The US Army has restructured its Boeing Longbow Apache programme, cutting the number of helicopters being upgraded but doubling the radars being procured for the project.
Originally, the US Army expected to remanufacture 748 AH-64As to the latest AH-64D standard while procuring only 227 Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman Longbow fire control radars for installation on the modernised gunships. An initial $1.9 billion five-year programme covering 232 conversions is under way. As planned, a second multiyear deal would convert an additional 298 units, and a third contract would finish the job.
Recently it was decided that only 530 AH-64As would be modernised, but 500 Longbow radars will be procured. Col Howard Bramblett, the army's Apache project manager, says: "We felt it was more important to acquire additional radars for a smaller, more lethal fleet where every aircraft has a fire control radar."
Boeing is building three AH-64Ds a month, with production set to peak at six a month. Production now stops in fiscal year 2006 (instead of FY2010) with completion of the second multiyear contract. The remaining 218 unmodified AH-64As will replace Bell AH-1 gunships in US Army reserve units. Bramblett says the unit procurement cost will rise "only slightly", because of the multiyear scheme. The firstAH-64D unit was declared combat ready in November.
Apache pilots and mechanics from the Royal Netherlands Air Force last month began transition training to the AH-64D. The Netherlands has purchased 30 AH-64Ds, without the mast-mounted fire control radar.
The air force will assign its first 15 AH-64Ds to its 302 Squadron at Gilze-Rihen AB, which goes operational next year. The 301 Squadron, which has operated leased AH-64A Apaches since 1997, will become the secondAH-64D unit in 2003.
Source: Flight International
