Boeing has secured a contract from the US government to produce 184 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the US Army and international customers.
The US government announced the $1.95 million contract on 17 March, indicating that the rotorcraft will go to the US Army, as well as to overseas buyers – namely Australia and Egypt – under the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. Contract completion is expected by the end of 2027.
Boeing states that the contract covers 184 Apaches, and brings its current total contract value for Apaches to $2.1 billion. It says that “future obligations” could take the contract value to over $3.8 billion.
Of the 184 Apaches, the army will receive 115 remanufactured airframes, with another “15 to be procured as options”. The remaining 54 are destined are for FMS buyers.
Cirium fleets data indicates that of the two FMS customers mentioned in the US government announcement, Australia has commitments for 29 Apaches and Egypt for 10.
Boeing says that the contract includes the first Australian examples, but does not mention Egypt or other potential customers.
At the recent Avalon Airshow near Melbourne, Australia, General Jeremy King, head of joint aviation systems for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), said the service had signed an FMS agreement with Washington and that it expected start receiving Apaches in 2026.
Canberra’s Apache acquisition will also see Australian industry have greater involvement in the helicopter’s supply chain, with five domestic companies to contribute cabling, wire harnesses and cockpit avionic components to Australia’s Apache fleet.
