AH-64 Apache Foreign Military Sales

Between 1984 and 1997, Boeing produced 937 AH-64As for the U.S. Army, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. 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 had been ordered by customers worldwide. Selection by the U.S. Army, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom (as the AH Mk1)

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.

On October 3, 2008 the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Taiwan of 30 AH-64D Block III APACHE Longbow Attack Helicopters, as well as associated weapons, equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.532 billion. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States has requested a possible sale of 30 AH-64D Block III APACHE Longbow Attack Helicopters equipped with 30 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (MTADS/PNVS), 17 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radar and AN/APR- 48 Radar Frequency Interferometer (FCR/RFI), 69 T700-GE-701D Turbine Engines, 173 STINGER Block I Air- to-Air Missiles, 35 STINGER Missile Captive Flight Trainers, 1,000 AGM-114L Longbow HELLFIRE Missiles, and 66 M299 HELLFIRE Longbow Missile Launchers. Also included: composite horizontal stabilators, crew and maintenance trainers, depot maintenance, all necessary support equipment, tools and test equipment, integration and checkout, spares and repair parts, training and training equipment, ferry and fuel support, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, Quality Assurance Team, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

On 4 November 2013, Taiwan's Minister of Defense announced that Taiwan had taken delivery of the first six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, as part of the 2008 deal for 30 AH-60E helicopters valued at NT$59.31 billion (US$2.01 billion). Once operational in April 2014 at air bases in northern Taiwan, Taiwan join the U.S. as the only countries to deploy this type of helicopter. A second batch was scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan in late December 2013 with the full order scheduled to be completed by end of 2014 through a total of five batches.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress 10 July 2012 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Qatar for 24 AH-64D APACHE Block III LONGBOW Attack Helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $3.0 billion. The Government of Qatar has requested a possible sale of 24 AH-64D APACHE Block III LONGBOW Attack Helicopters, 56 T700-GE-701D Engines, 27 AN/ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight, 27 AN/AAR-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors, 12 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars (FCR) with Radar Electronics Unit (LONGBOW component), 12 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 28 AN/AAR-57(V)7 Common Missile Warning Systems, 30 AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets, 28 AN/APR- 39A(V)4 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, 28 AN/ALQ-136(V)5 Radar Jammers or Equivalent, 160 Integrated Helmet and Display Sight Systems-21, 58 Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial Navigation, 30 30mm Automatic Chain Guns, 8 Aircraft Ground Power Units, 52 AN/AVS-6 Night Vision Goggles, 60 M299A1 HELLFIRE Missile Launchers, 576 AGM-114R HELLFIRE II Missiles, 295 FIM-92H STINGER Reprogrammable Micro Processor (RMP) Block I Missiles, 50 STINGER Air-to-Air Launchers, 4092 2.75 in Hydra Rockets, and 90 APACHE Aviator Integrated Helmets. Also included are M206 infrared countermeasure flares, M211 and M212 Advanced Infrared Countermeasure Munitions (AIRCM) flares, training devices, helmets, simulators, generators, transportation, wheeled vehicles and organization equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress 21 September 2012 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Korea for 36 AH-64D APACHE Longbow Block III Attack Helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $3.6 billion. The ROK intended to use new attack helicopters to more effectively secure its borders and littoral waters, as well as conduct counter-terrorism/counter-piracy operations. The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea Army’s close air support, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance, strike coordination/reconnaissance, forward air control (airborne), and aerial escort capabilities while enhancing interoperability with US forces.

In a first-of-its-kind deal worth about $500 million, the United States has agreed to sell eight new Apache Block III AH-64E attack helicopters and Longbow radars to Indonesia, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said 26 August 2013. The Apache agreed for Indonesian to purchase from the United States is the AH-64E, not the earlier AH-64D Longbow such as the Singapore Army owned. Apache AH-64E was sold [as the AH-64D III before being renamed in late 2012] to Taiwan (30 units), 22 units for India, and 24 units to Qatar. India had Boeing produce the Apache AH-64E along with aerospace industry of India.