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AH-64 in Afghanistan
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With the collapse of the RAH-66 Comanche program, and rededication of its funding into the ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), the UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and other programs, the AH-64 Apache will remain the USA’s primary attack helicopter for several more decades.

On July 14, 2006, Boeing and U.S. Army officials signed a $619.3 million contract for Block III upgrades to the current and future Apache fleet via a virtual signing ceremony in Washington, DC, Huntsville, AL, and Mesa, AZ. Overall AH-64D Longbow Block III improvements, slated for 2008 on, incorporate 25 technology insertions as part of the Army’s future force plan. Previously signed and executed contracts for risk reduction engineering work were valued collectively at $66.1 million, and there has been some advance ordering and development of components like radar units.

So… how many helicopters will be modified under the AH-64 Block III program, and what do these modifications include?

• The AH-64 Apache Program: Sunrise, Sunset
• The AH-64D Block III
• Contracts and Key Events
• Additional Readings

The AH-64 Apache Program: Sunrise, Sunset

No sunset yet.

The delivery of the first production Block III Apache is scheduled for 2011, following the completion of current Apache production work that has been ongoing in Mesa, Arizona since the program’s inception in the early 1980s.

Of the 937 AH-64As built, 821 were built for US Army, and about 720. Most of the USA’s AH-64D fleet was remanufactured from those AH-64As to AH-64D status over a 10-year period, under 2 multi-year contracts that ran for 5 years each. These helicopters received equipment upgrades, and were also rebuilt to “zero flight hours” condition.

• 284 helicopters were fielded as AH-64D Block Is. The first multi-year remanufacture contract was for 232 helicopters, and covered Lots I-V. The Lot VI helicopters from the second multi-year contract were also built to the AH-64D Block I standard, which included the “Longbow” radar mast, compatible dual-mode Hellfire II missile capability, updated self-protection suites, and better cockpit displays.

• Another 217 helicopters in Lots VII-X built AH-64As to the AH-64D Block II standard, which adds improved electronics and software to include the “Longbow” radar mast, compatible dual-mode Hellfire II missile capability, color cockpit displays including moving digital maps, and even more up to date self-protection suites. All were built during the second multi-year contract period, which covered 269 Block I and Block II helicopters in total.

• The lateness of the JTRS radio program, and other issues, have delayed the future Block III model, and so January 2007 saw a contract to convert another 96 American AH-64As to the AH-64D “Extended Block II” standard.

The US Army aims to upgrade all 501 of the current Block I and II Apaches and their wartime loss replacements, plus the additional 96 planned AH-64 helicopters, to Block III status by 2020. This will be accomplished through a second remanufacture program.

The AH-64D Block III

AH-64D Longbow
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The current Apache AH-64D Longbow is equipped with the AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, whose use of millimeter wave sensing improves performance under poor visibility conditions and is less sensitive to ground clutter. The short wavelength also allows a very narrow beam-width, which is more resistant to countermeasures when it’s trying to guide the helicopter’s missiles to their targets. Block III upgrades are designed to extend the Apache’s sensor range in all domains, and may be paired with extended range weapons like the Joint Common Missile as well.

The Apache Block III program will incorporate open systems architecture to create more standardization and “switchability,” extended range sensing, extended-range fire control radar, extended range missiles, wideband network communications to maximize its networkability, and high capacity data fusion computers to merge off- and on-board sensor imagery into a single shared picture of the battlefield. The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) is scheduled to be part of this effort, but continued delays and program restructurings may lead to installation of upgraded versions of the AN/ARC-231 Skyfire system in some aircraft if JTRS isn’t ready.

Other planned enhancements to the AH-64D Block III include enhanced engines and drive systems, “Level IV” control of UAVs from inside the helicopter, and a new composite rotor blade. The new rotor blades, which successfully completed flight testing in May 2004, increase the Apache’s cruise speed, climb rate and payload capability.

Contracts and Key Events

Unless otherwise noted, the Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL manages these contracts.

Note that Longbow LLC is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Oct 2/08: Taiwan’s official request [PDF] is placed for 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III attack helicopters ad associated equipment. The estimated purchase price is $2.532 billion. Taiwan currently fields AH-1W Cobras in this role, and the AH-64D beat Bell’s AH-1Z Viper on the grounds that it was battle proven, while the AH-1Z remains developmental.

The helicopters will be ordered with 30 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (MTADS/PNVS “Arrowhead”), 17 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars and AN/APR-48 Radar Frequency Interferometer (FCR/RFI), 69 T700-GE-701D Turbine Engines. 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, and other forms of support.

The request also includes applicable weapons: 173 FIM-92F Stinger Block I Air-to-Air Missiles, 35 Stinger air-air missile Captive Flight Trainers with live guidance systems but no rocket motors, 1,000 AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire anti-tank missiles that can use the APG-78 and their own radar’s millimeter-wave guidance for “fire and forget” capability, and 66 M299 Hellfire missile launchers.

Taiwan has requested industrial offsets, which will be defined in direct negotiations with the contractor(s). Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 2 U.S. Government personnel for a period of 6 years to provide intensive coordination, monitoring, and technical assistance. In addition, 6 contractor representatives will be in country serving as Contractor Field Service Representatives for a period of 5 years, with the possibility of a 5-year extension. The principal contractors will be:

• The Boeing Company in Mesa, AZ and St Louis, MO (AH-64)
• General Electric in Lynn, MA (Engines)
• Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL (Longbow Hellfires, M299, Arrowheads)
• Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY
• Northrop Grumman Corporation in Baltimore, MD (Longbow Hellfires)
• Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ (Stinger missiles)
• Inter-Coastal Electronics in Mesa, AZ
• BAE Systems in Rockville, MD

Sept 14/08: South Korea’s Yonhap News reports that the USA has offered to sell 36 used Apache attack helicopters to South Korea at less than 60% of the out-of-factory price, with upgrades to Block III status plus include a new frame and engines, resetting their life span to 10,000 flight hours.

The deal, if signed, is expected to be worth around $811 million. Its size is causing hesitation in Korea, which needs to replace its aging fleet of 500MD Defender helicopters and has backed off of its previous plans for an indigenous attack helicopter program. Politics is an uncertain game, and dates are rarely dependable, but a government decision is expected by the end of the 2008. Seoul Times article.

July 11/08: The Boeing Company and assembled guests celebrate the first flight of the AH-64D Apache Block III helicopter in Mesa, AZ. The aircraft was flown by two Apache-rated aviators: U.S. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard Cody, and Army experimental test pilot (Chief Warrant Officer 5) Rucie Moore.

Actually the demonstration flight on this day was the second flight. As one might expect given the passenger involved, a U.S. Army soldier and a Boeing teammate initially flew this Block III prototype aircraft over the Arizona desert on June 27/08 in preparation for this day’s ceremony. Boeing’s release states that it plans to begin Low Rate Initial Production in April 2010, and to deliver the first production AH-64D Apache Block III in June 2011.

A follow-on Lockheed Martin release notes the debut of its Arrowhead surveillance and targeting sensors, and Longbow Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA) on the new helicopters. The Longbow UTA can control up to 4 UAVs.

April 30/08: A team comprised of The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], the U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, AMRDEC Aviation Systems Integration Facility, Harris Corp. and Rockwell Collins receive the American Helicopter Society’s (AHS) 2008 Howard Hughes Award during the AHS International Annual Forum in Montreal, Canada. The AH-64D Block III’s progress figures prominently in that award.

One hopes that the award’s annual winners will have better luck with aircraft development than Howard Hughes. Boeing release.

Jan 17/08: Longbow LLC in Orlando FL received a $15.4 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Apache Block III radar electronics unit and an unmanned aerial vehicle tactical common data link assembly. The latter item would allow the helicopter’s pilots to share data with UAVs, and could allow full control depending on the technologies used.

Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD and Orlando, FL and is expected to be complete by June 30/09. One bid was solicited on Jan 20/06, and 1 bid was received (W58RGZ-05-C-0239).

July 14/06: Boeing and U.S. Army officials sign a $619.3 million contract for Block III upgrades to the current and future Apache fleet via a virtual signing ceremony in Washington, DC; Huntsville, AL; and Mesa, AZ. Boeing release

Jan 25/06: Longbow LLC in Orlando, FL received a $76 million increment as part of a $100 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Apache Block III Radar Electronics Units.

Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD (50%), and Orlando, FL (50%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 30/08. This was a sole source contract initiated on Jan 11/06 (W58RGZ-05-C-0239).

July 13/05: Longbow LLC in Orlando, FL receives a $15 million increment as part of a $17.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Apache Fire Control Radar Electronics Unit.

Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD (50%), and Orlando, FL (50%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 15/05. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 22/04 (W58RGZ-05-C-0239).

Additional Readings

• Inside Defense: Inside the Army (Oct 30/06) – Army Speeds Fielding Of Apache Block III Technologies To Current Fleet. “The Army is working to speed the development of six key technologies slated to be fielded under the Apache Longbow Block III modernization program in an effort to provide the enhanced capabilities to today’s warfighters, according to Col. Derek Paquette, Apache project manager.”

• edefense Online (Oct 25/05) – “New Tactics for Apache”