The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and tandem cockpit for a crew of two. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. First flown on 30 September 1975, the AH-64 features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The Apache 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 and Hydra 70 rocket pods. The AH-64 also features double- and triple-redundant aircraft systems to improve survivability for the aircraft and crew in combat, as well as improved crash survivability for the pilots.
The U.S. Army selected the AH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, awarding Hughes Helicopters a pre-production contract for two more aircraft. In 1982, the Army approved full production. McDonnell Douglas continued production and development after purchasing Hughes Helicopters from Summa Corporation in 1984. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, a greatly upgraded version of the original Apache, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. AH-64 production is continued by the Boeing Defense, Space & Security division; over one thousand AH-64s have been produced to date.
The U.S. Army is the primary operator of the AH-64, however it has also become the primary attack helicopter of several nations it has been exported to, including the United Kingdom, Israel, Japan, Greece and the Netherlands. U.S. AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel has made active use of the Apache in its military conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza Strip; while two coalition allies have deployed their AH-64s in Afghanistan and Iraq.
General characteristics
* Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner)
* Length: 58.17 ft (17.73 m) (with both rotors turning)
* Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
* Height: 12.7 ft (3.87 m)
* Disc area: 1,809.5 ft² (168.11 m²)
* Empty weight: 11,387 lb (5,165 kg)
* Loaded weight: 17,650 lb (8,000 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× General Electric T700-GE-701 and later upgraded to T700-GE-701C (1990–present) & T700-GE-701D (AH-64D block III) turboshafts, -701: 1,690 shp, -701C: 1,890 shp, -701D: 2,000 shp (-701: 1,260 kW, -701C: 1,490 kW, -701D: 1,490 kW) each
* Fuselage length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
* Rotor systems: 4 blade main rotor, 4 blade tail rotor in non-orthogonal alignment
Performance
* Never exceed speed: 197 knots (227 mph, 365 km/h)
* Maximum speed: 158 knots (182 mph, 293 km/h)
* Cruise speed: 143 knots (165 mph, 265 km/h)
* Range: 257 nmi (295 mi, 476 km) with Longbow radar mast
* Combat radius: 260 nmi (300 mi, 480 km)
* Ferry range: 1,024 nmi (1,180 mi, 1,900 km)
* Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m) minimum loaded
* Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (12.7 m/s)
* Disc loading: 9.80 lb/ft² (47.9 kg/m²)
* Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (0.31 KW/kg)
Armament
* Guns: 1× 30 × 113 mm (1.18 × 4.45 in) M230 Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds
* Hardpoints: Four pylon stations on the stub wings. Longbows also have a station on each wingtip for an AIM-92 ATAS twin missile pack.[39][158]
* Rockets: Hydra 70 air-to-ground rockets
* Missiles: Typically AGM-114 Hellfire variants, however, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and AIM-92 Stinger may also be carried.
Avionics
* Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman AN/APG-78 Longbow fire-control radar (Note: can only be mounted on the AH-64D)
Operators
United StatesKa-50 "Black Shark"
The Kamov Ka-50 "Black Shark" (Russian: Чёрная акула, NATO reporting name: Hokum A) is a single-seat Russian attack helicopter with the distinctive coaxial rotor system of the Kamov design bureau. It was designed in the 1980s and adopted for service in the Russian army in 1995. It is currently manufactured by the Progress company in Arsenyev.
During the late 1990s, Kamov and Israel Aerospace Industries developed a tandem-seat cockpit version, the Kamov Ka-50-2 "Erdogan", to compete in Turkey's attack helicopter competition. Kamov also designed another two-seat variant, the Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" (Russian: Аллигатор, NATO reporting name: Hokum B).
Operators
Russia- General characteristics
* Crew: One (for Ka-52: two)
* Length: 13.50 m (44 ft 3 in)
* Rotor diameter: 2x 14.50 m (2x 47 ft 7 in)
* Height: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
* Disc area: 330.3 m² (3,555 ft²)
* Empty weight: 7,800 kg (17,200 lb)
* Loaded weight: 9,800 kg (21,600 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 10,800 kg (23,810 lb)
* Powerplant: 2× Klimov TV3-117VK turboshafts, 1,660 kW (2,226 shp) each
* For Ka-52:
o Loaded weight: 10,400 kg (22,930 lb)
Performance
* Maximum speed: 390 km/h (204 knots, 242 mph) in dive
* Cruise speed: 270 km/h (146 knots, 168 mph)
* Range: 1,160 km (720 miles)
* Combat radius: 460 km (286 miles)
* Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,000 ft)
* Rate of climb: 10 m/s (32.8 ft/s)
* Disc loading: 30 kg/m² (6 lb/ft²)
* Power/mass: 0.33 kW/kg (0.20 hp/lb)
Armament
* 1x mobile semi-rigid 30 mm Shipunov 2A42 cannon (460 rounds total, dual feeding AP or HE-Frag)
* A variety of payloads on the four under-wing hardpoints, including 23 mm UPK-23-250 gun pods (240 rounds each), 2 x APU-6 Missle racks, able to accommodate a total of 12 9K121 Vikhr anti-tank missiles, Vympel R-73 (NATO: AA-11 Archer) air-to-air missiles, 80 x 80 mm S-8 rockets and 20 x 122 mm S-13 rocket, Kh-25 semi-active laser guided tactical air-to-ground missiles, presumably S-25/S-25L high caliber rockets, 4x 250 kg (550 lb) bombs or 2x 500 kg (1,100 lb) bombs, 500 L (130 US gal) external fuel tanks. Reportedly, twin Igla light air-to-air missile launchers under each wingtip countermeasure pod (total 4 missiles). Maximum total payload 2,000 kg.[21]
* Two pods on the wingtips with flare and chaff countermeasure dispensers, 4 UV-26 dispensers each (total 512 chaff/flare cartridges in each pod)[22]
