Paul Derby
Boeing got show week off to a flying start yesterday by agreeing a deal with Israel to remanufacture 12 AH-64A Apache attack helicopters to the improved -D standard. The contract also includes 12 options and is worth up to $800 million.
Included in the package is the Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman Longbow fire control radar and some or all of the options may take the form of new deliveries.
Boeing executives are jubilant that months of negotiation with Israel finally paid off: "This is a big win for us, there's no doubt about that," says Bob Mitchell, director of Apache business development. "We've been working hard to make the deal come together."
Deliveries
Israel currently operates 41 -A model Apaches and deliveries of the remanufactured machines are due to start in 2003.
"We're making six Apaches a month right now," says Mitchell, "rising to seven aircraft a month in September and we have capacity to raise that figure to 12."
Israel is the first of a posse of countries to firm up its attack helicopter plans and Boeing executives are hopeful of more positive news from Apache discussions with Egypt, which are at an advanced stage.
Mitchell says he expects Turkey to make a firm decision on buying aircraft next month. The Turks want to acquire an initial batch of 50 helicopters with a total requirement of 145 machines.
Request
Meanwhile, South Korea is set to re-open its competition for an attack helicopter next month. Boeing says it expects a request for information within weeks.
New aircraft are required to replace some of the army's Bell AH-1 Cobras.
Competitors are likely to include the Agusta A129I Mangusta, Bell's AH-1Z SuperCobra, Denel's CSH-2 Rooivalk, the Eurocopter Tiger, Kamov's Ka-50/52 and an armed version of the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk.
"We're also talking to Spain, who have down-selected the Apache and the Tiger," adds Mitchell. "We aim to speak to them again in April."
Source: Flight Daily News
