Boeing 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 AH-64 was introduced to U.S. 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 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 byBoeing Defense, Space & Security; over 1,000 AH-64s have been produced to date.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:	58.17 ft (17.73 m)
Height:	15.24 ft (4.64 m)
Wing Span:	17.15 ft (5.227 m)
Primary Mission Gross Weight  15,075 lb (6838 kg)	Standard Day	Hot Day ISA + 15C
Hover In-Ground Effect (MRP)	15,895 ft (4845 m)	14,845 ft (4525 m)
Hover Out-of-Ground Effect (MRP)	12,685 ft (3866 m)	11,215 ft (3418 m)
	Sea Level Standard Day	Hot Day 2000 ft 70 F (21 C)
Vertical Rate of Climb (MRP)	2,175 fpm (663 mpm)	2,050 fpm (625 mpm)
Maximum Rate of Climb (IRP)	2,915 fpm (889 mpm)	2,890 fpm (881 mpm)
Maximum Level Flight Speed	150 kt (279 kph)	153 kt (284 kph)
Cruise Speed (MCP)	150 kt (279 kph)	153 kt (284 kph)

Design and Capabilities

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 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 uses a self-sealing fuel system to protect against the loss of fuel caused by ballistic projectiles

One of the revolutionary features at the introduction of the Apache was its helmet mounted display, the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS)

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 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,^[51] GPS, and the IHADSS

Apache version	Engine version	Engine power
AH-64A	General Electric T700-701	1,696 shp (1,265 kW)
AH-64A+/D	General Electric T700-701C	1,890 shp (1,410 kW)
AH-64D Block III	General Electric T700-701D	2,000 shp (1,500 kW)
WAH-64D	Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322	2,100 shp (1,600 kW)

Engine

The Apache is equipped with two turboshaft engines, each providing 1,265kW. The American AH-64D has General Electric T700-GE-701 engines and the UK Apache is fitted with RTM322 engines from Rolls-Royce / Turbomeca.

Apache weapons

A 30mm automatic Boeing M230 chain gun is located under the fuselage. It provides a rate of fire of 625 rounds a minute. The Apache can be equipped with air-to-air missiles (Stinger, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Mistral and Sidearm) and the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS), formerly known as Hydra, family of guided and unguided 70mm rockets.

Sensors

The AH-64D Longbow Apache is equipped with the Northrop Grumman millimetre-wave Longbow radar. An advantage of millimetre wave is that it performs under poor-visibility conditions and is less sensitive to ground clutter.

The Longbow Apache can effect an attack in 30 seconds. The radar dome is unmasked for a single radar scan and then remasked. The processors determine the location, speed and direction of travel of a maximum of 256 targets.

The turret-mounted TADS provides direct-view optics, television and three-fields-of-view forward-looking infrared (FLIR) to carry out search, detection and recognition, and Litton laser rangefinder / designator.IHADSS, worn by the pilot and copilot / gunner