Summary and Key Points: The AH-64 Apache, a twin-engine attack helicopter, was introduced by the U.S. Army in 1986 to address the need for an all-weather, anti-tank helicopter. It succeeded the AH-1 Cobra, which lacked anti-tank capabilities.
-The Apache features advanced systems, including the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System, and survivability enhancements like self-sealing fuel tanks and armor.
-The latest Apache-64 helicopter variant, the AH-64E Apache Guardian, introduced in 2013, boasts improved speed, efficiency, and advanced communication systems, enabling control of UAVs. The Apache has served in various conflicts, proving its effectiveness and ensuring its continued use in the U.S. Army.
Helicopter use became more widespread in the middle of the 20th century, and militaries started to look for new ways to weaponize this platform. Initial attempts involved simply attaching weapons to existing designs such as the UH-1 Huey gunship.
However, by the late 1960s, the dedicated AH-1 attack helicopter was in service. While this aircraft performed reasonably well during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army still needed a helicopter that could perform all-weather operations. The answer to this need, eventually, was the AH-64 Apache. Introduced in 1986, the Apache has served in several conflicts.
In 2012, the Army approved the newest variant, the AH-64E Apache Guardian.
The Bell AH-1 Cobra was the first dedicated attack helicopter in the U.S. arsenal. While effective in a supporting role in Vietnam, the AH-1 was not intended for an anti-tank function, and Army planners at the time were primarily concerned with a major Soviet tank offensive in Eastern Europe.
To counter that threat, they pursued the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne. This drew criticism from the Air Force, which viewed the Cheyenne as too much of a Close Air Support platform. The 1948 Key West Agreement mandated that Air Force assets would fill that role.
Following a Senate report on the development of several attack aircraft platforms – the Air Force’s A-X, the Navy’s Harrier, and the Army’s Cheyenne – the Army scrapped the AH-56 program and focused more narrowly on an anti-tank helicopter. Drawing on the experiences of AH-1 crews in Vietnam, the new aircraft would have two engines for enhanced survivability. The Army mandated the General Electric T-700, the same engines that would be used in the UH-60 Blackhawk utility helicopter.
Bell, Boeing, Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky all submitted designs for the new attack helicopter. The Army accepted proposals from Bell and Hughes. After a fly-off and other testing, the Hughes AH-64 design was selected due to the added redundancy of four rotors and increased stability from the tailwheel landing gear.
The final result delivered to the Army was a tandem-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter armed with a 30 mm gun and four hardpoints on stub wings. These hardpoints can carry Hydra 70 rockets or Hellfire missiles. Originally, the Apache was planned to use TOW anti-tank missiles, but at the last minute in the prototype process, the Army went with Hellfires, which while offering greater range, had not yet been fired.
In addition to four rotor blades and two engines, the Apache boasts other survivability features. Self-sealing fuel tanks and armor protect the airframe from projectiles. A transparent blast shield separates the two crewmembers, so a blast that kills one might not impact the other. Either seat can fly the aircraft and operate its weapons systems, but typically the pilot sits in the elevated rear seat while the gunner occupies the front position.
One of the most significant and well-known aspects of the Apache is the revolutionary aiming system known as the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System. This allows either crewmember to slave the 30 mm gun to their helmet sight – essentially the gun will point wherever they are looking.
The Apache entered service with the Army in 1986. Since then, it has been involved in nearly every major conflict. During Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989, the Apache showcased its skill in primarily night attacks. During Operation Desert Storm, Apaches accounted for over 500 Iraqi vehicles defeated, with a loss of one of their own. This conflict did reveal issues with maintenance and spare parts – issues that proved more serious in the late 1990s during the Balkan crisis. A detachment of 24 Apaches was stationed in Albania along with 26,000 tons of equipment, but they did not fly a single combat flight. Although a stout Yugoslav air defense was cited, later reports indicated a lack of training and maintenance severely hampered the helicopters’ ability.
The AH-64 had a much better track record during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, although some were lost to accidents and enemy fire.
In 2013, the Army began fielding the AH-64E. Originally designated the AH-64D Block III, this variant was later redesignated and named the Apache Guardian to emphasize its superior capabilities. These qualities include a boost in airspeed and efficiency – the E flies 20 miles per hour faster than previous Apaches and can remain on station for up to 175% longer in some cases. Arguably its greatest upgrade is to the communications and data link systems. Improvements in these capabilities give it the ability to link with UAVs through several levels of control, from simply viewing the UAV’s sensors to taking full control of flight and weapons systems.
In light of these improvements, the Army has decided to use the AH-64E as its recon helicopter while it retires the aging OH-58 Kiowa. While there has been some work on further upgrades or a potential replacement, the AH-64 will doubtless stay in service for quite some time.
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
All images are Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.
