The apache stands amongst a number of
weapon systems such as the m1 abrams
tank and the F-15E strike eagle that
entered service in the 1980s improved
their medal in the 1991 gulf war. Apaches fired the first shots of that
conflict took out iraqi low-band radars
with hellfire missiles, clearing the way
for the initial strikes by F-117 stealth
fighters. A total of 277 apaches were deployed in
the conflict claiming the destruction of
278 iraqi tanks as well as numerous so
other targets, a high rate of return by
the standards of most weapons systems.
Only one apache was lost in combat, attack helicopters are responsive and
relatively precise means of unleashing
heavy firepower where it's needed most. But unlike main battle tanks or jet
fighters even an armored helicopter is
vulnerable to low-tech machine guns, anti-aircraft cannons and even
rocket-propelled grenades let alone
surface-to-air missiles.
In later conflicts in afghanistan and
iraq OS-64s continued to prove their deadly
effectiveness but couldn't avoid losses
from ground fire including during an
infamous raid against the iraqi medina
division that a strike group of 31
apaches badly shot up by heavy machine
guns and anti-aircraft cannons. The guardian apache was approved in 2012, 15 years after the preceding AH-64D, longbow upgrade which mounted an APG-78
radar above the rotor that allowed the
apache to detect and fire at ground
targets outside of the line of sight.
However this increased the apaches
unloaded weight by 15
to 11,800 pounds without increasing the
engine power to compensate. The new AH-64 addresses this by
installing a trifecta of new systems, more powerful T-700 GE-701D turboshaft engines, a modern face
gear transmission system and new
composite rotor blades increasing the ah
minus 64 is speed from 140 to 180 miles
per hour. The guardian apache can thus arrive on
the battlefield faster and loiter
overhead for longer 57 percent longer, according to one field commander
new hydraulic, shock strut landing gear
also improved the guardian's crash
resistance.
Another upgrade is a manned unmanned
team mumty drone controller datalink
enabling the guardian's co-pilot to
remotely control and receive data from
an orbiting army MQ-1C grey eagle drone. This allows the apache crew to observe
the battlefield before they've arrived
and even to hover behind cover, waiting
for a target to be identified by drones
it can make a devastating pop-up attack. the apache crew can even assume manual
control of the drones to paint targets
with a laser or launch the drone's
hellfire missiles. The latest lot 6 batch of guardians
includes updated fire control systems
that can identify and target ships at
sea, presumably to rain hellfire missiles
upon them.
Clearly this is aimed at making the
apache more relevant to any possible
conflict in the pacific as well as
possible skirmishes in the persian gulf. Although plans to make a naval version
of the apache died off long ago u.s army
apache units have been practicing
deploying on ships at sea anyway. British apaches have already operated
successfully from the hms ocean
amphibious assault ship during the 2011
intervention in Libya. In addition to upgrades to computer
processors and software there are also a
number of useful new gizmos. A new ground fire acquisition system
installed on the tip of the wing stub, scans the battlefield with cameras for
muzzle flashes from small arms, cannons
and rocket propelled grenades and
automatically slews the apache around to
deliver return fire with its 30
millimeter cannon.
Link 16 data links in later guardian
production lots will allow improved data
sharing and networking with friendly
forces. The computer software has also been
upgraded with a cognitive decision
aiding system intended to ease the
workload posed by routine piloting tasks. The apache guardians first saw action in
2015 when the first battalion of the
229th aviation regiment deployed to
southern afghanistan for seven months. They reported an 87 readiness rate above
the expected 80 percent average. The units commander noted that the
guardian's ability to arrive on the
battlefield faster and loiter longer
disrupted taliban tactics, pinning them
down for longer periods while the
guardian orbited overhead.
The apaches networked with friendly
drones on 60 percent of their sorties
not just with grey eagles but also
smaller RQ7 shadows and air force reaper
and predator drones. This enabled the apaches to identify and
destroy targets faster and thus achieve
more with each sortie. However training
and doctrine on how to use the drones
has yet to be solidified and the
guardian's data links aren't fully
functional yet with drone models other
than the grey eagle.
Apaches also were deployed to iraq in
2014 to provide air support to american
troops in country and several are
reportedly launching strikes against ISIS in the siege of mosul. The apache is expected to remain in
service until 2040. The latest contract
awarded in april is to upgrade 117
apaches for 922 million dollars by 2018.
Ultimately 634 apaches will be upgraded
to guardians and once those are done, 56
brand new 64 s will be produced. Many of the apaches will serve in new
active duty attack reconnaissance
battalions composed of apaches taken
away from the national guard units to
replace the retired O-58 Scout Helicopter .50 of the new guardians will also enter
service with the british army and
another 50 of its apache longbows will
be upgraded.
Other countries slated to receive a 64 s
include india 22, indonesia 8, south korea
36, saudi arabia and taiwan. Will there be future upgrades to the
apache after the guardian? boeing
definitely thought so and sketched up a
proposed AH-64F with a variety of flight
performance enhancements including more
powerful engines, new stubbed wings to
provide better lift while cruising in an
articulating tail rotor.
However the army
has recently indicated it is not
interested in pursuing another major
apache upgrade because it needs the
funding to introduce its next generation
future vertical lift chopper by 2030. New armaments however are possible
boeing has suggested laser-armed apaches
for destroying drones. While an OS-64
recently test fired the brimstone
anti-tank missile, the guardian may be the last of the
apaches but it looks likely to see a lot
more action in the decades to come.
