The AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter Still Reigns Supreme

Key Points and Summary: The AH-64 Apache has defined air dominance since its Cold War origins, built to take on Soviet tanks and support infantry with devastating firepower.

-Armed with Hellfire missiles, Hydra-70 rockets, and a 30mm chain gun, the Apache is a force multiplier across global battlefields.

AH-64 helicopter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

-Its advanced avionics, radar, and helmet-mounted targeting make it a combat pilot’s dream. Even developing nations like Morocco are adding it to their arsenals.

-With continuous upgrades and unmatched combat experience, the Apache is set to remain a vital attack helicopter for decades, ensuring its place as the most formidable rotorcraft in military aviation.

Why the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter Dominates

I served in the US Army and went to Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, when the post was the home of the armor and cavalry branches. There was no better feeling than doing physical training and seeing the Apache AH-64 attack helicopter flying overhead.

This gunship instilled a passion in my military service and was a thrill to see. Psychology and morale play an important role in warfare, and the Apache boosts the combat spirit of warriors on the ground.

You knew the Apache would bring doom to the enemy, and it was awe-inspiring to see it in action.

Cold War Origins: Meant to Dominate the Red Army

The first Apache came into service as the AH-64A in 1984. It was spawned by the Cold War and the Soviet army’s numerical advantage in Europe. The idea behind the Apache was to plink as many enemy tanks as possible and carry out close air support strikes to help the grunts on the ground.

The gunship quickly showed that it was going to make a huge impact on warfare. If the Red Army decided to attack NATO troops through the Fulda Gap, which was the Russians’ and their allies’ most likely approach from East Germany, the Apache was going to play a decisive role. 

Millions of Flight Hours

There are nearly 1,300 Apaches in service around the world. They have flown five million flight hours, with over 20 percent of those in combat. There have been numerous variants, and the Apache is up to the AH-64E version, which will serve until 2028. It is difficult to believe, but the helicopter manufacturer, Boeing, believes the bird can fly into the 2060s. That seems optimistic, but I’m sure it will be in service over the next decade. Boeing claims the Apache is “lethal, survivable, and agile,” and that sounds right. 

Even Armies in the Developing World Are Getting in on the fun.

You’d be surprised to know that even the developing world is flying Apaches. The Moroccan military just received a batch, and they quickly painted them in a smart two-tone desert-camo pattern. The Royal Moroccan Air Force ordered 24 Apaches a few years ago, and the Apaches finally arrived. This purchase should boost Morocco’s confidence in its military and provide the morale and psychological advantage I mentioned above.

AH-64 Apache Specs Are Out of This World

The AH-64 Apache’s fuselage is long at 58 feet, and the helicopter is tall at 15 feet. The diameter of the main rotor is 48 feet. The maximum take-off weight is 23,000 pounds.

The helicopter uses two General Electric T700-701 turboshaft engines. The AH-64E’s maximum speed is 189 miles per hour. It usually cruises around 165 miles per hour; the combat range is 300 miles. When armaments weigh it down, the Apache can operate for 2.5 hours.

Modernized Apache Helicopter. Image Credit: Boeing.

The four-bladed main rotor can fold, and the aircraft can fit in a C-17 or C-5 cargo plane without much disassembly. This configuration has been a huge advantage when transporting helicopters to hot spots around the world, especially during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Combat and Weapons Systems

Now, let’s get to the great part—the Apache’s combat and weapons systems.

The new Apaches have a digital autopilot system so the pilot and gunner can focus on the fight. Sixteen of those beautiful and powerful Hellfire missiles can be deployed. These can be laser-guided or radar-guided. Then there are the two pods of Hydra-70 rockets—19 each in the pods.

The next awesome piece is that main gun. As the website Intergalactic notes, the “M230 electrically cycled, 30-millimeter chain gun (or auto-cannon) exists. The gun can fire up to 650 rounds per minute of high-explosive incendiary or armor-piercing rounds. Still, in practical use, a 300-rpm rate of fire with a significant cooldown between engagements is needed, since the cannon uses only one barrel and is air-cooled.”

And then there is the helmet-mounted targeting display. The co-pilot gunner can “slave” the gun’s movements to the movements of the gunner’s head. 

The AH-64 Apache later received the Longbow upgrade. This is the high-quality fire control and radar system. “This compact, flattened radar dome sits atop the main rotor, which gives modern Apache crew the ability to see over obstacles, buildings, trees, and terrain better than nose-mounted radar systems,” Intergalactic wrote.  

The second AH-64 Apache rolls onto the taxiway and to the takeoff pad. The Idaho Army National Guard’s Orchard Combat Training Center was host to elements of the Republic of Singapore Air Force during July. Based in Arizona, The Singapore contingent operates eight AH-64 Apache Helicopters as part of the Peace Vanguard Task Force. The Apache is an attack helicopter with a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun. It also features four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament, typically a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The Apache’s first flight took place in 1975 and was formally introduced into the U.S. Army in 1986.

The AH-64 Apache is a great helicopter that just gets better with time. It enjoyed an excellent combat experience in the Middle East and South Asia with various armies allied with the United States. If you are assigned to the aviation branch in the US Army, you want to be picked as an Apache pilot or co-pilot. This will give you a thrill of a lifetime.

Ask Prince Harry, who qualified as an Apache operator during his time in the British military. He was a co-pilot gunner in Afghanistan for five months and was astounded by the helicopter’s firepower and performance during that conflict.

Don’t forget that the AH-64 Apache can serve many more decades and will be a huge asset to any military that flies it.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.