The AH-64A Apache gunship is an American helicopter gunship available to NATO forces. It's the most expensive attack helicopter together with the Mi-28 Havoc in the game and has the best armament.
History[]
Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of United States Air Force and Marine Corps projects like the A-10 Thunderbolt II and Harrier, the United States Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role that would still be under Army command; the 1948 Key West Agreement forbade the Army from owning fixed-wing aircraft. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability for terrain following nap-of-the-earth (NoE) flying. To this end, the US Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) on 15 November 1972. As a sign of the importance of this project, in September 1973 the Army designated their five most important projects, the "Big Five" with AAH included.
Proposals were submitted by Bell, Boeing Vertol/Grumman team, Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky. In July 1973, the U.S. Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircraft's Toolco Aircraft Division (later Hughes Helicopters). This began the phase 1 of the competition. Each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test program. Hughes' Model 77/YAH-64A prototype first flew on 30 September 1975, while Bell's Model 409/YAH-63A prototype first flew on 1 October. After evaluating test results, the Army selected Hughes' YAH-64A over Bell's YAH-63A in 1976. Reasons for selecting the YAH-64A included its more damage tolerant four-blade main rotor and the instability of the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear arrangement.
The AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for building three pre-production AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard. Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile. The missile development had began in 1974.The Apache's first saw combat in 1989 during the invasion of Panama Operation Just Cause.
These AH-64 replaced the AH-1F starting in 1986 in the one to two Attack Helicopter battalions of the various Divisions along with more AH-64 battalion at the Corp Aviation Brigades.
The Apache is currently operated by Egypt, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel (see Peten), Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands (Escort and TD), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and the United States. Despite Britain having models, they are their own versions called the Augusta Westland Apache.
Game stats[]
Specifications[]
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Class | Gunship Helicopter |
| Cost | 120 
|
| Armor | Front 1 / Side 1 / Rear 0 / Top 0 |
| Strength | 8 |
| Size | Medium |
| Optics |
Medium |
| Speed | 280 km/h |
| Stealth | Poor |
| Fuel Capacity | 1000 L |
| Autonomy | 500 km |
| Year | 1986 |
| Type | Airborne, Motorized |
Weapons[]
| Weapons | 
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Autocannon | Rocket Pod | ATGM |
| Name | M230 | M151 Hydra | AGM-114A Hellfire |
| Caliber | 30mm KE AoE | 70mm Rocket AoE | SALH HEAT SA |
| Ammo | x 1200 | x 38 | x 8 |
| Range | Ground = 1575 m Helicopters = 1575 m  Airplanes = N/A m
|
Ground = 2100 m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m
|
Ground = 2800 m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m
|
| Accuracy | 60% | 20% | 70% |
| Stabilizer | 50% | 10% | 50% |
| AP Power | 2 | N/A | 26 |
| HE Power | 1 | 2 | N/A |
| Suppression | 60 | 161 | 150 |
| Rate of fire | 450 r/min | 132 r/min | 1 s r/min |
Specifications[]
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Class | Gunship Helicopter |
| Armor | Front 0 / Side 0 / Rear 0 / Top 0 |
| Size | Normal |
| Optics |
Normal |
| Speed | 350 km/h |
| Fuel Capacity | 1000 L |
| Operational Range | 500 km |
| Stabilizer | Bad |
Specifications[]
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Class | Gunship Helicopter |
| Cost | 8  165
|
| Armor | Front 0 / Side 0 / Rear 0 / Top 0 |
| Size | Normal |
| Optics |
Normal |
| Speed | 350 km/h |
| Fuel Capacity | 1000 L |
| Operational Range | 500 km |
| Stabilizer | Bad |
Weapons[]
| Weapons | 
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Autocannon | ATGM | Rocket Pod |
| Name | M230 | Hellfire | Hydra 70 |
| Caliber | 30 | SALH | 70 |
| Ammo | x 1200 | x 8 | x 38 |
| Range | Ground = N/A m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m
|
Ground = N/A m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m
|
Ground = N/A m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m
|
| Accuracy | 5 | 10 | 4 |
| AP Power | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| HE Power | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Rate of fire | 260 r/min | 30 r/min | 83 r/min |
Gallery[]
