Posts tagged Training

A few nice resistance training equipment images I found:

US Army AH-64 Apache


Image by james_gordon_los_angeles
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army’s Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. First flown on 30 September 1975, the AH-64 features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The Apache is armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in) M230 Chain Gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 features multiple aircraft systems with built-in redundancy to improve survivability in combat; improved crash survivability for the crew has also been prioritized.
The U.S. Army selected the AH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, awarding Hughes Helicopters a pre-production contract for two more aircraft. In 1982, the Army approved full production. McDonnell Douglas continued production and development after purchasing Hughes Helicopters from Summa Corporation in 1984. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded version of the original Apache, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security; over one thousand AH-64s have been produced to date.
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 and Singapore; as well as being produced under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache. U.S. AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel has made active use of the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, while two coalition allies have deployed their AH-64s in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Development[edit] Advanced Attack HelicopterMain article: Advanced Attack Helicopter
Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of United States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II and Harrier, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role that would still be under Army command; the 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning 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. To this end, the US Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) on 15 November 1972. As a sign of the importance of this project, in September 1973 the Army designated their five most important projects, the Big Five with AAH included.
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. 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. After evaluating 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.
A Hughes YAH-64A prototypeThe AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for building three pre-production AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard.[12] Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile. The missile’s development had began in 1974.
Production historyIn 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the US 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 (1,259 kW). The AH-64 was named the Apache in late 1981, keeping with the Army’s traditional use of American Indian tribal names for its helicopters and it was approved for full scale production in 1982. 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 0 million in 1984. The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997. In 1986, the incremental or flyaway cost for the AH-64A was US.03 million and the average unit cost was approximately US.9 million based on total costs.
A YAH-64A in 1984In the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an improved AH-64B design with 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 avionic systems and incorporate some digital systems. However, rapidly improving technology led to the upgrade program being cancelled for more ambitious changes. Development of the more advanced AH-64D Apache Longbow was approved by the Defense Acquisition Board in August 1990. The first AH-64D prototype flew on 15 April 1992, testing of the prototypes ended in April 1995; it was reported that they had significantly outperformed the AH-64A. On 13 October 1995 full-scale production of the Apache Longbow was approved, and a .9 billion five year contract was signed in August 1996 to upgrade and rebuild 232 existing AH-64A Apaches. The first production AH-64D flew on 17 March 1997 and was delivered on 31 March. The cost of the AH-64D program totaled US billion through 2007.
In April 2006, Boeing was awarded a .6 million fixed-price contract for the remanufacture of several existing US 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 to the upgraded D variant. Since 2008, nations operating the older AH-64A have been urged to undertake modernization programs to become AH-64Ds, as Boeing and the US Army plans to terminate support for the A-variants in the near future. The Apache’s effectiveness against ground forces and in urban warfare operations was bolstered by the addition of the AGM-114N – a Hellfire missile fitted with a thermobaric warhead; the AGM-114N was approved for full production in 2005. The use of thermobaric "enhanced blast" weapons has been a point of controversy.
DesignThe AH-64 Apache has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot/gunner. The crew compartment has shielding between the cockpits, such that one crew member can survive hits. The compartment and the rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23-millimeter (0.91 in) rounds. The airframe includes some 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) of protection against ballistic strikes. The Apache also utilizes a self-sealing fuel system to protect against the loss of fuel caused by ballistic projectiles.
Apache
version Engine version Engine power
AH-64A General Electric T700-701 1,696 shp (1,265 kW)
AH-64A+/D General Electric T700-701C 1,890 shp (1,410 kW)
AH-64D Block III General Electric T700-701D 2,000 shp (1,500 kW)
WAH-64D Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 2,100 shp (1,600 kW)
The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage.
Various models of engines have been used on the Apache, those in British service use engines from Rolls-Royce instead of General Electric. In 2004, General Electric Aviation began producing more powerful T700-GE-701D engines, rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW) for AH-64Ds.
One of the revolutionary features at the introduction of the Apache was its helmet mounted display, the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS); among other abilities the pilot or gunner can slave the helicopter’s 30 mm automatic M230 Chain Gun to his helmet, making the gun track head movements to point at where he looks. The M230E1 can be alternatively fixed to a locked forward firing position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS).
The AH-64 is designed to endure front-line environments and to operate during the day or night and in adverse weather using avionics,such as the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. A newer system that is replacing TADS/PNVS is Arrowhead (MTADS); it is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, a contract was made on 17 February 2005 to begin equipping all models of American Apaches.
Mission 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), and has a customizable weapons loadout for the role desired. In addition to the 30-mm M230E1 Chain Gun, the Apache carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, and Hydra 70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.76 in) rockets. The Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and the AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radiation missile were evaluated beginning in the late 1980s. The Stinger was initially selected over the AIM-9, but the US Army is considering the Starstreak air-to-air missile instead. The stub-wing pylons also have mounting points for use during ground helicopter maintenance; though in case of emergency the mount points can be used for harnessing personnel to the wings during transport. External fuel tanks can also be carried by the pylons to increase range and mission time.
For rapid deployment and transport around the world, six AH-64 Apaches can be safely fitted inside the cargo hold of a USAF Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
Operational history
United States Army
The U.S. Army formally accepted its first production AH-64A in January 1984 and training of the first pilots began later that year. The first operational Apache unit, 7th Battalion, 17th Cavalry Brigade, began training on the AH-64A in April 1986 at Fort Hood, Texas.
Two operational units with 68 AH-64s first deployed to Europe in September 1987 and took part in large military exercises there. The Apache was first used in combat in 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama. The AH-64 participated in over 240 hours of combat attacking various targets, mostly at night. General Carl Stiner, commander of Operation Just Cause, praised the Apache for its precision: You could fire that Hellfire missile through a window from four miles away at night.
Apache at the Camp Wright Forward Armament and Refueling Point, Afghanistan in 2010As the Army began fielding the Apache, capabilities such as use of the FLIR for extensive night-flight operations made it clear that the AH-64 was capable of travelling and fighting hundreds of kilometers beyond the forward line of own troops (FLOT) that previous attack helicopters were normally restricted to. In addition to deep-strike capabilities, it was discovered that the Apache had, not by any intention, been fitted with the same Have Quick UHF radio systems used by the U.S. Air Force; once this was recognised, inter-service coordination and joint operations such as the joint air attack teams (JAAT) were encouraged and inserted into standard training. The Apache operated extensively with CAS aircraft such as the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and the USMC’s McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, often acting as a target designator so the Apache could conserve its own munitions.
A year after the Panama operation, close to half of all U.S. Apaches were deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. During Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991, eight AH-64As guided by four MH-53 Pave Low IIIs destroyed a portion of the Iraqi radar network; the first attack of Desert Storm, an act to allow attack aircraft into Iraq without detection. The Apaches carried an asymmetric load of Hydra 70 flechette rockets, Hellfires, and one auxiliary fuel tank each. During the 100-hour ground war a total of 277 AH-64s took part, destroying over 500 tanks, numerous armored personnel carriers and other Iraqi vehicles. One AH-64 was lost in the war, to an RPG hit at close range, the Apache crashed but the crew survived. In order to maintain Apache operations with spare parts and support equipment, during the Gulf War the U.S. Army unofficially grounded all other AH-64s worldwide; additionally Apaches in the war zone flew only one-fifth of the flight-hours the Army had planned for.
Two U.S. Army AH-64As after taking off from Camp Victory, near Baghdad, Iraq, 2008The AH-64 played roles in the Balkans during separate conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s. During these deployments the Apache encountered problems such as deficiencies in training, night vision equipment, fuel tanks, and survivability. Deploying 24 Apaches to a land base in Albania to participate in the Kosovo engagement required 26,000 tons of equipment to be deployed and over 550 C-17 flights, at a cost of 0 million. On 27 April 1999 an Apache crashed during training in Albania due to a failure with the tail rotor, causing the entire fleet in the Balkans to be grounded in December 2000. Major General Dick Cody, commanding officer of the 101st Airborne at the time, wrote a strongly worded memo to the US Army Chief of Staff about the failures in training and equipment. The Washington Post also dedicated an front-page article to the failures in Kosovo, commenting that: 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. The Apache did not conduct any combat missions over Kosovo due to fears over the risk of casualties; in addition, none of the pilots were qualified to fly with night vision goggles, preventing nighttime operations.
U.S. Apaches have served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2001. The Apache was the only platform capable of providing accurate close air support (CAS) duties for Operation Anaconda; although they regularly took fire during the intense early fighting, they were kept operational by their ground crews. American AH-64Ds typically flew in Afghanistan and Iraq without the Longbow Radar as there were no armored threats remaining.
The AH-64 took part in invasion of Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In one engagement on 24 March 2003, 31 Apaches were damaged, and one Apache was shot down and captured by Iraqi troops near Karbala. The intended attack against an armored brigade of the Iraqi Republican Guard’s Medina Division was unsuccessful. The tank crews had set up a flak trap amongst terrain and employed their guns to good effect. Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache, but the farmer denied involvement. The helicopter came down intact, and both the pilot and co-pilot were captured. The AH-64D was destroyed via air strike the following day.
AH-64D Apache flying over Baghdad, Iraq in 2007, on a reconnaissance mission.Most Apache helicopters that have taken heavy combat damage have been able to continue their missions and return safely. In 2006, an Apache helicopter was downed by a Soviet-made Strela 2 (SA-7) in Iraq. The Apache is typically able to avoid hits by such missiles but in this instance it did not. The coordination of Apaches in the war was discussed by Thomas Adams, who noted the helicopters tended to fight in small teams but had little autonomy to react to local threats and opportunities, requiring lengthy dialogue with command structures in an effort to centrally micromanage each unit. As of 2009, 12 Apache helicopters were shot down by enemy fire during the Iraq War.
According to Boeing the U.S. Army Apache fleet has accumulated more than 3 million flight hours since the first prototype aircraft flew in 1975. According to a DOD audit released in May 2011, Boeing had significantly overcharged the U.S. Army on multiple occasions, ranging from 33.3 percent to 177,475 percent for routine spare parts in helicopters like the Apache.

US Army AH-64 Apache


Image by james_gordon_los_angeles
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army’s Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. First flown on 30 September 1975, the AH-64 features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The Apache is armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in) M230 Chain Gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 features multiple aircraft systems with built-in redundancy to improve survivability in combat; improved crash survivability for the crew has also been prioritized.
The U.S. Army selected the AH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, awarding Hughes Helicopters a pre-production contract for two more aircraft. In 1982, the Army approved full production. McDonnell Douglas continued production and development after purchasing Hughes Helicopters from Summa Corporation in 1984. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded version of the original Apache, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security; over one thousand AH-64s have been produced to date.
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 and Singapore; as well as being produced under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache. U.S. AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel has made active use of the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, while two coalition allies have deployed their AH-64s in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Development[edit] Advanced Attack HelicopterMain article: Advanced Attack Helicopter
Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of United States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II and Harrier, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role that would still be under Army command; the 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning 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. To this end, the US Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) on 15 November 1972. As a sign of the importance of this project, in September 1973 the Army designated their five most important projects, the Big Five with AAH included.
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. 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. After evaluating 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.
A Hughes YAH-64A prototypeThe AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for building three pre-production AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard.[12] Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile. The missile’s development had began in 1974.
Production historyIn 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the US 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 (1,259 kW). The AH-64 was named the Apache in late 1981, keeping with the Army’s traditional use of American Indian tribal names for its helicopters and it was approved for full scale production in 1982. 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 0 million in 1984. The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997. In 1986, the incremental or flyaway cost for the AH-64A was US.03 million and the average unit cost was approximately US.9 million based on total costs.
A YAH-64A in 1984In the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an improved AH-64B design with 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 avionic systems and incorporate some digital systems. However, rapidly improving technology led to the upgrade program being cancelled for more ambitious changes. Development of the more advanced AH-64D Apache Longbow was approved by the Defense Acquisition Board in August 1990. The first AH-64D prototype flew on 15 April 1992, testing of the prototypes ended in April 1995; it was reported that they had significantly outperformed the AH-64A. On 13 October 1995 full-scale production of the Apache Longbow was approved, and a .9 billion five year contract was signed in August 1996 to upgrade and rebuild 232 existing AH-64A Apaches. The first production AH-64D flew on 17 March 1997 and was delivered on 31 March. The cost of the AH-64D program totaled US billion through 2007.
In April 2006, Boeing was awarded a .6 million fixed-price contract for the remanufacture of several existing US 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 to the upgraded D variant. Since 2008, nations operating the older AH-64A have been urged to undertake modernization programs to become AH-64Ds, as Boeing and the US Army plans to terminate support for the A-variants in the near future. The Apache’s effectiveness against ground forces and in urban warfare operations was bolstered by the addition of the AGM-114N – a Hellfire missile fitted with a thermobaric warhead; the AGM-114N was approved for full production in 2005. The use of thermobaric "enhanced blast" weapons has been a point of controversy.
DesignThe AH-64 Apache has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot/gunner. The crew compartment has shielding between the cockpits, such that one crew member can survive hits. The compartment and the rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23-millimeter (0.91 in) rounds. The airframe includes some 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) of protection against ballistic strikes. The Apache also utilizes a self-sealing fuel system to protect against the loss of fuel caused by ballistic projectiles.
Apache
version Engine version Engine power
AH-64A General Electric T700-701 1,696 shp (1,265 kW)
AH-64A+/D General Electric T700-701C 1,890 shp (1,410 kW)
AH-64D Block III General Electric T700-701D 2,000 shp (1,500 kW)
WAH-64D Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 2,100 shp (1,600 kW)
The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage.
Various models of engines have been used on the Apache, those in British service use engines from Rolls-Royce instead of General Electric. In 2004, General Electric Aviation began producing more powerful T700-GE-701D engines, rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW) for AH-64Ds.
One of the revolutionary features at the introduction of the Apache was its helmet mounted display, the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS); among other abilities the pilot or gunner can slave the helicopter’s 30 mm automatic M230 Chain Gun to his helmet, making the gun track head movements to point at where he looks. The M230E1 can be alternatively fixed to a locked forward firing position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS).
The AH-64 is designed to endure front-line environments and to operate during the day or night and in adverse weather using avionics,such as the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. A newer system that is replacing TADS/PNVS is Arrowhead (MTADS); it is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, a contract was made on 17 February 2005 to begin equipping all models of American Apaches.
Mission 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), and has a customizable weapons loadout for the role desired. In addition to the 30-mm M230E1 Chain Gun, the Apache carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, and Hydra 70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.76 in) rockets. The Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and the AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radiation missile were evaluated beginning in the late 1980s. The Stinger was initially selected over the AIM-9, but the US Army is considering the Starstreak air-to-air missile instead. The stub-wing pylons also have mounting points for use during ground helicopter maintenance; though in case of emergency the mount points can be used for harnessing personnel to the wings during transport. External fuel tanks can also be carried by the pylons to increase range and mission time.
For rapid deployment and transport around the world, six AH-64 Apaches can be safely fitted inside the cargo hold of a USAF Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
Operational history
United States Army
The U.S. Army formally accepted its first production AH-64A in January 1984 and training of the first pilots began later that year. The first operational Apache unit, 7th Battalion, 17th Cavalry Brigade, began training on the AH-64A in April 1986 at Fort Hood, Texas.
Two operational units with 68 AH-64s first deployed to Europe in September 1987 and took part in large military exercises there. The Apache was first used in combat in 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama. The AH-64 participated in over 240 hours of combat attacking various targets, mostly at night. General Carl Stiner, commander of Operation Just Cause, praised the Apache for its precision: You could fire that Hellfire missile through a window from four miles away at night.
Apache at the Camp Wright Forward Armament and Refueling Point, Afghanistan in 2010As the Army began fielding the Apache, capabilities such as use of the FLIR for extensive night-flight operations made it clear that the AH-64 was capable of travelling and fighting hundreds of kilometers beyond the forward line of own troops (FLOT) that previous attack helicopters were normally restricted to. In addition to deep-strike capabilities, it was discovered that the Apache had, not by any intention, been fitted with the same Have Quick UHF radio systems used by the U.S. Air Force; once this was recognised, inter-service coordination and joint operations such as the joint air attack teams (JAAT) were encouraged and inserted into standard training. The Apache operated extensively with CAS aircraft such as the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and the USMC’s McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, often acting as a target designator so the Apache could conserve its own munitions.
A year after the Panama operation, close to half of all U.S. Apaches were deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. During Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991, eight AH-64As guided by four MH-53 Pave Low IIIs destroyed a portion of the Iraqi radar network; the first attack of Desert Storm, an act to allow attack aircraft into Iraq without detection. The Apaches carried an asymmetric load of Hydra 70 flechette rockets, Hellfires, and one auxiliary fuel tank each. During the 100-hour ground war a total of 277 AH-64s took part, destroying over 500 tanks, numerous armored personnel carriers and other Iraqi vehicles. One AH-64 was lost in the war, to an RPG hit at close range, the Apache crashed but the crew survived. In order to maintain Apache operations with spare parts and support equipment, during the Gulf War the U.S. Army unofficially grounded all other AH-64s worldwide; additionally Apaches in the war zone flew only one-fifth of the flight-hours the Army had planned for.
Two U.S. Army AH-64As after taking off from Camp Victory, near Baghdad, Iraq, 2008The AH-64 played roles in the Balkans during separate conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s. During these deployments the Apache encountered problems such as deficiencies in training, night vision equipment, fuel tanks, and survivability. Deploying 24 Apaches to a land base in Albania to participate in the Kosovo engagement required 26,000 tons of equipment to be deployed and over 550 C-17 flights, at a cost of 0 million. On 27 April 1999 an Apache crashed during training in Albania due to a failure with the tail rotor, causing the entire fleet in the Balkans to be grounded in December 2000. Major General Dick Cody, commanding officer of the 101st Airborne at the time, wrote a strongly worded memo to the US Army Chief of Staff about the failures in training and equipment. The Washington Post also dedicated an front-page article to the failures in Kosovo, commenting that: 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. The Apache did not conduct any combat missions over Kosovo due to fears over the risk of casualties; in addition, none of the pilots were qualified to fly with night vision goggles, preventing nighttime operations.
U.S. Apaches have served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2001. The Apache was the only platform capable of providing accurate close air support (CAS) duties for Operation Anaconda; although they regularly took fire during the intense early fighting, they were kept operational by their ground crews. American AH-64Ds typically flew in Afghanistan and Iraq without the Longbow Radar as there were no armored threats remaining.
The AH-64 took part in invasion of Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In one engagement on 24 March 2003, 31 Apaches were damaged, and one Apache was shot down and captured by Iraqi troops near Karbala. The intended attack against an armored brigade of the Iraqi Republican Guard’s Medina Division was unsuccessful. The tank crews had set up a flak trap amongst terrain and employed their guns to good effect. Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache, but the farmer denied involvement. The helicopter came down intact, and both the pilot and co-pilot were captured. The AH-64D was destroyed via air strike the following day.
AH-64D Apache flying over Baghdad, Iraq in 2007, on a reconnaissance mission.Most Apache helicopters that have taken heavy combat damage have been able to continue their missions and return safely. In 2006, an Apache helicopter was downed by a Soviet-made Strela 2 (SA-7) in Iraq. The Apache is typically able to avoid hits by such missiles but in this instance it did not. The coordination of Apaches in the war was discussed by Thomas Adams, who noted the helicopters tended to fight in small teams but had little autonomy to react to local threats and opportunities, requiring lengthy dialogue with command structures in an effort to centrally micromanage each unit. As of 2009, 12 Apache helicopters were shot down by enemy fire during the Iraq War.
According to Boeing the U.S. Army Apache fleet has accumulated more than 3 million flight hours since the first prototype aircraft flew in 1975. According to a DOD audit released in May 2011, Boeing had significantly overcharged the U.S. Army on multiple occasions, ranging from 33.3 percent to 177,475 percent for routine spare parts in helicopters like the Apache.

US Army AH-64 Apache


Image by james_gordon_los_angeles
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army’s Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. First flown on 30 September 1975, the AH-64 features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The Apache is armed with a 30-millimeter (1.2 in) M230 Chain Gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 features multiple aircraft systems with built-in redundancy to improve survivability in combat; improved crash survivability for the crew has also been prioritized.
The U.S. Army selected the AH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, awarding Hughes Helicopters a pre-production contract for two more aircraft. In 1982, the Army approved full production. McDonnell Douglas continued production and development after purchasing Hughes Helicopters from Summa Corporation in 1984. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded version of the original Apache, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security; over one thousand AH-64s have been produced to date.
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 and Singapore; as well as being produced under license in the United Kingdom as the AgustaWestland Apache. U.S. AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel has made active use of the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, while two coalition allies have deployed their AH-64s in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Development[edit] Advanced Attack HelicopterMain article: Advanced Attack Helicopter
Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of United States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II and Harrier, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role that would still be under Army command; the 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning 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. To this end, the US Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) on 15 November 1972. As a sign of the importance of this project, in September 1973 the Army designated their five most important projects, the Big Five with AAH included.
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. 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. After evaluating 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.
A Hughes YAH-64A prototypeThe AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for building three pre-production AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard.[12] Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile. The missile’s development had began in 1974.
Production historyIn 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the US 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 (1,259 kW). The AH-64 was named the Apache in late 1981, keeping with the Army’s traditional use of American Indian tribal names for its helicopters and it was approved for full scale production in 1982. 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 0 million in 1984. The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997. In 1986, the incremental or flyaway cost for the AH-64A was US.03 million and the average unit cost was approximately US.9 million based on total costs.
A YAH-64A in 1984In the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas studied an improved AH-64B design with 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 avionic systems and incorporate some digital systems. However, rapidly improving technology led to the upgrade program being cancelled for more ambitious changes. Development of the more advanced AH-64D Apache Longbow was approved by the Defense Acquisition Board in August 1990. The first AH-64D prototype flew on 15 April 1992, testing of the prototypes ended in April 1995; it was reported that they had significantly outperformed the AH-64A. On 13 October 1995 full-scale production of the Apache Longbow was approved, and a .9 billion five year contract was signed in August 1996 to upgrade and rebuild 232 existing AH-64A Apaches. The first production AH-64D flew on 17 March 1997 and was delivered on 31 March. The cost of the AH-64D program totaled US billion through 2007.
In April 2006, Boeing was awarded a .6 million fixed-price contract for the remanufacture of several existing US 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 to the upgraded D variant. Since 2008, nations operating the older AH-64A have been urged to undertake modernization programs to become AH-64Ds, as Boeing and the US Army plans to terminate support for the A-variants in the near future. The Apache’s effectiveness against ground forces and in urban warfare operations was bolstered by the addition of the AGM-114N – a Hellfire missile fitted with a thermobaric warhead; the AGM-114N was approved for full production in 2005. The use of thermobaric "enhanced blast" weapons has been a point of controversy.
DesignThe AH-64 Apache has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot/gunner. The crew compartment has shielding between the cockpits, such that one crew member can survive hits. The compartment and the rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23-millimeter (0.91 in) rounds. The airframe includes some 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) of protection against ballistic strikes. The Apache also utilizes a self-sealing fuel system to protect against the loss of fuel caused by ballistic projectiles.
Apache
version Engine version Engine power
AH-64A General Electric T700-701 1,696 shp (1,265 kW)
AH-64A+/D General Electric T700-701C 1,890 shp (1,410 kW)
AH-64D Block III General Electric T700-701D 2,000 shp (1,500 kW)
WAH-64D Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 2,100 shp (1,600 kW)
The AH-64 is powered by two General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with high-mounted exhausts on either side of the fuselage.
Various models of engines have been used on the Apache, those in British service use engines from Rolls-Royce instead of General Electric. In 2004, General Electric Aviation began producing more powerful T700-GE-701D engines, rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW) for AH-64Ds.
One of the revolutionary features at the introduction of the Apache was its helmet mounted display, the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS); among other abilities the pilot or gunner can slave the helicopter’s 30 mm automatic M230 Chain Gun to his helmet, making the gun track head movements to point at where he looks. The M230E1 can be alternatively fixed to a locked forward firing position, or controlled via the Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS).
The AH-64 is designed to endure front-line environments and to operate during the day or night and in adverse weather using avionics,such as the Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System (TADS/PNVS), passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. A newer system that is replacing TADS/PNVS is Arrowhead (MTADS); it is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, a contract was made on 17 February 2005 to begin equipping all models of American Apaches.
Mission 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), and has a customizable weapons loadout for the role desired. In addition to the 30-mm M230E1 Chain Gun, the Apache carries a range of external stores on its stub-wing pylons, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, and Hydra 70 general-purpose unguided 70 mm (2.76 in) rockets. The Stinger and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and the AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radiation missile were evaluated beginning in the late 1980s. The Stinger was initially selected over the AIM-9, but the US Army is considering the Starstreak air-to-air missile instead. The stub-wing pylons also have mounting points for use during ground helicopter maintenance; though in case of emergency the mount points can be used for harnessing personnel to the wings during transport. External fuel tanks can also be carried by the pylons to increase range and mission time.
For rapid deployment and transport around the world, six AH-64 Apaches can be safely fitted inside the cargo hold of a USAF Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
Operational history
United States Army
The U.S. Army formally accepted its first production AH-64A in January 1984 and training of the first pilots began later that year. The first operational Apache unit, 7th Battalion, 17th Cavalry Brigade, began training on the AH-64A in April 1986 at Fort Hood, Texas.
Two operational units with 68 AH-64s first deployed to Europe in September 1987 and took part in large military exercises there. The Apache was first used in combat in 1989, during Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama. The AH-64 participated in over 240 hours of combat attacking various targets, mostly at night. General Carl Stiner, commander of Operation Just Cause, praised the Apache for its precision: You could fire that Hellfire missile through a window from four miles away at night.
Apache at the Camp Wright Forward Armament and Refueling Point, Afghanistan in 2010As the Army began fielding the Apache, capabilities such as use of the FLIR for extensive night-flight operations made it clear that the AH-64 was capable of travelling and fighting hundreds of kilometers beyond the forward line of own troops (FLOT) that previous attack helicopters were normally restricted to. In addition to deep-strike capabilities, it was discovered that the Apache had, not by any intention, been fitted with the same Have Quick UHF radio systems used by the U.S. Air Force; once this was recognised, inter-service coordination and joint operations such as the joint air attack teams (JAAT) were encouraged and inserted into standard training. The Apache operated extensively with CAS aircraft such as the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and the USMC’s McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, often acting as a target designator so the Apache could conserve its own munitions.
A year after the Panama operation, close to half of all U.S. Apaches were deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. During Operation Desert Storm on 17 January 1991, eight AH-64As guided by four MH-53 Pave Low IIIs destroyed a portion of the Iraqi radar network; the first attack of Desert Storm, an act to allow attack aircraft into Iraq without detection. The Apaches carried an asymmetric load of Hydra 70 flechette rockets, Hellfires, and one auxiliary fuel tank each. During the 100-hour ground war a total of 277 AH-64s took part, destroying over 500 tanks, numerous armored personnel carriers and other Iraqi vehicles. One AH-64 was lost in the war, to an RPG hit at close range, the Apache crashed but the crew survived. In order to maintain Apache operations with spare parts and support equipment, during the Gulf War the U.S. Army unofficially grounded all other AH-64s worldwide; additionally Apaches in the war zone flew only one-fifth of the flight-hours the Army had planned for.
Two U.S. Army AH-64As after taking off from Camp Victory, near Baghdad, Iraq, 2008The AH-64 played roles in the Balkans during separate conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s. During these deployments the Apache encountered problems such as deficiencies in training, night vision equipment, fuel tanks, and survivability. Deploying 24 Apaches to a land base in Albania to participate in the Kosovo engagement required 26,000 tons of equipment to be deployed and over 550 C-17 flights, at a cost of 0 million. On 27 April 1999 an Apache crashed during training in Albania due to a failure with the tail rotor, causing the entire fleet in the Balkans to be grounded in December 2000. Major General Dick Cody, commanding officer of the 101st Airborne at the time, wrote a strongly worded memo to the US Army Chief of Staff about the failures in training and equipment. The Washington Post also dedicated an front-page article to the failures in Kosovo, commenting that: 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. The Apache did not conduct any combat missions over Kosovo due to fears over the risk of casualties; in addition, none of the pilots were qualified to fly with night vision goggles, preventing nighttime operations.
U.S. Apaches have served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2001. The Apache was the only platform capable of providing accurate close air support (CAS) duties for Operation Anaconda; although they regularly took fire during the intense early fighting, they were kept operational by their ground crews. American AH-64Ds typically flew in Afghanistan and Iraq without the Longbow Radar as there were no armored threats remaining.
The AH-64 took part in invasion of Iraq in 2003 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In one engagement on 24 March 2003, 31 Apaches were damaged, and one Apache was shot down and captured by Iraqi troops near Karbala. The intended attack against an armored brigade of the Iraqi Republican Guard’s Medina Division was unsuccessful. The tank crews had set up a flak trap amongst terrain and employed their guns to good effect. Iraqi officials claimed a farmer with a Brno rifle shot down the Apache, but the farmer denied involvement. The helicopter came down intact, and both the pilot and co-pilot were captured. The AH-64D was destroyed via air strike the following day.
AH-64D Apache flying over Baghdad, Iraq in 2007, on a reconnaissance mission.Most Apache helicopters that have taken heavy combat damage have been able to continue their missions and return safely. In 2006, an Apache helicopter was downed by a Soviet-made Strela 2 (SA-7) in Iraq. The Apache is typically able to avoid hits by such missiles but in this instance it did not. The coordination of Apaches in the war was discussed by Thomas Adams, who noted the helicopters tended to fight in small teams but had little autonomy to react to local threats and opportunities, requiring lengthy dialogue with command structures in an effort to centrally micromanage each unit. As of 2009, 12 Apache helicopters were shot down by enemy fire during the Iraq War.
According to Boeing the U.S. Army Apache fleet has accumulated more than 3 million flight hours since the first prototype aircraft flew in 1975. According to a DOD audit released in May 2011, Boeing had significantly overcharged the U.S. Army on multiple occasions, ranging from 33.3 percent to 177,475 percent for routine spare parts in helicopters like the Apache.