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The Israeli air force has put on hold plans to extend an upgrade to its Boeing AH-64A Apache attack helicopter fleet, but is considering proposals from the US company to further extend the operating range of its 25 F-15I strike aircraft.
Israel, which operates 47 Apaches, signed a contract in 2000 under which Boeing will remanufacture an initial 18 of its A-model helicopters to the AH-64D Apache Longbow standard – dubbed the Saraf in Israeli service. A subsequent letter of intent added an additional six aircraft to the programme, but Israel recently informed Boeing that it has re-evaluated the project and removed the additional platforms.
Boeing is encouraging Israel to reconsider its decision, arguing it could make it harder to maintain Israel’s older helicopters or to introduce new technologies to the fleet in the future. “We made this clear to the Israeli air force and hope that they will come back to the original programme,” says Thomas Cunningham, manager of international rotorcraft business development.
Israel is expected to make a decision on whether to reinstate the six aircraft by the end of this year. Its last helicopters covered by the 2000 remanufacturing deal are now being modified at Boeing’s Mesa plant in Arizona.
Meanwhile, the air force continues to evaluate enhancements to its F-15I fleet, including the possible acquisition of additional aircraft. A range increase is now being evaluated, says Charles Van Gordon, manager of Boeing’s F-15 foreign military sales programmes. “Bigger conformal [fuel] tanks is one option, but not the only one.”
Another measure to increase the type’s range could involve design changes to the F-15I’s wing, Van Gordon says. “We talk with the Israeli air force on a daily basis and study their operational needs.” Israel continues to assess a follow-on order for the type, and recent deals to supply F-15s to Singapore and South Korea have provided Boeing more time to close a deal.
Source: Flight International
