gunner Length 58 ft 2 in 17 73 m Fuselage length 49 ft 5 in 15 06 m Height 12 ft 8 in 3 87 m Empty weight 11 387 lb 5 165 kg Gross weight 17 650 lb 8 006 kg Max takeoff weight 23 000 lb 10 433 kg Powerplant 2 General Electric T700 GE 701 turboshaft engines 1 690 shp 1 260 kW each upgraded to 1 890 shp 1 409 kW T700 GE 701C for AH 64A D from 1990 Main rotor diameter 48 ft 0 in 14 63 m Main rotor area 1 908 5 sq ft 177 31 m2 4 bladed main rotor and 4 bladed tail rotor in non orthogonal alignment Blade section root HH 02 tip NACA 64A006 352 Performance Maximum speed 158 kn 182 mph 293 km h Cruise speed 143 kn 165 mph 265 km h Never exceed speed 197 kn 227 mph 365 km h Range 257 nmi 296 mi 476 km with Longbow radar mast Combat range 260 nmi 300 mi 480 km Ferry range 1 024 nmi 1 178 mi 1 896 km Service ceiling 20 000 ft 6 100 m Disk loading 9 8 lb sq ft 48 kg m2 Power mass 0 18 hp lb 0 30 kW kg Armament Guns 1 30 mm 1 18 in M230 Chain Gun with 1 200 rounds as part of the Area Weapon Subsystem Hardpoints Four pylon stations on the stub wings Longbows also have a station on each wingtip for an AIM 92 Stinger twin missile pack 70 Rockets Hydra 70 70 mm CRV7 70 mm and APKWS 70 mm 69 air to ground rockets Missiles Typically AGM 114 Hellfire variants Air to Air Stinger ATAS AGM 65 Maverick 353 and Spike missiles may also be carried Avionics Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman AN APG 78 Longbow fire control radar 354 Note can only be mounted on the AH 64D E Notable appearances in media EditMain article AH 64 Apache in fictionSee also Edit Aviation portalAviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center United States Army Aviation and Missile CommandRelated development AgustaWestland Apache Bell YAH 63Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Agusta A129 Mangusta Bell AH 1 SuperCobra Bell AH 1Z Viper CAIC Z 10 Denel Rooivalk Eurocopter Tiger HAL Prachand Harbin WZ 19 IAIO Toufan Kamov Ka 50 Mil Mi 24 Mil Mi 28 Panha 2091 TAI AgustaWestland T129Related lists List of active United States military aircraft List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Iraq War 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Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 AGM 65 Maverick PDF Raytheon 2001 Archived from the original PDF on 4 November 2013 Retrieved 22 December 2011 AN APG Equipment Listing designation systems net Bibliography Edit Bernstein Jonathan AH 64 Apache units of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom Oxford Osprey Publishing 2005 ISBN 1 84176 848 0 Bishop Chris Apache AH 64 Boeing McDonnell Douglas 1976 2005 Osprey Publishing 2005 ISBN 1 84176 816 2 Donald David AH 64A D Apache and AH 64D Longbow Apache Modern Battlefield Warplanes AIRtime Publishing Inc 2004 ISBN 1 880588 76 5 Feldman Shai The Middle East Strategic Balance 2003 2004 Sussex Academic Press 2004 ISBN 1 8451 9003 3 Fisk Robert The Great War for Civilisation The Conquest of the Middle East Fourth Estate 2005 ISBN 978 1 4000 7517 1 Government Accounting Office Staff Study Advanced Attack Helicopter Washington D C U S Government Accounting Office 1974 Luttwak Edward Strategy the Logic of War and Peace Harvard University Press 2001 ISBN 0 674 00703 4 Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army OAVCSA An Abridged History of the Army Attack Helicopter Program Washington D C Department of the Army 1973 Powers Adam United States Israeli Relations Nova Publishers 2002 ISBN 1 59033 133 8 Richardson Doug and Lindsay Peacock Combat Aircraft AH 64 Apache London Salamander Books 1992 ISBN 0 86101 675 0 Thomas Adams K The Army After Next The First Postindustrial Army Greenwood Publishing Group 2006 ISBN 0 275 98107 X TM 1 1520 251 10 Technical Manual for Helicopter Attack AH 64D Longbow Apache U S Army Williams James W A History of Army Aviation From Its Beginnings to the War on Terror iUniverse 2005 ISBN 0 595 36608 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to AH 64 Apache Official website AH 64 Apache U S Army fact file archived from the original on 2011 05 01 Apache overview with supporting images on HowStuffWorks com Top 10 Helicopters AH 64D Apache Discovery Channel 8 May 2007 AH 64E U S Army video describing Apache Block III technologies Apache Helicopter Acoustic Analysis Boeing eyes X 49A technology for Apache attack helicopter Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boeing AH 64 Apache amp oldid 1147024013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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