AH-64 Apache Foreign Military Sales
Export contracts for the Apache attack helicopter totaled 213 (116 AH-64A and 97 AH-64D) by July 1995 to international customers including Egypt, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The last of 821 (excluding prototypes) AH-64As were delivered to the US Army on 30 April 1996. Manufacture of the AH-64A variant terminated with the completion of 937th aircraft for Egypt, in November 1996.
As of early 1997 eight nations, including the United States, had selected the Apache for their defense needs. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom were the first two international customers to select the AH-64D for their armed services. In all, more than 1,000 Apaches have been ordered by customers worldwide.
The British WAH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter (AH), a version of the US Army AH-64D, will replace the ageing Lynx Mk 7 system in the anti-armour role. The aircraft was a developed version of the US Longbow Apache, fitted with the advanced Rolls-Royce RTM322 engine already used in the Royal Navy and RAF's Merlin helicopter. It is equipped with the Longbow Fire Control Radar, Semi-Active Laser and Radio Frequency versions of the HELLFIRE missile, 70mm CRV-7 ground suppression rockets, and 30mm cannon.
The WAH-64 Apache is fitted with a state of the art defensive aids suite from BAE Systems which allows it to detect enemy missile attacks and take countermeasures by firing chaff and decoys. Its Longbow FCR gives it its main edge, allowing it to detect over 1,000 targets at once and tell the pilot if they are tanks, trucks or air defence systems. Its HELLFIRE fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles can strike at heavily armoured tanks from nearly four miles away, and its CRV-7 rockets, built by BAE Systems, can devastate light armour or unarmoured vehicles. Apache can fly at up nearly 200 mph, and can loiter for up to four hours over the battlefield out to a range of 40 miles.
As the backbone of the new 16 Air Assault Brigade, the WAH-64 is intended to work alongside units like the Paras to hold and seize objectives and attack enemy tanks and other armor from a distance of more than four miles. 16 Air Assault Brigade is at the heart of the new Joint Helicopter Command, established October 1999 to bring together the Royal Navy's Commando helicopters, all operational Army Air Corps helicopters, and the RAF's support helicopters. The JHC has responsibility for some 12,000 personnel and some 350 helicopters.
The WAH-64 procurement strategy was based on an "Off-The-Shelf" buy of the complete weapons system through a Prime Contractor. Following an international competition, a Prime Contract for the supply of 67 WAH-64s and the integration of its weapons was placed with GKN-Westland Helicopters Ltd in March 1996 (hence the additional W prefix). Boeing was the major sub-contractor. A separate contract for the procurement of munitions stocks was placed with Hunting Engineering Ltd on 29 March 1996. Equipment to meet key requirements were added to the Prime Contract in 1999 (i.e. Health and Usage Monitoring System and Communications upgrade).
The first 8 aircraft were manufactured in the United States by Boeing, who held the design rights to Apache and were the key sub-contractor. GKN-Westland's production line at Yeovil for the remaining 59 aircraft opened on schedule in September 1999. The first aircraft were delivered to the Army for flight trials at the Defence Evaluation and research Agency, Boscombe Down, commencing April 2000. Apache's in service date, defined as the delivery of the first nine aircraft, was December 2000.
The WAH-64 Apache project was one of the first to form into an Integrated Project Team, a key element of the Ministry of Defence's Smart Procurement Initiative, in November 1998. The 70-strong team was centered in the Defence Procurement Agency at Abbey Wood, Bristol, but included staff at RNAS Yeovilton, at GKN-Westland facilities in Yeovil and with the US Army's Programme Office in Huntsville, Alabama. The IPT identified that, with capital investment in alternative support strategies, potential savings of £700 million in the support costs of Apache in its projected 30 year life were achievable, possibly increasing to £1bn.
In addition to GKN-Westland, around 180 British companies benefit from the WAH-64 program, generating about 34,000 man years of work, equivalent to 3,000 jobs per year at the peak. The main UK sub-contractors were Rolls-Royce Turbomeca, Bristol, BAE Systems, Stanmore, Avimo, Taunton, Pilkington Optronics, Glasgow, Plessey Seimens, Christchurch, Hunting Engineering, Ampthill, Shorts Munitions, Belfast, and Royal Ordnance at Summerfield, Glascoed and Chorley.
In September 1997 the Government of Kuwait requested the purchase of 16 AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, 384 HELLFIRE missiles (including 24 training and 50 dummy missiles), two spare HELLFIRE launchers, four spare T-700 GE engines, one spare Target Acquisition Designation Sight system, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test sets, ammunition, 10,916 Hydra 70 rockets, chaff, Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System (IHADSS), 30mm cartridges, electronic equipment test facility spares, publications, US maintenance of selective repairable material, personnel training and training equipment, Quality Assurance Team (QAT) and Technical Assistance Fielding Team (TAFT), U.S. Government and contractor engineering and technical services, facility design and construction and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost was $800 million.
In June 1998 the Department of Defense announced the possible sale to the Government of Singapore of eight AH-64D Apache attack helicopters (excluding AH-64D Longbow FCR), 216 HELLFIRE II laser guided missiles (including 16 training and eight dummy missiles), four spare HELLFIRE launchers, two spare T-700-GE-701C engines, and two spare TADS Systems. Also included in the possible sale were 9,120 Hydra 70 rockets, spare and repair parts, communications equipment, support equipment, tools and test sets, chaff dispensers, IHDSS, 30mm cartridges, electronic equipment test facility spares, publications, personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor technical support and other related elements of logistics support. The notification did not contain the AH-64D Longbow FCR. The estimated cost was $620 million.
In October 1999 the Government of Israel requested a possible sale for remanufacture of 24 AH-64A Apache helicopters to AH-64D model aircraft, 12 AN/APG-78 AH-64D Longbow FCR, 12 APR-48A RFI, 56 T-700-GE-701C engines, 24 TADS/PNVS, 480 AGM-114L-3 HELLFIRE II laser guided missiles, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor technical support and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost was $508 million. Israel, which already has Apache helicopters in its inventory, would have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters.
In September 2000 the government of Israel requested a possible sale of eight AH-64D Apache attack helicopters, 10 AN/APG-78 AH-64D Longbow FCR, configuration of 70 M272 Hellfire missile launchers to M299 Hellfire missile launchers, spare and repair parts, communications equipment, support equipment, tools and test sets, chaff dispensers, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US government and contractor technical support and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost was $509 million.
In November 2000 the Department of the Army announced the decision to base AH-64D Apache Helicopters belonging to the Government of Singapore at Silverbell Army Heliport, Marana, Arizona. The Government of Singapore had purchased eight of the Apache Longbow helicopters. As part of the sale, the helicopters had to remain in the continental United States until 2008. All Army organizations having or scheduled to receive the Apache Longbow helicopters were considered as potential training hosts with Singapore's Peace Vanguard Detachment. However, based upon air space concerns, the competition for training ranges and the high Operations Tempo (OPTEMPO) of Army Divisions, the selection of Silverbell and the training affiliation with the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 285th Attack Helicopter Battalion was deemed the most efficient and desirable.
In December 2001 Boeing signed a foreign military sales (FMS) agreement with the US government to upgrade 35 Egyptian AH-64A Apache helicopters into next-generation AH-64D Apaches. Egypt initially announced its intention in late 2000 to remanufacture its Apache fleet. The US Army authorized Boeing to begin procuring long-lead items earlier in 2001. Deliveries to Egypt were scheduled to begin in 2003. The FMS contract for the Egyptian Army Apaches, which included associated spares and ground support equipment, was valued at approximately $400 million, including the aircraft, ordnance, spares, training and support. Egypt is one of 10 nations that had by then selected the Apache for their armed forces.
In June 2002 it was reported that Taiwan had obtained support from the US Department of Defense for its proposed acquisition of 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters at a reported cost of $1.29 billion, with delivery expected within three years.
