05 October 2012

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25 Facts about Apache Attack helicopters IAF to get 22 Apache attack helicopters 1.4 billion dollar deal

25 Facts about Apache Attack helicopters   IAF to get 22 Apache attack helicopters 1.4 billion dollar deal

On 5 October 2012, IAF Chief NAK Browne confirmed that the AH-64D Block III has been selected.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said that IAF is procuring 22 Apache attack helicopters from the US

Russian Mi-28 N Night Hunter has lost out to the American AH-64D Apache helicopter

Apache edged out Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter in the race for the IAF contract.

The contract is for 1.4 billion dollar

Facts about Apache Helicopters

1)  
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tail wheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew.

2)  
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.

3)  
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

4)    
The AH-64 was introduced to US Army service in April 1986.

5)  
In 1983, the first production helicopter was rolled out at Hughes Helicopter's facility at Mesa, Arizona.

6)    
Hughes Helicopters was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for $470 million in 1984.

7)  
The helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997

8)  
The AH-64 Apache features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.

9)  
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.

10)  
It has four hard points mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods.

11)  
The AH-64 has a large amount of systems redundancy to improve combat survivability.

12)  
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.

13)  
U.S. AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

14)  
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.

15)  
The crew compartment has shielding between the cockpits, such that one crewmember can survive hits. The compartment and the rotor blades are designed to sustain a hit from 23-millimeter (0.91 in) rounds.

16)  
The airframe includes some 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) of protection against ballistic strikes.

17)  
The Apache also uses a self-sealing fuel system to protect against the loss of fuel caused by ballistic projectiles.

18)  
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

19)  
A newer system that is replacing TADS/PNVS is Arrowhead (MTADS); it is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, a contract was issued in February 2005 to begin equipping all US Apaches.

20)  
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

21)  
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.

22)  
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

23)  
Block III aircraft include the following upgrades: improved digital connectivity, the joint tactical radio system, more powerful T700-GE-701D engines, and 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.

24)  
The new blades, which successfully completed flight-testing in May 2004, increased the Apache's cruise speed, climb rate and payload capability.

25)  
The US Army now plans to field the first Block III equipped unit in November 2012.

General characteristics

1)  
Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner)

2)  
Length: 58.17 ft. (17.73 m) (with both rotors turning)

3)  
Rotor diameter: 48 ft. 0 in (14.63 m)

4)  
Height: 12.7 ft. (3.87 m)

5)  
Disc area: 1,809.5 ft² (168.11 m²)

6)  
Empty weight: 11,387 lb. (5,165 kg)

7)  
Loaded weight: 17,650 lb. (8,000 kg)

8)  
Max. takeoff weight: 23,000 lb. (10,433 kg)

9)  
Power plant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701 and later upgraded to T700-GE-701C (1990–present) & T700-GE-701D (AH-64D block III) turbo shafts, -701: 1,690 shp, -701C: 1,890 shp, -701D: 2,000 shp (-701: 1,260 kW, -701C: 1,490 kW, -701D: 1,490 kW) each

10)  
Fuselage length: 49 ft. 5 in (15.06 m)

11)  
Rotor systems: 4 blade main rotor, 4 blade tail rotor in non-orthogonal alignment

Performance

1)  
Never exceed speed: 197 knots (227 mph, 365 km/h)

2)  
Maximum speed: 158 knots (182 mph, 293 km/h)

3)  
Cruise speed: 143 knots (165 mph, 265 km/h)

4)  
Range: 257 nmi (295 mi, 476 km) with Longbow radar mast

5)  
Combat radius: 260 nmi (300 mi, 480 km)

6)  
Ferry range: 1,024 nmi (1,180 mi, 1,900 km)

7)  
Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m) minimum loaded

8)  
Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (12.7 m/s)

9)  
Disc loading: 9.80 lb/ft² (47.9 kg/m²)

10)  
Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (0.31 kW/kg)

Armament

1)  
Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18  in) M230 Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds as part of the Area Weapon Subsystem

2)  
Hardpoints: Four pylon stations on the stub wings. Longbows also have a station on each wingtip for an AIM-92 ATAS twin missile pack.

3)  
Rockets: Hydra 70 70 mm, and CRV7 70 mm air-to-ground rockets

4)  
Missiles: Typically AGM-114 Hellfire variants; AIM-92 Stinger may also be carried.

Avionics
Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman AN/APG-78 Longbow fire-control radar  (Note: can only be mounted on the AH-64D)

Watch the video –
Apache Longbow Block III



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Friday, October 05, 2012

Tags - Apache Attack Helicopter Facts

6 comments:

MEcoy October 06, 2012  

very informative another nice post sm

deeps October 06, 2012  

thats a different shot... liked it

Natasha October 07, 2012  

Thanks for the lovely comment! xxx