Longbow L.L.C. in Orlando, FL (a Joint Venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman) received an $11.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for Lifecycle Contractor Support for the Apache Fire Control Radar.
Boeing’s AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter is equipped with the AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, whose use of millimetre wave sensing improves performance under poor visibility conditions and is less sensitive to ground clutter. The short wavelength also allows a very narrow beamwidth, which is more resistant to countermeasures.
The AH-64D can effect an attack in thirty seconds, as the torus-shaped radar dome above the rotor is unmasked for a single radar scan and then remasked. It also incorporates an integrated radar frequency interferometer for passive location and identification of radar emitting threats. The fire control radar’s processors can determine the location, speed and direction of travel of a maximum of 256 targets. Target data is also digitally available through the improved data modem for real-time transfer to other platforms and command posts.
500 AH-64Ds have been delivered, and 380 are in service with the US Army out of a total of 501 procured – 232 new build and 269 US Army AH-64A Apaches being upgraded to AH-64D standard. Deliveries are to complete in 2006. The Longbow has also been ordered by the Netherlands (30, deliveries complete), Singapore (20, first delivered in May 2002), Israel (9 new, 4 remanufactured, first delivery March 2005) and Egypt (35). A number of AH-64A helicopters have been upgraded to AH-64D standard for South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested the upgrade of 30 Apaches to AH-64D Longbow standard.
In August 2001, the AH-64D was selected by the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force, with a requirement for 60 helicopters, and in September 2002, Kuwait ordered 16 AH-64D helicopters for delivery from 2005. In September 2003, Greece signed a contract for 12 (plus four options) AH-64D Longbows.
Work on this contract will be performed in Baltimore, MD (50%) and Orlando, FL (50%), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2006. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 28, 2004 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-05-C-0082).