AH - 64 Apache 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 , and was first flown on 30 September 1975 . The AH - 64 was introduced to US Army service in April 1986 . The AH - 64 Apache features a nose - mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems . It 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 has a large amount of systems redundancy to improve combat survivability . The U . S . Army selected the AH - 64 , by Hughes Helicopters , over the Bell YAH - 63 in 1976 , and later approved full production in 1982 . 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 . edit Development . edit Advanced Attack Helicopter . Main 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 . 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 . edit Into production . In 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 $ 470 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 $ 7 . 03 million and the average unit cost was approximately US $ 13 . 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 $ 1 . 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 $ 11 billion through 2007 . Some parts of the Apache are produced by international partners . AgustaWestland has been producing Apache components for the international market and for the AgustaWestland Apache . Since 2004 , Korea Aerospace Industries has been the sole manufacturer of the Apache ' s fuselage . Prior to this , fuselage production was handled by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical throughout the 1980s and 1990s ; a legal dispute between Teledyne Ryan and Boeing broke out over the eventual tranfer of fuselage production . In April 2006 , Boeing was awarded a $ 67 . 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 . edit Design . The 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 . 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 ' s standard of performance for aerial gunnery is to achieve at least one hit out of 30 shots fired at a wheeled vehicle 800 – 1200 m away . 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 . 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 . edit Operational history . edit 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 " . A soldier ontop of an AH - 64 ' s stub - wing during an extraction exercise at Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , 2007As 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 traveling and fighting well 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 recognized , 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 Task Force Hawk 24 Apaches were deployed to a land base in Albania in 1999 to participate in the Kosovo engagement ; this required 26 , 000 tons of equipment to be transported and over 550 C - 17 flights , at a cost of $ 480 million . During these deployments the AH - 64 encountered problems such as deficiencies in training , night vision equipment , fuel tanks , and survivability . 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 . By the end of US military operations in Iraq in December 2011 , several Apache helicopters were shot down by enemy fire during the Iraq War , with others lost in crashes . In 2007 , four Apache helicopters were destroyed on the ground by Iraqi insurgent mortar fire ; the insurgents had made use of embedded coordinates in web - published photographs ( geotagging ) taken of the helicopters by soldiers . As of 2012 , several AH - 64s have been lost to accidents in Afghanistan . 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 . edit Israel . The Israeli Air Force ( IAF ) first received AH - 64As in 1990 , for a total fleet of 42 . There was some controversy over the Air Force ' s choice to purchase Apaches over upgrading existing AH - 1 Cobra attack helicopters . In 2000 Israel was interested in acquiring up to 48 Apache AH - 64Ds , but US reluctance to share the software source code complicated the prospect . In April 2005 , Boeing delivered the first AH - 64D to the IAF . In 2009 , an arranged sale of six AH - 64Ds was reportedly blocked by the Obama Administration ( pending interagency review ) over concerns the helicopters may pose a threat to civilian Palestinians in Gaza . Also , in February 2001 reports emerged the US government was investigating alleged misuse of the Apache and other US military equipment against Palestinian leaders and facilities . The IAF has named the AH - 64A " Peten " ( Hebrew : פתן , for Cobra ) , and the AH - 64D " Saraph " ( שרף , also as " Seraph " , Hebrew for flaming angel ) . Israeli Air Force AH - 64D " Saraph " during an exercise with the Hellenic Air Force in 2011 . The small radome on the stub wing covers the EL / K - 1891 SATCOM antenna . The AH - 64A was used frequently during the 1990s to attack and destroy Hezbollah outposts in Lebanon , attacking in many weather conditions – day and night . On 13 April 1996 , during Operation Grapes of Wrath , an Israeli Apache fired two Hellfire missiles at an ambulance in Lebanon , killing six civilians . During the al - Aqsa Intifada in 2000 , the IAF used the AH - 64 to kill senior Hamas figures , such as Ahmed Yassin and Adnan al - Ghoul , with guided missiles . On 24 May 2001 , a privately - owned Lebanese - registered Cessna 152 flew into Israeli airspace and was intercepted by two Israeli AH - 64s , one of which shot down the Cessna with an AGM - 114 Hellfire missile , killing the pilot . On 22 March 2004 , an Israeli AH - 64 used a Hellfire missile to kill Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin , also killing both his bodyguards and nine bystanders . IAF Apaches played a prominent role in the 2006 Lebanon War , launching strikes into Lebanon targeting Hezbollah forces . There have also been accidents involving the Apache helicopter in Israeli service . During the Lebanon War in 2006 , two IAF AH - 64A helicopters collided , killing one pilot and critically wounding three . In another incident in the conflict an IAF AH - 64D crashed due to a malfunction in the main rotor , killing the two crew . In late 2007 , the Israeli Air Force put further purchases and deliveries of AH - 64Ds on hold during an investigation upon the aircraft ' s performance envelope . However , Israeli officials have since praised the Apache for its role in Operation Cast Lead in 2008 , against Hamas in Gaza . In June 2010 , Israel decided against upgrading their existing AH - 64A to the - D configuration , due to budget restrictions . However , in December 2010 , the IAF was examining the adoption of a new missile system as a cheaper and lightweight complement to the Hellfire missile , either the American Hydra 70 or the Canadian CRV7 . In Britain , there was controversy over British - supplied components being used in IAF Apaches ; a Parliamentary report by several MPs stated : " It is regrettable that arms exports to Israel were almost certainly used in Operation Cast Lead " . edit United Kingdom . UK Army Air Corps Westland WAH - 64D Apache Longbow displays at a UK airshowMain article : AgustaWestland Apache The UK operates a modified version of the Apache Longbow initially called the Westland WAH - 64 Apache , and is designated Apache AH1 by the British Army . Westland built 67 WAH - 64 Apaches under license from Boeing , following a competition between the Eurocopter Tiger and the Apache for the British Army ' s new Attack Helicopter in 1995 . Important deviations made by AgustaWestland from the US variants of the Apache include replacing the engines with more powerful Rolls - Royce units , and the addition of a folding blade assembly for naval use ; allowing British Apaches to operate from Royal Navy warships and auxiliaries . edit The Netherlands . Royal Netherlands Air Force AH - 64D at the Farnborough Airshow , 2006The Dutch government initially showed an interest in acquiring Apache helicopters in the late 1980s , where it stated that it may purchase as many as 52 . A competition held in 1994 against the Eurocopter Tiger and the AH - 1 SuperCobra led to the Royal Netherlands Air Force ordering 30 AH - 64D Apaches in 1995 . Construction for the order started in December 1997 , deliveries began in 1999 . The Apaches of the RNLAF are equipped with the Apache Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment ( AMASE ) system . The AMASE is an advanced Electronic Warfare self - protection system against Infra - Red ( IR ) missile threats . The RNLAF Apaches ' first deployment was in 2001 to Djibouti , Africa . They were also deployed alongside US AH - 64s in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina . In 2004 , six Dutch AH - 64s were deployed as part of the Netherlands contribution to Multinational force in Iraq to support the Dutch ground forces . The Apaches performed close combat support and display of force missions , along with providing reconnaissance information to ground forces . In February 2006 , the Netherlands contribution to NATO forces in Afghanistan was increased from 600 to 1 , 400 troops and 6 AH - 64s were sent in support . Shortly after Apaches were deployed to Kabul airport as part of the Netherlands contribution to ISAF , on 10 April 2004 a pair of Dutch Apaches came under light gunfire close to the Afghan capital . On 17 December 2007 , a RNLAF Apache flew into powerlines during a night flying exercise in the Netherlands , forcing an emergency landing and causing a lengthy blackout in the region . edit Saudi Arabia . In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War , in which many US Apaches operated from bases within Saudi territory , the government of Saudi Arabia purchased twelve AH - 64As for their military . Within the Middle East , Israel ' s own Apache procurements were motivated as a response to the 1992 Saudi purchase . In August 2006 , Saudi officials began negotiations to spend as much as $ 400 million on upgrades to their Apaches , potentially remanufacturing them into a AH - 64D Longbow configuration . In September 2008 , the US Government consented to the purchase of twelve AH - 64Ds requested by Saudi Arabia . In October 2010 , Saudi Arabia requested a further 70 AH - 64Ds as part of a possible , massive US - Saudi arms deal . In November 2009 , the Royal Saudi Air Force , as part of a military effort against insurgent intrusions of the kingdom ' s border , started using the Apache in Operation Scorched Earth ; this involved launched air strikes against Houthi rebels operating inside neighboring Yemen as well . In January 2010 the rebels claimed to have shot down an Apache ; this was denied by the Saudi military . In late January 2010 , the leader of the Shiite rebels announced their withdrawal from Saudi territory , this announcement followed a key battle on 12 January when Saudi forces reportedly took control of the border village of Al Jabiri . edit Other and future users . The United Arab Emirates purchased 30 AH - 64A helicopters in 1991 and 1994 , which they are now upgrading to AH - 64D specification . In 2005 Kuwait purchased 16 Longbow helicopters . Egypt also uses the Apache . In September 2003 , Greece ordered 12 AH - 64D in addition to existing fleet of 20 AH - 64A + . Singapore purchased a total of 20 AH - 64D Longbow Apache aircraft in two batches between 1999 and 2001 ; during October 2010 Apache training was suspended following the forced crash - landing of an Apache . Japan has ordered a total of 50 AH - 64Ds , which are being built under license by Fuji Heavy Industries , designated " AH - 64DJP " . The first helicopter was delivered to the JGSDF in early 2006 . The Apache Longbow was one of several types that competed for the Indian Air Force order for 22 attack helicopters . Boeing had backed out of the competition in October 2008 . But in 2009 the competition was restarted . Boeing submitted an Apache proposal in October 2009 . In December 2010 , India requested the possible sale of 22 AH - 64Ds and associated weapons and equipment . In late October 2011 , it was reported that the American AH - 64D Apache had emerged as the front - runner ahead of the Russian Mi - 28N . South Korea showed interest in acquiring Apache attack helicopters , perhaps as early as by 2012 . This move may be related to US plans to withdraw many of its Apaches from South Korea . The purchase remains uncertain as of August 2009 , due to considerations of alternative aircraft . The Republic of China ( Taiwan ) reached an agreement with the US to purchase 30 AH - 64D Block III Apaches in June 2011 . Indonesian deputy minister of defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told the Antara news agency on 9 February 2012 , that the Indonesian National Armed Forces plans to buy eight AH - 64s . edit Variants . edit AH - 64A . IAF AH - 64A " Peten " The AH - 64A is the original production attack helicopter . The crew sit in tandem in an armored compartment . It is powered by two GE T700 turboshaft engines . The A - model was equipped with the - 701 engine version until 1990 when the engines were switched to the more powerful - 701C version . The Japanese Apache variant is based on the AH - 64A . Japan ' s AH - 64DJP can also be equipped with the AIM - 92 Stinger air - to - air missiles for defense . edit AH - 64B . In 1991 after Operation Desert Storm , the AH - 64B was a proposed upgrade to 254 AH - 64As . The upgrade would have included new rotor blades , a Global Positioning System ( GPS ) , improved navigation systems and new radios . Congress approved US $ 82 million to begin the Apache B upgrade . The B program was canceled in 1992 . The radio , navigation , and GPS modifications , were later installed on most A - model Apaches through other upgrades . edit AH - 64C . Additional funding from Congress in late 1991 resulted in a program to upgrade AH - 64As to an AH - 64B + version . More funding changed the plan to upgrade to AH - 64C . The C upgrade would include all changes to be included in the Longbow except for mast - mounted radar and newer - 700C engine versions . However , the C designation was dropped after 1993 . With AH - 64As receiving the newer engine from 1990 , the only difference between the C model and the radar - equipped D model was the radar , which could be moved from one aircraft to another ; thus the decision was made to simply designate both versions " AH - 64D " . edit AH - 64D . Republic of Singapore Air Force AH - 64D on static display during open house , with the swept wing tip on its main rotor blade clearly visible . The " AH - 64D Apache Longbow " , is equipped with an advanced sensor suite and a glass cockpit . The main improvement over the A - variant is the dome installed over the main rotor , housing the AN / APG - 78 Longbow millimeter - wave Fire Control Radar ( FCR ) target acquisition system and the Radar Frequency Interferometer ( RFI ) . The raised position of the radome enables the detection of targets and launching of missiles while the helicopter is behind obstacles ( e . g . terrain , trees or buildings ) . A radio modem integrated with the sensor suite allows data to be shared with other D - models ; allowing them to fire on targets detected by a single helicopter . The aircraft is powered by a pair of uprated T700 - GE - 701C engines . The forward fuselage was expanded to accommodate new systems to improve crashworthiness , survivability , navigation , and ' tactical internet ' communications capabilities . The first of the upgraded Block II Apaches was delivered to the US Army in February 2003 . Block II includes upgrades to the digital communications systems . Block III aircraft include the following upgrades : improved digital connectivity , the joint tactical radio system , more powerful T700 - GE - 701D engines , an enhanced transmission with new split - torque face gears to accommodate more power , capability to control UAVs , new composite rotor blades , full IFR capability and improved landing gear . The new blades , which successfully completed flight testing in May 2004 , increased the Apache ' s cruise speed , climb rate and payload capability . The US Army now plans to field the first Block III equipped unit in November 2012 . The Army awarded a contract to begin initial production of Block III helicopters in October 2010 . Throughout 2011 , AH - 64Ds will be upgraded with VNsight low - light television sensors ( LLTV ) , allowing ambient lighting such as street lights , beacons , and headlights to be viewable ; which existing thermal imagers cannot do . Deliveries of Block III aircraft began in November 2011 . edit Sea Apache . A US Army AH - 64A Apache aboard USS " Nassau " during Joint Shipboard Weapons and Ordnance training Naval versions of the AH - 64A for the United States Marine Corps and Navy were examined from 1984 to 1987 . Multiple concepts were studied with altered landing gear arrangements , improved avionics and weapons . Funding for the naval version was not provided , and the Marine Corps has continued to use the AH - 1 SuperCobra . The Canadian Forces Maritime Command also examined the prospect of using a modified Apache in naval service . The British Army ' s AgustaWestland Apache went through trials in 2004 onboard HMS " Ocean " to test its suitability for use . The US expressed interest in these trials . In 2011 the British Army used their Apache to attack targets in Libya flying off HMS " Ocean " and Royal fleet auxiliary ( RFA ) vessels . edit Export Apaches . Several models have been derived from both AH - 64A and AH - 64D for export . The British - built AgustaWestland Apache ( assembled from kits purchased from Boeing ) is based on the AH - 64D with several different systems , including more powerful engines and modifications allowing operation from Royal Navy vessels . edit Operators . World map of military operators of the AH - 64 Apache . Current military operators in blue . JGSDF AH - 64D ; Egypt edit Specifications ( AH - 64A / D ) . Weapon loadout of the AH - 64 Apache " Data from " Jane ' s Information Group , Bishop General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics edit Notable appearances in media . Main article : AH - 64 Apache in fiction = = edit See also = =