6 OSPREY.

COMBAT AIRCRAFT SERIES

AH-64Apache

BILL ~;UNSTOl\
 COMBAT AIRCRMT SERIES

AH-64Apache
BILL G "ISTO"l

. "'. . -

OSPREY PUBLISHING LONDON

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(:lIl1!<IOIL.I\i!l Contents
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Technical Featun:s
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 1
Design and Development
E\'V FLYING machines are as menacing as the
F armed helicopter, and no armed helicoplcr is
more menacing than the apTly named
Apache. Though dull olive grey in colour, the
Apaches look black as they come thumkring ill,
making the air for miles ,lround vibrate wilh the
Illighty power of their threshing blades. Like <!m:-
some armoured insects, They dose with tbe enemy,
shrugging off The hail of nrc directed against them
;llld finally picking off lhick-skiutlcd lauks as if they
were Aies. Vo,lilhin secouds [be Lllrobbing attackers
have vanished, leaving behilld a scelle of carnage and
(\<.:sobtioll.
1]IH[clliably, the Allacllc is il11lJrcssivc, ,unl C;dCLl-
laled to strike fear into its CllClllics. All tile sellior
COltllll,llH!crs of the US Army from President
Reagan down !l;lve singled it out for special praise.
NOl ltlltypical was the commellt of Brig-(;en Ellis
D.P;lrker, Deputy Director for Requiremell1.~: "It
gives corps ;ll1d division cOlllmatH!ers Ille ()P!)()J-rLlll-
ity to capitalize on more of the principles of war than
. ..
with allV other system thev han'." But ;llllhis is only.
one side of" the coin.
The other side is Ihat, whereas the Apache was
planned to cost $1.4 million, each of today's helicop-
ters sets back the US taxpayer almost len times that
amonnt. And \Varsaw Pact armics are more COIll-
pletdy defend(.'"(1 against air attack than any others in
hislory, with vast numbers of highly mobile SAMs
Glpahle with one shot of blowillg an Apache into
slllall fraglllellK (:0I1troversy over the viability of
hattlefield helimpters will cominue, but the point
must he notcd Ihat 110 nation makes g-reater use of
tbem than the Soviet Union. Moreover, in Ihe new
Havo<:, helicved to be the rVli-28, that country h:ls
paid the Apache the most sincere form of compli-
mellt possible, in the form of an apparently direct
copy.
Early helicopters were incapable of carrying lUany
weapons, and it was not until the I960s that purpost:-
desigtKd armed helicopters were considcrcd. Thc
firSI 10 be built was sm;lll, a development of thc Bdl
17 Sioux called the l'vlodel ~07 Sioux Scout. \Vith
only ~60hp, it did well to larry a crew of two-for
the first,ime in a slim tam]cm cockpit reminiscent of
a fighter-ami a chin turret with two machine guns.
Illdeed, small wings were fiued to help unload the
rotor amI provide attachments for rockets or other
wcapolls. Significantly, thc gUlluer was in the nose
and the pilot I.>t:hilld and slightly higher.
High-perfonnance requirement
\-Vith increasing involvement in Vietnam, and helafed
recognition thal existing- armed hdio)ll\(TS were
merely ordinary transpon11e1icoplers on to which a
few weapons had been fastened, Ihe US Army spellt
1964-65 devising- a specification for a specially de-
signed armed helicopler. R{joicillg in the tille of
Advanc(.'"(1 Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS), the
requirement called for a machine of unprecedented
performance and <:apability, with the ability to Hy and
fight extremdy dose to the ground even at night or
ill bad. weathcr. III .\larch 19GG Lockheed was picked
ovC!" II othcr coutcstants for what promised to be a
giant programme.
The first of ten prolOtypes of the AH-56A
Chcycnlle hegan its Hight test programIllc Oil 21
Septcmber 1967. Powered by a 3,925shp General
Electric TG4 engine, it was in some ways almost au
autogyro or even an aeroplane, because in cruising
Hight much or lhe lilt was provided by a wing. The
main rotor was almost leathered, and "almost the
entire engine output" was supplied to lhe tail gear-
box where there was not only the usual ami-torque
rotor but also a propeller giving forward thrust.
Cruising speed W;lS ~421llph (389km/h). Avionics
were said 10 he "more complicated th;-lI1 a F.-52", with
inerti;ll and doppler navigation, terrain-following
radar and amazingly cOlllplex systems for aiming a
 nose turret with a Minigun or grenade launcher and
a belly LUrret with a 30mm cannon. Missiles and
rockeLS \"ere fired from under the winh'S. So great
were the problems and cost.s that this bold and
impn:ssi\'e machine nevcr went into production.
Thc Army's urgent needs in Vietnam \,'crc met by
the simpler AH-I HueyCobrd., produced \'cry quick-
ly by Bell as a private vcnture. In a brilliantly
successful programme, thc Cobra has beCII con-
tinuously upb'Taded and dcveloped to such all ext.cnt
that LOday's AH-IW l'or the Marine Corps has an
installed horsepower of 3,392, compared with the
original AH-l's 1,0001 To a rough approximation,
lifting ability i... proportional to installed power, bm
me Cobras find it difficult to opcrd.te except by day
and in clear visibility.
Abo,·C', 19" mock-up of the Hughes YAH-64 Apache, rore-
Warsaw Pact tank threat runnu or tht: winning dt:sign, which was to change considerably.

Accordingly, in 1972 the US Army at last got iLS aet
togcther and, picking up where the AAFSS had left
off, launched a programmc for an Advanct.'<1 Attack
Helicoptcr (AAH). It was vinually forced into doing
so by thc awesome and increasing power of t.he
Warsaw Pact armoured forces facing Western
Europe. Il wa!'> recognised that the capabilities prom-
ised by the cancelled Cheyenne were not merely
desirAble but absolutcl}' essential.
Four years into the AAH progrd.mme, in 1976, the
Hall Edward A. \fillcr, Assistant Secretary of the
Arm)' (R&D), said: "The AAH's night vision and
adverse weather capability, in concert with its agility,
speed and vertical acceleralion, will deprive any
advancing armored force of ilS security. The AAH's
Iklo...: The two p ~ of Bell's rival YAH-63losing de$ign
which, amoOlg odIer thin,l;S, put the pilot in frontof the ~nner
and also reatured a triC}"cle-type bnding gear.
Above: Two Lockh(:ed AH-56A Cheyennes flyin.e; ,wer the test
facility at O"nard, California, 1968. The AH-56A: wa$ cancelled.
maneuverability will enable it to dt:srroy tanks in
rocky 01' heavily wooded arC<l~ where previously they
would have been relmivcly s.afc from air <luCiek.
"Soviet and Warsaw l~lCt units are .....ell equipped
for air defense, and the AAH is designed to survive
111 the hostile environment th<..'SC anti-aircraft
weapons ",;11 create. Its abilit), will m'lke it a \'ery
dusi\'e target, and it is Glpable of sustaining (sic. he
mc:.1II1 to say 'surviving') hits from 12.7mm machine-
b'l.lIl n>llnds and, in some vital areas, 23mm weapons.
It is also l."lluipped with an effecti\'c illfr-I-red sup-
pres,sion s)':'>tcm 10 protect it from heat-seeking mis-
siles. The AAH, with its night and advcl"SC-wcather
Glpabilities, will greatly reduce the qualitative armor
ildvillItagc !lOW el~oyed by the East:'
Five-company competition
The AAH promised to be a m~jor programme, and
live comp..1.l\ies fought to win it: Bell Hdimpter,
Boeing Venol, Hughes Hel.icopters, Lockheed and
Sikorsky. The one firm that could nOl lose was
General [Iearie, whose specially designed '1'700 tur-
boshaft engine had aJready been picked nOt only for
the AAH but also for the even more numerous
UTTAS (Utility Tactical Tr<lnspol1. Aircraft S}'slem)
whkh was won by the Sikorsky $-70 (VH·60A) Black
Hawk. As both helicopters \\'ere required to be
twin-engined, G[ was fairly safe in planning to build
5,000 of their new engine. But for the AAH itself it
was iJ different story. Bids were all in by 1 .\Iarch
1973, and on 22 June of that year the Army picked
Bell and I lughes to receive competilive development
COlltr.lCts, Each was to build two Ilight prototypes and
one GTV (ground test vehide). In addition, Hughes
received an 'l\\'ard to develop a special gun for the
AAH, Bell electing to use the X\'IIR8 b'l.ln by Gener<ll
Electlic. This partly explained the sUtrtling differ·
ence in the two development cOntnlcts. Bell's being
lor $44,7 million and Hughes' being pricc..-d at $70.3
million.
Bell's desibYfl was the \-fooel 409. given the official
designation VA H ..6 3. It was the smallest helicopler
Bell could dl.:sibYfl while still meeting lhe se\'ere
mission rC<luirements. The 1700 enbolnc..'S were
placed quite low down behind the rolor gearbox, the
cowls being blended into the fuselage, Ahead of the
rotor the entire fonvard fuselage was occupied by the
tandem cockpits, Ihe pilot bein~ in the nose and tl
CPG (copilot/gunner) hehind and slightly above. The
XM 188 gun, a three·IXlrrcl 30ml11 weapon related to
the M61 fighter gUll, ,'{as mounled under the ex-
treme nose, the visionics and sight system being
funhcr 1l<ICk underneath. Lmding gear was of the
fixed trit:yde type, with twin steerable nose\vheels.
The slender tailboom was indinc..--d up....'ards 10 gi\'e
dearancc ror the sweptback underfill at the tail,
which was almost as big as the upper fin carrying the
small hOtizolllilllail on lOp, the Util rotor being on the
end or the wilboom. The main rOlur had just two
large blades, Ihe diameter being 51 fl lOin (15.54m).
Rearing in mind thalthe missions and the engines
5
were the same. the Ilug-hes Model 77. designated
YAH-64. could hardly have beel1 lllore different in
design. The engines Werc plan::d in separate boxes
sfanding away fmm the rather lumpy humph..·Kked
fuselage. driving via diagonal shafts frolll sep..'lrate
gearboxes looking like slllalljet inlets on the front or
each cllh.-inc. The transparencies o\'er the cockpits
were hugc. and the crew were seated the other war
round COIll!l<II·e.::d witlt the Bell: fhe CPG being
markL-dly lowcr down and in from.
Likewise, the positions of the sight s)'stem and gun
were re\·cl~'<.1. the.:: sight being in the llOse and the
gun 1Il1dcmcatlt. Lauding gear was 01" the tailwheel
type. the main units hiwing ungainly long legs slop-
ing diagonally bach/ard and supported br shock
struts attached between their mid-points amI the
longeron at the base of the C3noptC's.
Prototype tail details
TIle tail comprised a "crr low-mmllll,ed tailplane
(horil.Ont'll stabilizer) and a slight I)' swepl fin GITI'ring
the tail rOlOr half-\"ay up. This rOI,or was unusual in
Ihat, 10 reduce noisc. the four blades wcre nOi spact.-d
al 90". The main n,tnr also had four h];l(k's, and was
remarkably small. though. like the Bell nnnr. it was
full}" ,miculated with pitch-change bearinhTS. Rapping
hiubres and drag hingcs,
The Hughes CTV. Gtlled A VO I. r:<ln iL~ nnors for
the firsl time cxactly IWO ),ears afler the.: contract
award. 011 ~~ .Illile 1975. <11\(1 hy 19 SqHenllx:r it had
completed the 50 homs of runnillg necess.ary Ix:fore
first flight of either flring prototype. The lauer was
designated A V02 and AV03, meaning Air Vehicle
02 and 03; AV02 made its lirst Hight at the Hughes
Hight centre at Palomar, Calilol'1lia, on 30 September
1975, one day inside the deadline. The first Bell
YAH-63 lIew next day. right on the deadline. at
Arlington. Texas. Ilughes' AV0311e\\' on 22 No\'em-
bel' 1975, while the second Bellllew 011 21 Decem-
ber.
By this time the IllIghes design had gone through
a metamorphosis. Most siriking of the changes were
al the tail. where the attachments for the tililplane ,1I
the bottom of the taillxJom remained unused. In-
stead the fin "'as extended upwilrds. with a SIl'lIlgC
kinked shape and a G.tInhert.'(l (sideways lifung)
aerofoil profilc, and the lailplane was placL'C1 right al
the top, pn~('-,(:ling far ahead of Ihe top of the fin.
The nose W;L~ rc(k'signL'l1 with different sensors,
large cOlllpartlJleJlL~ wcrc addL't1 on eac!l side of thlC"
nose for avionics, and the ax:kpit and Gmopy wcre
tmally R'Clcsih'lled witll giant flal tr.lllsparelll pancs ill
strong framcs, tile light-haml windows scn'ing ;L<; lhe
access doors. Finally. in tht.'SC init.. . . 1 modificauol1s.
the main-rotor mast W;L'i extcmk·d upwani<; by 9.5il1
(~'I0111Ill), lx-c..'llIse ill cxtrcme Righi 1ll,\lI<kLlvres the
Below: 1ne Hughes Air Vehicles AVQ2 and 03 on ICSI in 1976.
Though clearly Apaches, lhey differed in almQSI eo'err respecl
from toda}"s helioopler. notably in !he nose and tail.
blades could rub across the top of the canopy.
During Phase I testing- availability of the two AVs
had been consistently above 86 per cent, considered
all exceptional achievement. A total of 850 hours had
been flown without accident, ,It speeds lip to 225mph
(362km/h) forw,lrds and 32mph (83.7km/h) to the
side and rear, at weig-Im 4,OOOlb (I ,8 14kg-) hig-her
than the desig-n mission weight and with lateral and
vertical accelerations never before reached by a
helicopter. A sustained rate of climb of 3,500ft/min
(17.8m/s) had been delll(ll\strated, and prol()Jlged
tests with the company's own XI\'1230 Chain Gun and
2.75in rockeL~ had shown the YAH-6'1 to be a very
s1<lb[e firing platform.
Missile armament
III the AAH specification the primary armameIll was
to be eight TO\V allti-tank missiles in two quadruple
launchers, though the prototypes demonstrated their
ability to carry double this number. TOW requires a
hutIlan opnatar to guide it along the line of sight all
the way to the tal-get, and this obviously tends to
fOl-ce the helicopter to expose itself throughout this
time to enemy lire. In 1973 the US Army began
development of a new-generation ami-tank mi~sile
which would not need this form of guidance. As
Below: Firing some of the first FFARs (folding-fin aircraft
rockets) from AV02., in cffed the very first Apache prototype.
At this time no operational sensors were calTlcd.
explained later. this emerged as AGJ\.I-I14 Hellfire,
and in a m<~jor specification change in February IY76
this missile replaced TO\V as the primary weapon.
Bell and Hughes worked furiously to bring their
prototypes to the stage at which, in mid-June 1976.
they could be delivered to Edwards AFB, California.
for Army competitive evaluation. At the last minute
one YAI 1-6:~ h;ld an accident, on 4 June, and the ReI[
(~TV had to be frantically brought up to Hight status
as the replacement.
This did not help Rell's chances, and another
factor in Hughes' favour was the company's decision
al the st~lrt of the programme that it would necd a
big industrial team to ensure that the highest possible
level of spc{:ialist expertise would Ix: applied to evny
major part. Apan from GE for the engines, this team
comprised: Bendix, dcnric power system, and main
transmission shafL'; and couplings; Bntea, hydraulic
flight controls; Garrett, engine IR suppressed ex-
hausts and integrated pressurized' air systems; Hi-
Shear, canopy and crew escape system: Litton (Preci-
sion Gear Division), engine-nose and main transmis-
sion gearboxes; Menasco, landing gears; Solar. gas-
1Urbine APU (auxiliary power unit); Sperry, autosta-
bilization; Teledyne Ryan, airframe struClure; Tele-
dyne Systems, !-ire-control computer; Tool Research
and Engineering:, main and tail rotor blades; and
\Vestern Gear, intermediate and tai[ rotor gearboxes.
At the end of [976 it all came right for the J Iughes
tealll. The AII-64 was announced the winner, and
7
the company also won the gun competition with its
unique Chain Gun. Ilughes immediately H.'ceived a
$317.7 million COntT<lct for FSD (full-SGllc develop--
ment) of the proposL--d production helicopter, indud-
ing the construction uf three more prototypes-
AV(}il. 05 and 06---the I:lSI IWO with airfr.IIllc..'S sub-
contral..1ed to Teledyne Rpm at San Diego.
'11lf()IlgholU 1977 HlIght.'S Aew the IWO prototnx..'S
at Palomar, testing and evaluating a "Mod I" pack-
age of ch;ll1g-cs which earlier flying had shawl! LO be
desirahle. These chauges induded a funher Gin
(152mm) increase in main rowr mast height. SWCpl-
hack lips 10 the main-rotor blades to reduce com-
pressibilit),. il redesign of the I<lilplane to have a
re,-ersed planfo~m (slraiglll 1c;lding edge and ta-
pered trailing edge). a 3in (76mm) increase in dia-
meter of the tail rotor, and inslallation of Ihe first
p"iItel'll of IR suppressed cxhalL..t using not the
engine·dri,·cn fans originally spL't-ified btl( the
Hughes Hlack Hole Iype ()f p"lssi\'e cooling box using
self-illduc("d airflow to mix with the hot gas.
Phase II testing
These changes had all beell Aown by May 1978. By
this lime AV02 and 03, after a mmbined lotal of 720
hours. were grounded in order 10 be broughl up to
full produoion SL.indal'd for Ph<c>c II testing. This
56-month pro(~rramme, coslcd at $390 million includ-
ing the thn.'c eX{T<! PT"Otot) pC_'S, \\~d.~ the final long haul
thai had 10 be completed prior 10 Ihe SL.i11. of
pnKluaion. ModifiG.ltions kept lx:ing introduced.
When protOlypcs 02 and 03 resumed flying, respec-
tively in Novcmber and December 1978, the)' in-
corporated thc Mod 2 package which indudl..>d all
wiring for the mission avionics (though tbe vital
scnsors had still not been selected). Completely new
3viollic; bays wcrc constructed, starting Ileal' Ihe nose
and extending back under the wing. enclos.illg lhe
upper p:.lrt 01" each main gear on the wa)'.
Even more obvious W.IS continuing uncel1ainty
O\'er the horizomaltail. The fixed T-tail was satisfac-
tory in most conditions, btU at extremely 10\\' level-
so-Gllk,,1 NOE (nap of the E.al1h) flying-it let the
tail sink d()\\'n and the llOSC point skywards, deman-
ding major forward stick movements at times when
cockpit workload was high in any case. AV03 Aew
with a low lailplane. but something close to the
definitive tail was not seen Ullliithe first or the new
pre-produClion prolotypes, AV04, flew on 31 Octo-
ber 1979.
Here was yCt another new arrangement. with an
all-moving "stabilator" mounted low down right at
the back of the helicopter extending from just abo"e
tJle vel)' tip of the tailhoom. 111is enlargl.."t! surf"ICe
was dl;ven by a hydr.llllic 1>O\\'er unit linkc...d into the
Aighl-<:omrol and autosu.h system to till the machine
when necessary but in normal flight 10 prcSCI'\'e a
horizontal auitude 110 mailer what the cin:umstances.
Thl: new tail also had a vertical fill 3in (7Gllll1l) taller
c.'lTying a modified tail rowr a lull 30ill (0.76m)
higher up. ["en this was Ilot quite the answer, and
011 1'1 March 1980 AVO"! Acw with a smaller slahila-
lor, followed two days later by the first flight of thc
AVOG whkh also imroducl..,<1 a tail 1'0101' of lOin
(254mm) b'Teater diameter.
Back in f\larch 1979 AV02 had Gtrried Olll the fifSl
(ground) firing of a Ilelllire mis."iilc, followed later by
airborne shoL.. ag<linsl designaLCd ldrgets. In Oclober
1979 02 Glrricd 01lt the first autonomous firing,
desi~n;lling Lhe larget itself with its own Martin
\farieua TADS. But its sister. ship 03. was fitted with
rival sensors by Northrop ;..Jortronics, and it was not
lIntil f\'!al'ch 19RO that the Martin installation was
:.mnounced as the winner. This naturally affected not
only the shape of the nose bUI also the brian! side
avionics panniers. Yet another visible ch;.mge was
that the flat gL"lSS cockpit panels ....·ere replact.'d by
.~ingle"cul'\'<l.lure bulged windows gi,'ing a "K:W
almost directly downwards or to the rcaI', though
downwards view is slightly limited by the long
;wionics bays.
The only m<tior setback in the programme camc in
Novemher 1980 when 04 was destroyed in a mid·air
collision in no way due to allY fault in the helicopter.
This machine had just completed a programmc of
weapon ltials using all planllcd types of armament,
and 02 alld 06 cominued the work using Ihe Pilot's
Night Vision S)"Stem (P:'\lVS) in an important selics
of night filings.
President Rcag<m signed the FY82 (Fiscal Year
1982) Defense Bill on 19 December 1981 in which
was an item for $537.5 million for the first II
production Apachc..'S. Hughes announn.·d plans to
build an assembly plalll on a virgin sitc at MeS<I,
Alil.ona, and this openl.."tl in Februa'1' 1983. On ~-SO
September 1983 PVOI, the first production.vehicle,
was rolled out.
 2

Technical Features
HE HEART of any helicopter is its rotor actua!ors between the pilot's scal ;:lIId the main

T system, and (hat of the Apache is a C<'1refully

considered blend of tradilional practice and
new technology. Though it has passed through im-
IXln:i11ll stages of modificltion, the main rotor h;:l'\
always been full)" artl(."ulaled .mel had fnur bladt's of
relatively small diameter resulting in unusually high
di5C loading (as in the small Hughes Cayusd
Defender family). Eadl uf the four inlcrdlangeable
bladl..'S h,l.." a bmad dl0n:1 and a highly Cl.mbered
aerofoil st.'l.Uon. As nOlc:.'t1 pre"iously. the tips are
rak(.,,(] backwards to rtxlucc compressibilil)' problems
011 the ad\·ancing blades. For transport by Glrgo
aira-afL cadl blade am readily be folded through 90<>
or remo\'c:."t.I aud stowed.
gearbox. Following major h}'draulic failure the sys-
lem auton.latioll)' switches to Spcn)' secondal)' back-
lip FBW (lly-by-wire) electrical signalling.
An unusual fealUre is that all major stresses are
transmitted \'ia a fixed rotor mast from the bottom of
which the helicopter is hung ,'ia four (ubular \'ee-
struUi. The main gearbox is hung under the centre of
the fixed mast and drives via a tubular shaft passing
up the centre to the rotor hub spinning on roller
bcarinb'S at the top of the fixed mast. This prO\ides
dual redundant load paths. and allows the lr.msmis-
sion to Ix:: rcmovl.-xi while kl..."Cping the rotor in place.
No bearing lubrication is Ill."t.."(k-xi in the main rotor.
and the intenlll.."diatc..: and tail-rotor gearboxes arc

Rotor blade structure 80:10"·: Thanks 10 i~ sheeTPOWeT the ApKhc is ~k. Putting on
Full po"."" and slamming the cyclic ,,"tid: Forward For maximum
Forwards acceleration puts the Apache infO this anirude.
Each blade has live parallel sp.1;r.s of high-strength
stainless steel, separated and lined by stmourallUhes
of glassfibre. Laminated skins of I,hin Sl;links.~ steel
are wrapped I1Hmd from the fronl., Ihe number of
laminations vel)' rapidly increasing ;1I the root to
form a solid stack of retcmion straps through-bolted
together. The trailing portion of cach blade is of
composite honeycornb struUure bonded on separate-
ly. TRE AclvilnCI...>d StruC!urcs Division were required
to demonst.rate sustained operatioll under the most
severe cOllditions with olle steel skin cracked across
and any aile spar ShOI through.
At the root the multiple laminates are allowed to
pivot upwards by <tn offscl flapping hinge, and to
nxk to fronl and rear in lhe plane of the disc by
c1astollll::li, Ica&1ag dampers. Anti-"ibration masses
are attached al from and rcar of eadl rOOI on the
leadllag tic rods. !)ildl changes are introduced in lhe
usual way by n::nicaltie rods from the lIppe,- (rotat-
ing) swashplmc, the non-rotating !o\,'er swashplate
being tilted according to lIight-eontrol input de-
mands by three po\\'erful Parker Rertea hydraulic

9
 pad,cd with g't'ease. CritiLal part.~ of the transmission
arc pr{)(ecu~d by ESR (elL"(;tru-.~lag remelled) steel of
H.T} hig:h strength. The whole.: dynamic system is
thus ballistically tolerant. and has flOWll for m'cr olle
hour ,tfter loss 01" all lubriclling oil.
The tail rotor is Lospe<..;'llly ver}' Ix>Wcrful. IL" brreat
rhnlst suq>rises the pupil pilot. because any auempt
10 turn on the grollnd Colli roll the i\pache sidewa)'s
on its soft and stalky legs, and it is easy 10 slide the tail
~idewa}"s even on cl'1' U>IIuetc. This rotor has its IWO
pairs or high-lift bhldcs set at the optimum angle for
noise allentumiOll, whidl is alxnll 55°/125°. Like Ihe
main-rotor blades the lail nllor has leading-edge
dciccr slrips or the ele('1.ro-thcrmaltype, the supplier
Ixing Sicrracln. which also provides the canopies and
lrallSp;m.:nt blast shield betweell the cockpits.
III May 19H~ Ilughes completed wind-tunnel test·
iug of a dramatically diflerculilew tail rotor operat-
ing 011 the so-called Flexbeam primjple.:. Thc new tail
rotor has a diameter 01" 112in (2.8'15111), compared
with I lOin for Ihc normal rotor. Each omsists of two
pairs of blades mounted at 90" to cadi other, hilt Ihe
struClurc is wholly Ilovel. All major loads are Gtmcd
Ikk...·: Standingon the roof aft ofthc rockpit. a mainlenance
en~r has access all round the main rotor hub. Many parts
a~ designed to with5tand hits by 23mm cannon shells.
:J
by a Flexheam, an elastically tailored glasstibre spar
whit'h extends !"rom tip to tip along: the centre of
each hbdc-p<lir. Over the outcr ends of the beam are
attacheclthc hlade airfoils, comleclt.:11 al. their inboard
cnds 10 hollow pilchcases surrounding the inner pan
of each half of the beam. LUlIinatt,:d c1aSlOmeric
sllublx:n. alwa)'s tend to celllre the pitdlOlSeS relative
to thc beam, and e1aslomeric damping pads m;)lllll
the fle~lx:am to the hub. The new rOl.or is not only
Iighler and cheaper but has no Ix:arings, needs no
mainlcnall(:c and ;lppears 10 have infinite fatib'lIe life.
It lila)' bt:<.:ollle slandard in 1987, ami be rellllfiu.l..'11
011 Apadlcs already built_
Airframe construction
Teledync Ryall Aeronautical, of S,ll1 Diego, 111lild~
the complcLc airframc, colllpri~ing the fuselage,
wings. taillxxltll, horizontal tail (called the stabilalOr)
and the tail-rotor pylon (whi<:h most pt"Ople would
caJllhe lin). The wings arc ea.sily disnmnct:ted at the
roots of the two main spars, for air tran~port or
storage, and they incorpordte hardpoitlL'i for two
Below: Arm)' specialislS recfl~-ed their initial training at the
McDonnell Dou.slas Me$a pliU1t. He~ an NCO service engineer
inspectS the cunous t2il rotor, ..-ith blades crossing at 55°,

Above: Probabl}' destined soon to be instructing others, these
were amon.1{ the fiTSllroops to specialize in the romr.licated
"vionics. Tnese line-replaceable units are in Ihe rig It-hand bar.
pylons each. ;L'i well as a trailing-edgc Aap which W;L'i
originally imcJl(..k-d for use in manouC\'I"CS but was
not adopted and is nOI\' normally locked. The simple
stabil;ttor is pivoted ne,lr it.<; leading edge 10 the top of
the wil cnd of the tailboolll. aft of the fill. Its widely
V,ll;;lhle angle of incidence is controlled via Hamilton
Slandard electronics hy Simmonds hydr..lulic
<IC1uators, and as an CIIH.:rgcncy b..'lCKUj) Ihe Sperry
lIy-hy-wire system (all provide suflicielll control pow-
er for a safe recovery lO base.
The tail pylon is holt.ed 10 the top of the tailboom
and carries the tail rot.or Ileal' the top on the \cft side,
The transmission, houscd ill a spine fairing alollg the
lOp of the tailboom, is madt: of special materials such
;Lo; ESR, a very liule til:llIium, and 7049 aluminium
alilly, 'Illick 0011<111> protc..-Ci \ ital areas againsl gunfire,
all clements being dcsigll<.'<.l to operate for (JIIC hour
after receiving ballistic (projeaile) d<lmage or total
loss of oiL The right-angle final dl;ve gearbox to the
lail rotor is cooled h)' a special AiReseardl fan, with
lIu.: ram inlet in the frolll of the ge;ll+,ox ntiring,
The l\'fenasco main landing gears could hardly he
o;implc.:r. £ach wheel, with h}'drauliL ul-ake, is c.~ITied
on Ihe eud of a plain tube piwltl.'11 to the bonom of
Ihe fuselage so that it is free to swing 1><lckwards and
upwards, It is pre\'emed from doing SO by a shock
strut pi\oted half-way down tht: leg and to a large
trunnion at the [01' of Ihc fuselage under the edge of
tltc CUlOpy, TIlis shock SInH resisL<; nomlallandings
at gross weight al a vcnicu speed or IOflis, and
emergency desCCIlL<; at 42flls with virtually certain
cre\~' survival. For air transport the strut GlIl he
depressurized to kl lhe aircraft sink almost 10 lhc
ground to reduce overall height. The taih\'llcd is
aHache<! to a yoke pivoted to the tail end of the
tailbourn, heing fn.-c to castor except when locked U)'
the pilot in the fore/aft directioll.
Survivability features
At the SLiln of the design of the origirml )'Iodel 77 il
W,L'i oh\'ious that some form of redundallC)' had lO be
prm'ided not onl}' in the stmoure of the aid'rame
hill also in thc opemtive systems. Mosl of the struc-
l.llre is !.:ollyelltional. but with generous thicknesses 01"
material amI duplic.'ued load paths to ensure survival
cvcn after severe 10Gll battle damage. HIl~hes was
1101 rt.'quired 10 demonstrate aLtual sustained flighT
following the severance of ulicial pallS of (he heli-
copter, blU lhe company belicves lhe Apache to ha\'c
a degree or airframe damage tolerance not c\-en
approached by an)' ulher helicopter. A diagrdlll
sho\~'S some of Ihe fundamental design fC'dtuR'S
\dlich are hOpl-"f1 to ellsure crew sun:ivabilil} even
aftel' a. crash iml><ln at a venical \'e1ocity of 42ft
(12.8mYs. Impact cnc!"J:,')' is absorbed hr the long-
travel landing gears and by nushing of the 100,'er-
fllselage slnuturc. The gun would be forcc..,<:! straight
up illlo the space between the cockpits. while the
seats cm collapse vCrtiCllly downwards ill a control-
led mallller to minimise accelerations imparted 10 the
OI:TUP:lIIL<;,
Flight control system
III the case of Ihe s}'Sterns. most sen'ices are dupli-
GU(:<.1. with routings widely separated wherever Ix>ssi-
ble, Perhaps the most cnKial system of all is the flight
contl'ols, and here lhe obvious ans\,'er m first St."CIlll.X.I
to be a. dually redundant back-up mechanical systcm.
Boldly, the decision was taken ,0 design illSlcad a
 HUGHES AH-64 APACHE CUTAWAY
DRAWING KEY
I. :'\';):hl W<ill'ms ".... n"."-
....lIlt...·I·.
2. l'i~~·' Nigh, \·N..l l St·n......
(1':'\ \'Sj int r.,.It...1S«lIlllel'.
3. l:Jt'l'''''' '1)1 it.IIl:"'gt1
,k..,i):l1"""1\ ;11111 1I'1o:hl >c"s. ,I'
,,""l''''~ lurn·l.
4. -C,rgl1 aqllis..i"n ,llld
d,...,iY;Il,lli..., ".\:111 daylighl
...--;11"'.... 1' (I AilS).
5..\,imuth m''',.r h.. usiuy;.
6. ·1.-\I>.'VI·:\:\·S swiwlli"tt"
1ll0'.1.
7. I UlH'1 .Irin' IIll""'- h.. usill!!:.
8. St·,,,,, '1' It"T,'1 llIUlllU iny;.
9. \{(-.Il' \'i,·,,· milT"r.
10. :'\,,""· ... "I'I"I1l11U·'" "en'S-'
!I.II.h,....
l1.lk·II"~I' 1<"',"in;i1l1l1il.
12. Signal <I'll;] C""HTI"r.
13. ( :, ,-pih "/).:lllIlIl·r's ya '"
( 011(1', ,j rll< \,1,.,. pedals,
2
14. Fur".I.-<I 101<1.1'- ... U'ninl{
.IIn,·",,;.,
15. M~:~IA I (:Io;.. n (;un
loami.
16. l·II",,-\;.~t· 'pnnsuu r.,iri"I!:'
17. A\'iom~-,; ,unling :ur
<llIllinl-:_
18. Hurn'l .lnl1..11rt'(l ,~",'L..pil
flu",ing-,
19. ( ~l-pilotJ,,,'"n 1lt'I"S ·(',Id·
,I'1\"u' HJIl'Iul ",hmill.
20. We"pnnSC<IllII'O,1 palll·l.
21. InSI'"IllCl 11 pant'! sh row!.
•
,.
22. Wi",I""'n'Cn ",ipc.'.
23. (:... I'iI<)II~ulln{'r-s
anllu"rt-cl "lIl.\.s'Tttn.
%... 1I,.. I~I.d" .... lI "il/;In ing
S)'M"m \1C"llIllkr.
%5.I·iklt',,;ml"""1...1
WiIKI""'L'C1i pand.
26. \\·iml.\I'n,·n ",iper.
27. C:.l-p.k>VKtl1lne,-·s ",,,hI'
arnK ..uHl >C;1l.
28. Solll1\ Il.Ino."'-~_
29. Sid,' (llllsok pand.
30.1·.11~ill(·I"",·,·r!l'H"'S.
31. A, IOnk,; l'lIUiptlWlll I",~'"
I){lrt and ,1,ldKl;II'd,
32. A,';,,"i('~ hal ;[(n-", <lO(H'.
33. C"II{'{'li\"(.: plldl {'(JIll.ml
Ie\'er,
34. AdjIlSl<lblen;lsl, n·,iSlan!
S<.:<ll """nil ill).,"'.
35. I'ilofs ru,l.ln [.... lals,
36. (~ .. I.PIl si,k ",11111"", 1""'..1.
37,I'ilot\ il~''''lIllll'nl consuk.
38. Inlt·r.... ..,l.pi, "''1>·li., hbsl
shield. . 54. l)i'I'I.." "djusIIIK'm IJ<uld.
•
39. SI"r1""lnl sid.... ",iudo\',
<;l1l'1' ha,ches.
40. R.,,'l"1 bunch,'r I);lt L...
41. S,amo.1,nl ",illfo: Mort'"
I'\k.n'l-
42. C...:kl'il n.,II-:"'ljn~.
43, 1nstnllnclll l);Illt'l ~hn ""I
+t l'ilolt's "'''\'1;.1' ;lrmllU rl.. 1
~"ll.
45. (:..Ik..l;\'l;,· pilch o,mn,1
\(-wr.
"6. Sid,· ronsok p;md.
47. EllWm"I"'w,," 1e\·l'I'S.
48, Rcarcockpil (l,~,,·lt-n·1.
49. r,b;1I "lHk,'<;an·j;lg.· ,11Oel.
ahs< lrb.... r 1ll""1111l1g'.
,;0, I.iukless ammlllli, iOIl I{'['(\
I'h\11('.
51. FnrW'lrd flld ,;,"k: tOlal
rlld «lll;KiI Y:17j LIS ~al
( l.·ll!I ).
5%. (:OlllrOlllld linl,,!,,",
53. (:OK-k"il \'l'n\lI"I"').: ;Iir
IlIunl's.
55. {;,."h 1',I11<lksl",,,i"'(,,,a,,,·,,
slqlS.
56. Control ")"'Cill h)'drJuli<:-
anU;'('JI'll (.tlln').
57. Vt'Iuil,uill/! air i",,,ke.
58.t.:IIFa(·rj;j].
59. SI'Il'b(l.iIl'd slub winE;".
GO. r..l:iil1 nll<>rhladcs.
61.I .....mlllawd bbdc-root
all.,d" •.,.". jlil1b.
62. Vibralloll absOIiJCB.
6]. R;1;.dc pi.(h Ix-;mng
hUUSlOl!,::.
64. Air data S(:'JSO( mast.
65. ReM.,,· huh ullit.
66. Oflsclllap"illK hinKcs.
67. F.l;l~... m.. rk 1(~,(In.. g
d;lInl~~'
68. I I;'de pilch (Ollirol rod.
69. I';ldl "'>llIml ""~Ishpbte_
70. M<lill 11)1.'/1- 11\;.151.
,.
71. Ail' \Urbinc sl;U'!crl
<I11:>;;ha')'\l<,w.... uuil (.... I'U)
input SIM 'L
72. Row.. he,HI n,nlml ",i"ill~
link.itgcs.
73. (;earbolo; moullling p~Ut:.
74. Tr"'",mL..., ion "il luolcrs.
pon and slarooord.
75. R'Mor hr..kc.
76. Main I;c:lrbox.
77. GC;lThox mounting "'mlS.
78. (:CnCl'alOf.
79. !nplll shah Im"'jM.n
(."K'.....
SO. (;cartxlx mouminl; d<:d'_
81. T;lil rolOr«Murol nxl
linkage.
8!. Ammunition ma!r.uine.
1.200 muml.<.
~. Sluh ... illlol.m... 11....:1\(
J(JllllS.
84. Enll:in., .. ,m~mis.,iul1
~l~.Irbox.
8.".I\il· il1l;lke.
86. 1':lIl(illl' iUlc.!;I',I, ,ill:lllk.
87, (:C'1('ml ~:ll""lrk 'r7IH)-(;E-
71J1'mhu,\h.dL
88. 11llah' p;\nkk sc.;palwor.
89. rngi".' ;!(H:.\Surv
ct]Uipml'l1l/(l';[I'h"x',
90. Oil "'~,i<:r pl,'mun.
91. ( ;"S 'Ill,hi,l.: ~1;lrlc.:rl
:mxiliarv pow('r \Inil.
92. S, a rI"~'Hl •'llJ.:im· n,,, li"g
panl"!!Jlold..dOI,·n "',,"'IC"<1'1('C
1'~llf("'''I,
93. Slal'h'><lr<l l'n.l{inl·l'Khaust
duets.
94_ API' ,·xh:m....
95. I"l("\,malk 5\·st... m and
"",;nIC1I1II'11",1 nOllln,1
l't]Uipnll'tll.
96. (~.,lil1g :111' L'Xh... ,,,,
I",,, ,'-':>.
97. l':anid(' Sl1>ar.llurcxhau-Sl
.1,onJ",bu·r.
98. 'BI;t(k 110....· ",I r.>-fl..l
'''I'I,,~ .....,itM I "lI/o:i"c cxha......
duets.
99. I Inh,JllIit; n;s.,''''·uir.
100. C:'::arboxlCI1Killc ba~' uil
f"ir;l1h""
101.InlCI'llai llloli"I;,illa"n:
I'(;"fo"".
102. Tail !"OWl' Cl.>nlml nK!.
103. Spinc sh:llt housinH:.
104. ·I.lil nMur, r."1.'lmw,;..m
shaft.
105. SharI h... II;uh'$ ;",d
couplin~s.
106. Re\'c! dri"c lIl\em>e:dialc
~'C':iIrbox.
107. ~"in/-:ucor py\on
...ML..... rudKMI.
108. Taill"QC,or dri\'(' shafl.
109. All ",.)\;ng ""I plano:'_
110. '1 ail rotor /ol('ali)OK
housin}:.
Ill. Rlght-;mglc: li":ll elri,'.,
KC".IrlJo;>:.
II!. Fin lip aen:,1 r:,iring.
113. Ikar radar "'3rninR
anll'nal·.
114. T.,i111:"il;"d,m lil(hl.
115. Cunhcrcd lr.\ihnp; l"{1g-c
s•."o'u" (c1i"L~ ,io"al '1:,),;lil\').
116. ·I"ill',)(.)\, pilCh cUlIlrUl
;letual"r.
117. '1'"il,O(o\' huh
I11crhal1iSIIl,
118. As.'ynl<'trir (lIois<::
"uc.:,,"a\,otl) wil 1'0\01' hlades,
119. T"ilpl:IIIC ('(lIl~tnl('li(l".
120. Tailphm<' pi\'ol )X::lril1g,
121. (:;"1 "ri"K Ia ilw )11'.:1.
122. T"il",lll'Cl ,ltud:. .,u""rocr.
123. Tailwhl...·1 1"01:.('
"11,,1'111''''111.
124.II,mdgr;pym:ti"I<·n"nn·
Slcl'"
12 . ·.... illll.Ul.:C<>lllrul
hwh';\lIIic;:j;,,-l.
126. Fin/nM"rp,loll
3tlaChJJK'mjoilll. -
127. Ch:,rl ;melll,m: c1i~IJCIISCL
128. T:ulboom nllK frames.
1%9. \'''"II';II r.tllar ".,mi,,);
dena!.
130. T"ikunc Ir.lIll.:;I1K1
-Slril,.I:'.·........ ''>lllKlitM'.
n I. UIlt' ;'l·rl;l.I.
132. AllF I.."p .lcr~,1.
133. AU"- sc,,·n.sc :,\·rc,1.
134. '\\·..C5S h'[1,h.
135. II :., ,(1);rillslrn"i'""":lIlCc
00!"
13 . Ibtl;., a'iel dL~·lm'li,:>.
l"{luiprncnt bal"
137. Rc;\rfuc lank.
138. RetkulalCd ['lam [ire
suppn-ss.-Illl 13l1k 11<:,1 lininh"'_
139. VIlt'<K'lill.
140. :-'13;11 rotor bl:ttll' ~ainlc.--..s
Slrt-l ~ldtB (fiH').
..,
141. (;];L_fihn.. sll<:lr linings.
142. 11000000'comb IrailinR cdR'"
lland.
143. Class-fibr(' blKk skins.
144. Tr.lil;ng(.'dgc tiXl'C:lwh.
145. Swcpt hlad(' lip fairing.
146. S(;UI( disch"rgl·r.
147. Sluh" iUlollr.,ili"g-t'C:lg.·
!lap.
148. Sl\Ih ",ing rih
ronslnletlOfl.
149. T"';n Sp;1l" I,,>c,rn~.
150.1'nl1.1I.l'·;J.::lIitm .",.1
slrob... lip;hts.
1~51.1">1"I wing -;"m"I'ylulls
(/([1l).
152. R''''kcl p:n k: llilU"W<';1l
:!,;:,ill (7cm) l,'FAK 1">C'kclS,
153. R'Kk"'cllllclllirc.: "eM-
Il 'IA ;"'li-I;II,k Illi"ik,.
154..\li.~sik·li1\m("h "ails,
155. FIlM'la.I.(I" '''1'''1 \S"" 'If!
lairin);.
156. !\, 'an!inx Sl '"\,.
157. J'un lllamwlwd.
158. Mai" ulld('l"":lrri;,g-l' kog-
strut. t
159. ShO("k :11)S(>I'h.:r Strlll.
160. Il....mlill].: ~"·I>S.
I ~ I. :\lain unc:lcrr.uTia].:c Iq;:
1>1'''' hsill);.
162_ Alllmullilit)[l fL....~I.Uld
G1nridgc r.lSe ....' um chulcs.
163. (:"" ,,,,ht·lIill].: "M,u"li,,].:.
164. AOmUlh «MII... >I
UMMII";"): fr.ml<'.
165. IlugllCS ,\I1:"lr\-1 Chai"
(;, "' ;l(hnn\ :llIlU111;U ". "" "MH'
166. n1o.C>l ~UI'PIC.,."itMI GUillun
mu:ak.
13
 Righi: The Apache coxkpit is COCKPIT
bdtcr prO(ected than that of
any pre\'iou$ anac:k
hc1ico~er. Plan and side
ele,-allOns show the armoun~d
~ ... seats. the bla.~l/fr2gmcnt
shields around and bd..·ftn
the cockpits and the
tr.rn..spar('nt blast shield. All
annour lends 10 be hea,'y. and
100 m\1ch eats 5e"~ly into
lhe w~pon payload capacity Armour bulkhead ,.-ith b1astproof l!:lass
and fuel tankage.
Right: A, lo..··fiicker rotor; SURVIV ABILITY
D, protc:eted sen$()rs: C, radar
w"nling recei'"er; D. radar
jammcT: E. radar jammer A A ]
re<%in'r; F, ballistically
tolerant MruClure; G. TRCM
januner; H, IR suppressed
jctpipes:J, chaff/flare
di.~pcnscr; K,load.absorbing
collapsible landing gear; 1..,
low aun.1 si,l,'TIaturc; M, crash-
resistant fud cells (front and
rear): N, armuun:d special
crew scalS: 0, gun and
mounling collapses upwards;
P, strong canup}' frame
shaped to bane a iollbar effect
to prOlect crew; Q, r«essed
and protected knJiOnI: R, K
lOOKl-absorbing structure.

RUCS-back-up control s}'stem-of the FBW (fly- differclltiallr..lIlsfonner) in the cockpit, processes the
b}--wire) tn>e. This is much lighter. em be electrically signal, alld sends it to the control actuator. The Iauer
checked for intq,'li.I}' before e,lCh flight. and gives responds to thc LVDT input. enabling the pilot to Ay
perfenl)" smQOlh flight with a mllch higher lend of the helicoptcr.
safel}' than JX>SSible with a um\'cntional flight control
s)"Su;m. Fault detection and location
All primal)' Hight comrols arc ac..1uated by the
Parker Ilannilin (Benea Di\'i.~ion) dual hydraulic An equall}' complcx amI fundamcntal Oil-board sys-
systems operating at 3.000lblSlJ ill (:.1 11 kgkm~} The tem is the FDiLS (fault detection and location sys-
Bees operates through the e1eclroIllL'(:hallicll vakes t<:m). which monitors all the on-Uoanl electronic
011 the flight-control aClu<ttol'S-lhn:c Oil the main systems. The lauer are to be foulld all o\,el- the
rotor .~piders, one on the rail rotor alltl olle Oil The helimpter, but most are packaged into the big bays
stabilalOr-and also makes use of the OASi::. (di!"rital along the left and right sides of lhc nosc. Every
automatic stabilization equipment) whidl, like BUeS fum:tioning part is tied into the basic digital mutiplex
itself. is produced by Sperry. In normal op<:ratioll bus, a kind of ring-main distribution and control
the DASi::. an:cpts signals from stabilizing gyros, from systcm which handles the transfer of every bit of
the air-dam 1>}'stcm and from the pilo(s COlllrol information. This is a part of the FCC (fire-comrol
inputs. It improves all aspects of the i\pache"s fiying computcr) sllbsyst,em described in the next (\'·0 chap-
qualities b}' adding damping, refining the co- ters_ The..' FD/LS operates all the time in a continuous
ordinates of tUI"IlS, t,Liloring all inputs and pn)\'idin~ self-checking Illode. F.\<err on-bo... rd ilem is su~jected
an attitude-hold and a hover position n:lmi\·e to the to frequent automatic comparison between its real
ground \,·hencver the pilot R"tjuests it. perlorm::mce ilnd iUi ide.."ll perfonmlllcc ::IS repre-
If the prim(11)· mech:.miGu system is se\-ered or sented by malhClllatiGlI repn.."Senl::llions,
jamllled by hostile lire. the BLe - b clIg'.-lged auto- Vinuall) e\cl1' on'ionic ilem is boxed in a modular
matically_ Should this OCCUI". the l)ASE t..ah-s an form. removablc in seconds even by maintenance
electrical signal from a special LVlYI· (Iillcar vari<lble personnel \\'earing fur mittens. E.... ch box, called an
Above: Line m:ointenanceon a US Army ApaCM, showing the
excellent all-round a«e5S to the reliable 1700 engines. ~fost of
the bulk of the cowls is taken up by the IR suppressrd jopip<"S-
LRU (linc-n:placcahlc Ullit). Gill be identified insl~lIlt­
ly hy the Fl)/l~,,) should a fault oo.:ur. In dIe air
various measures can Ix: lakcll, often automatically,
to (]n:ulllvclIl. l,he failed ullit, and a w<lrning: caption
or light will illuminate ill cillll.:r or both uxkpiL". 011
return to base the fault)' LRlJ GlIl simply he unplug-
gl:d ;md a scrviccahk: replacement put ill. Future
Apaches will have CVCll lx:ucr FOIL") systems, Llsing
VHSIC (very high speed il11cgralcd circuit) technolo-
gy, while FOIL") data will also be inlerlinked with
oil-board tllaill\CII<lIlC':C n::corders for improved ill-
Leranivc participalion by operating and maintenance
crews.
All allack helicoptcrs need an accurate system to
me<L~ure true airspeed, drift and air density, and
possibly other parameters also. This is needed in
order to aim weapons correctly. even though the
helicopter will probably not be travelling in the exa<..1
dit-e<:tion it is pointing. On the prototype Apaches
the air-daw sensors \"ere 011 a boom projc"<..1jng frolll
the left a\'iOllic bay, ·nle j\DSS (air-d<ILa subsystem)
in the production helicopter is the respollsibility of
P;:lcer S)'stems, and apal1 from a large LRU in olle of
the avionics bays the main item is the Slllall mast Oil
top of the main rotor. This Gln;es btcr.I1 anns
bearing ail-.<Jma SCIlSOI-:-i at the tips. 111csc tr.Insmjt
e1earical signals repl"(~.<;Cntillg olllnidirectional and
exact air data over the entire flight envelope. The
outputs are passed not oilly to the displays in both
cockpits but also to the FCC (fire-control wmputer)
for the comput,uion of complex mathematics for
rocket launching and for firsl-round hits with the
gUll. Other signals go lO the sli.lbilator aCluator
computer, stabilil)' augmclU:lLioll computer alld
Ilavigati(lIlal doppler lor Earth-wind compulatioll.
Three engines
or course, the sOlln:e of OIl-hO;l1'd power (.-omes trom
the gas-turbine Cllbrinl..':'I, and in fatt there are three,
The main ellgilles, u~cd for propulsion, are the
T700s mounted outside.:: the fuselage and driving
through a nose gearoox Oil each side, Eadl enbrille
comprises a !,ras-gener;,uor, or l.:Ol"e, with axial and
centrirll~l compreSSOI"S drivcl! h)· a two---St<lb'C air-
cooled gods-generator turbinc, ami a ccntl,ll shaH {()
thc nose output gearbox dd\'en by a two-stab'C U'
(Iow-pressurc) power turbine, At the frout is the
heatcd inkt which incorporales an ;1l11omatic integral
I'
 particle separator. This has no moving parts and
relies on the tendency of panicles to carryon in
straight lines while the air is sucked sharply inwards
to enter the axial compressor. About 95 per cent of
ingestt.'ci sand, du.st, salt and other material is auto-
matically rClllovc..'ci and dumped overboard by a
blower drivcn by the cnbrine accessory gearbox. The
resulting intcnsely "diny" airAo\V" is blown into the
side of the IR-suppl"t."Ssed exhaust companmenL
Auxiliary power- unit
The third engine is the Carrell CTP36-55(H) APt:
(auxiliary power unit). Situated slightly higher up
between the main engines, aft of lhe rowr mast. the
APU is rated at 125shp (93kW), and provides Olm-
pressed. air [or starting the main engines and electric-
ity for maintenance checking. The main engines are
idcnticd, and not handed left or right. and each has
its own self-eomained lubricating oil and ignition
system. Fuel is housed in two crash-resistant cells in
the fuselage. one ahead of the rotor and the other
about the same distance aft, with a combined capacity
of 3I3gal (376 US g".d, 1,422 litres). For lerrying.
four Kevlar aux.ili<lry underwing tanks can add
16
another 920 uS gal, but no inflight-refudling probe
is provided for.
Hughes (now McDonnell Douglas Helicoplers)
itself developed the Black Hole IR suppression sys-
tem for the engine jetpipes. Even a modest tur-
boshah engine pumps Out more than enough heat to
serve as a target for a modern IR sensor or seeker
he-dd, and a hot jetpipe could form a particularly
'Juicy" target. TIlere is no possibility of reducing the
he-dt output, which depends entirely on engine pow-
er, but there is much that can be done to shield all
hot mctal and ooolthcjcl exhaust_ In the Black Hole
systcm fresh air is continuousl)· drdwn in to a large
mixcr compartmcnt. Thcre are no moving pans. the
pumping action being affected by the jets themselvcs.
The cold air mi....es with the jets, and all an cncmy can
"see" are cool plumes of gaslair mixture emerging
from large boxes without a single spot hot enough to
trigger an IR seeker. In addition the extemal skin of
e\·en slightly warm areas is coated \V"ith special IR
paint, resulting in extremely low signatures right
aa-oss the spectrum of wavelengths.
Belo..·: The 1700 engine is domilUoted by lbe giant pipe passing
up..omts :unidship$ and ending in the aft-faeinJt e~or for _
ingested dirt. The inlet is at the left,jerpipe al die right.
 3

Apache Sensors
RO.\l LON(; hcf<)rc the 1:lUllch of the AAH aiming to g-ct vcr} Ilcar this Gtpabilit). but the

F prog',lIlll11C i. has bcclI c"idcllt thaI sensors

would pia)' a crucial and cemra] role. In the
lillie nell Siollx ScOUI there had been no sensors.
Partl), because of !)(lr1o."1C1 limitations, (he small heli-
mplet" had anTied lillie mission ttluipmem beyond
comnullliGllions 1,Idio and;1I1 opliGti sighl. Lnlortll-
natd)'. tbis was enough for if 10 fir quite llsehll
1IIi.~.<iions in dear d<t)rtimc couelitlons: it has Oeo)lne a
IruiSIll 10 STille that US aillxl\\'cr h;L~ l>e'en W<l\-e1y
damagt:« hy the SlIlI:.hil1l: and hlue skit.."S of Califor-
nia. Nevada. Ali,f.<llla allli t'\cw Mexico. F0I1un;udr,
the AAH \\";.L'i spcdficall)' <TCalt--<! ill order to pro\-idc
bCltlT defellce agaiusl the ,tnllour of the \Varsaw
Pact powers, aud thc..'Sc "chides could be CXpc.."t.R·d to
roll Westwards in a mixturc of rain, SIIOW. fog and
nig-hl.
Apache still needs to be lIown m:llltlall}. thuugh with
Ihe help 01" a lot or useful "black IXJxes".
nlis chapter is concerned mainly with tht: sell~rs
Ihat sllpplemelll the eyes and ears of the CI"eW in the
plimary lask of kil1in~ hostile arlllOUr. Such targets
arc small. highl}' mohile. and CIll be found almost
anywhere. lllt~)· are Cet1:till 10 he ;IS well hidden or
GllIl(H1Ragt..'f1 as possihle-thnugh the}' are much
more visihle when on Ihe march ..nos.'. ('Ollllll")' or
even along highwa}'s-and thc)' \\'ill always Ix: pro-
LLxted b)' fligillclling nJllCCIll1<lliollS of lliple~A (;1I11i-
airu'aft artillery. 1l00ahly thtc ZSLJ-23-"1 f()ur~harrel
Iklow: TI>c sensor.; on a production AU·64A Apache comprise
dIe multisrnsor TAOS below and the': $impl.,r pilot'5 PNVS
abo\·e':. All sensor.; a", complementary and the':"' is a degree of
nodundancy.

Nap of the Earth flying

From the outset it was reco~ni%ed that the AAH had

10 have a o'ew of t\\'o. Even with the \l"orklO<ld
shared, rhe task or flying: the mission is a daull{ing:
one. It is necessary to II)' t\OE (n,l]) 01" the Earth),
which means heig:hts Illuch lower than the "low lever'
aTtack by a fast jet. There has 10 he ;1 relationship
berweCll t\OE heighl and Ihe hdkoplcr's speed; lhe
Apache can fiy al ~{)0111ph (:\~2k1llJh). ;llld al surh ,I
speed it is not possible to I(lilow every undulation of
brokell ground, dodge round In:es ,md skim ovcr or
uuder the wires imd ("ahlc.~ that cover !\onhcrll
Europe. In fog, sl"okc and olher conditions of bad
visibililY the safe spt.:cd has to he hl"Oughl vcry low. In
dllc wursc VJ-ISIC (VC1")' high speed iutcgraled-
t..ircllil) lcchllology willlllakc possible a largely auto-
lIlalt..'(! single-seal hdit.:upter, with avionics and sen-
sors that will perlllil stlslailtt.."(! operation at the
highcst speed the pilot wishes while always protecting
it against colli.~ion \\ ith the ground or anything
pn~iectillg up from it. '111e Ill:\\' LHX programme is

17
 23mlll <lJlLpllihious \'e1lid<:) '-lilt! SA~ts (surfan:-lo-air
missiles. all of lhcm again Glrricd 011 amphibiolls
armourt:d vehicles). The.-' hdil.:opll:r Lhus has tu 1I) lu
see without being seen. The Apache was desigllt-"XJ lu
,-,..,.,. -8 be able to slin ivc (",'en a burst of radar-aimed fire
from a ZSU-23-4. but there was no \\'a) it could be
made to slll"vi\e interception by SA~ls" At present"
like lhe Hllnerability of airfields to inslant elimination

,. ..
::.-.~
- . ...
- ....
"-

10
hy missiles, this is a problem swept under the collec-
li\·e US CI'1>et as being too dillicult to soke.

Sensors grouped in nose

\Vhat is perhaps llIllch more curiOllS is that, from thc

'---lOI!
6---~
AA~IIPNVSTURRET
Abo...,: 1ne PNVS (pilot's Night Vision Sensor) serve!; the
backseat pilot on1r- II incorporatr.'l ill SftlSith"c FUR
(fono'ard-lookine: mfn-red) senroo-. Key: 1. Ele~-ation mirror
and :U0C'411en5.~.Window co,·cr. 3, Post amplifier control
dri,-er. 4, LEOfooilimalor ~b1)" 5. Azimuth gyroscope.
6. Infra-red imager. i. Focussing mechanism. 8, Shroud.
9, Po",'er rqulalor. 10, Visual relay multiplexer. II, Focus
control. 12, Cool/dewar assembly. 13, Viae<> lR preamplifier.
14, Azimuth dri,'c gimbal.
start of lhe :\:\11 programme, The main sensors havc
beell grouped ill the nose. This location rules OUI ,my
possibilitr of seeing withoUl being seen. To wat.ch th.e
enemy, or fire at him. tile Apadlc crcw have to
expuse lhe whole helicopter to vicw (l'xn~pt ill thc
special case of firing Hellfire missiles hlindly from
behind a hill a~ainst a laser-desib11lall:d targel). ·Illis
is dead)' il serious disadvantage. and it is 1l0lllluch of
all ans\\'er to point to the Apache's ability to with-
stand hostile lire" As alt"ead}' nOled, SA~ls. could
flrchall the whole machine in an insl'lIlt, and a sjn~le
hullet could kill the pilo\.
When the full-scale engineering de,'elopmem of
tJu: Hughl.'S helicopTer \\~.-lS ordered, on 10 December
1976, thl: n)llll~u:t also n_'CJuired the development of
.1 ,"isiollie; syslem-'1Il elet:lIunic aid to finding ;Ind
hitting targcl'>-l"apahle of bein~ used ClI night or in

SENSORS AT WORK

An idealized representation of
how Ap;tch~ helicopten mighl
opn:at", in a battl",. Advancing
behind co,"er (arrows). lhe}·
",,"entuall}" use FU.R and (l(her
seIlS()r.i (shaded ll~as) 10 dC1Cd

hostile: annQUr OIl nighl.

Ixul I\'emher, 'IS well ,l~ the fire-control equipment
Ilcn~SS;H)' lO illlegrate lhi:> sptel11 \\,jlh both the area
weapon and Ihe ami-tank weapon, as desnibed in
Ihe next chapler. )'reviously all that IHld been kno\\'n
for ('crtain was that the new helicoptcr \\'oukl need a
st;thili/.<-'d opticil sight olTeliug \'arying degn~es of
largC! magnificuion. some form of precise target-
J<Ulgillg Sp,tClll, a means of sc::cillg targeLS 011 night
ami prohahly <l laser (certainly a R"t.civcr ;mel prob-
ably iI transmiller) for use in cOI\lK't.tion wilh laser-
guideel \fCapOns, again as desClihc::e1 in Ihe next
chaplcr.
·"Ile re<l:>OlI f(lr plluing the sensors ill 111e nose was
onl)' panly 10 gi\'c Ihem the besl possihle.: field of
l'il,.'I\', The overriding faclor was that gUlls arc l11uch
It"ss l·xlx:nsivl,.' lhall sensors, ,1l1d in a typical nash
HOW THE APACHE WOULD FIGHT
I ,
In this simplified diagrmn a singte Apache has
chanced upon a hard-skinned battle tank and a ro<:ket·
firinR truck. The sensors gi'." the two cre,,'-members
all the detail they need and e,'entually the lank is
despatched by a Hellfire and the truck by rockelS. The
situation ,,'ould not-in theorJ. at t.,,,,,t--be greatly
diff.,rent iflhe "-eather were nighl-timeor a bliuard,
T
though Iht: dispb.ym pirturrli "'outd be less distinct.
CPG's display
-.
~ ~::::4it=30=mm=gu.===~
H'llfi~.===============!I
lauding I"'latever i5. ull<\crneath is likely to he
crushed and whaten:r is inside the nose is likely 10
sup-·ive. As for the much !.leiter locmion of;:l1l ~tl\IS
(miisHHoumed sight). which accurding to ClIlTCllI
evaillatiulls h}' lour nations hrl\'cS from eiglu to 12
limes IL'S.~ likelihood of being simI c1o\\'n. this W'l~ in
its Infant-)' in 1976. and thc Army \\'(lS anxious HI
move quit...kly ;mel minimize risk. IUlhe author's \'iew
not yel shaR'(! by e\'ell'one in the Anlly-an MMS
would have had a much bellcr chance of being
selected if it hael been realisc.'t! lhal getting the
Apache il1lo comhal sen'ice was going lO I<lke not the
planned 56 1ll001lhs hut another tell years.
l3y 1977 it had 1X.>ell decided \0 splil Ihe \'isionics
into IWO main illsl~IJlations. Gilled Lite TADS (larg-el
acquisition designation sight) and Lhc PNVS (pilot's
1 ,,,.1 , ~ , ~', 1 , 1
,
Fire
control
computer
19
 night-vision s)'sll"m). Competitil'e de\'dopmelll was
put in hand with l\\() possihle COllll,lnOI"'S for lhe
complele srslem. :'\I .. nin MaricHa ali(I Northrop's
Elearo-:'\Iechanical Division at Anaheim. In the S<1.me
war the associaled missile, Hdllire. was the result of
compelitl\'e dl::\'e!opmcnt b)' Rock\\'~JI allel Hughes
(Hug'hes Aircrali. not Helicopters),
TAOS "bug e)'es" impression
As pre\'iol1Sly 1l00cd, \l1'otol)'l)t,;S i\VO'2 and ():1 re-
sllilled Iheir Highl pl'Oj,(r:ll111l1CS:ll 1he end of 197H,
Ihe Ii >riner Willi 111(' Northrop ~ns()rs :lIld 03 Willi
1he \""rtill Marict1a installation, The noses of 111<: two
IllachillcS \,'erc visitll}' cliffc.:relll, :-J()l"! lirop g<lt (It"f llle
mark first, 1101 olll)' wilh the first Highl of the
upgr;lded O~ hUI also ill lalll\(:hil1g (unguided) Hell-
fires in sprillg I ~179 :l1ld in autonomous Hellfire shots
Llsillg the TADS in OClo!::)(:r of lhat }l:ar. h was to no
avail, hn:all~ in April 19S0 lhl: choice fell 011 the
l\lanill :'\larieua produLt.
Thc Ap,achc's scnsor.. hal'e sometimcs ULOCII de-
s<--rihcd as "like hug ep_,:,>", III 1;l(:t thc impression is
dul.: sold\' 10 the TAUS. which occlIpil.'S what l(x)ks
like a big 'oil'dnull li:...t.'(! tl'<llls\'el~l} under lhe nose.
20
Abo'·e: In typical "hull down" position an Apache is hard 10 see
or deslrOy, Bul as il has no masl,mounled sighl, il is blind and
impolenl here unlil il exposes iuelf.
The impression is slal1ling. and it is doulllt"ul if all}'
01 man's weapons has cver look(xl so lIIll(:h like a
menacing living 1ll0TlSIer as an :tHacking Apacbc~
though it looks a hil tToss-l.:}"cd. Oll(~ "eye" bciug
or:tng-e-yell()\\' al\(\ thc (lllltT pllrJlle-bllle! 'l'llc l':'>j VS
is relatively 1l110lHrllsivc. being the small IUlTct Oil
lOp.
Of 1fw IWO sensor \llliIS. I'NVS is III11Ch the sim-
pler. Moullted in iL~ lllrret "lxlvl.: the nose, il Gill
swccp to 900 1.0 lell or right. while liltcd to all}' ang-le
frotll ~W alx)vc lhe horiwwal (relalivc to Ihe helicop-
ter) to 1.'j° dowli. Slew rate is up 10 1200 per second,
Fidd ot" view is ~OO X '10°, which gives a diagonal
H)V of ,'j(t, 'l'bl.: PNVS t:Olllains ;lll AAQ-I I ~Ik III
lR sellSllr (lperatillg" ill tilC far-illfrared range ;tt
,,·aveleng-ths of 8 to 14 lllil.:l'OllS (a micron is a
millionth (If a ml:tn: (II' a thousandth nl a millimelrc).
Like all such ~lIsot"'S the AAQ-li illcoq)OraleS a
locllssing mechanism. nyoKcnic dewar (\·aculIlll
Hask) lO refriger,lle lhe S('nsiti\"t' cell 10 ;1 wI)' low
Icmper;Hure 10 dimin;llc \I1l\,'an!t--'("1 "!Ioise" frolll tht.,
background. ;111 a/inltHh h')'n), ami \<Irious alll-
TARGET ACQUISITION
TADS
Stabili7.cd sight for day tarltet
acquisition (direct optics, TV,
laser ranger/dcsignator and
lase£ s~t trackeT) and by
,, night (tUR). Azimuth 120" to
, left and right, elevation + 30 0
'/ to -60°, Slew rate 60o/sec,
±12Odeg
plihcrs, power relays and multiplexers. The result is
a signal in video (TV) form which is passed to the
fire-control compuTer into the Honeywell Avionics
IHADSS (integrated helmet and display sighlillg
subsystem), which is a monocle display in front of
one eye of the wearer of a special helmet. In fact.
both crew-Illembers wear these special helmets,
tbough normally ollly the pilot has I HAUSS imagny
ill actioll.
Thennal imaging
The IHAUSS is electronically slaved to the PNVS, so
that the latter "looks" wherever tbe pilot is looking.
The picture it presents, focussed in front of the
pilot's eye (usually the right eye), is a bright
monochrome picture of the scene at which the pilot
is looking, neither reduced nor magnified, ,llld total-
ly unaffected by the blackest night, rain, smoke or
other obscuration. As it is a thermal picture, it
records scene temperature v,lriatiolls; W,lrrn targets
such as vehicles, people or any other heat source
stand out brightly (usually white, but polarity can be
reversed to give black targets against a <:ooler white
IXlCkground).
PNVS
Stabilized fo£wa.-d-looking
infra_1"Cd SCnSOr to give the
pilot night vision. Azimuth
90 0 to left and right, elevation
+20 to _45°, slew rate 120°/
sec. Held of view 50°
±90 deg diagonal, xl power; far_IR
waveband at 8-14 micmns
wavelength.
In addition to the basic PNVS piclure the lHAUSS
also presents the pilot with a great deal of other vital
information in the form of alphanumerics (letters
and numbers) and bright symbols or lines. The
"menu" of information varies according to whether
the helicopter is in the cruise regime, or in transition
to slower NOE f]jght, or in the hover, or in the
bob-up manoeuvre to fire at the enemy, the regime
being selected by a lour-position switch 011 the pilot's
cyclic stick. For example, in cruising flight the
I I-IADSS adds a heading scale across the top of the
P!\VS picture, showing current heading and desired
heading; a digital altitude display. plus an expanded
altitude strip which appears the instant height above
ground falls below ~OOh (9Im); a rail' of dimb
indi<:ation; a diamond-shaped aircraft symbol. hori-
zon line and sideslip display; digital readout of
ail~peed. and engille torque (a direct indication of
power): P!\VS line-of~sight reticle, shown in tbe
staudard crosshair <UT:lllgetllent; amI. whell the sight
selectm is in the I'!\'VS position, tbe PNVS gimbal
limits.
When the Apache slows for !\OE flight, the "tran-
silion" symbols can be switched ill. These protect the
heliwpter in slow flight below the treetops, providing
21
dilTen':lll cruise s)'l11bolog-y: a velocity vector consist-
ing' 01' a heavy straighl lille witlt a hlack disLIt the end
extending: from tile P;.JVS n.:tidc to indiGlIe the
direction and rate of aircraft lllm'emen(, and an
accelel',nion cursur in the form of a Slllall cil'de 10
pro\'ide the pilo! with pn:dieted magnitude ;mel
direction uf movt"lllem, Sdettio[l of Ill(: "hovel'"
mode el'ases Ihe hori/.on line and itu.:reaS<.'S the
scnsiti\'ilY of the velocil}' \'(.'(.10r ami au:c1er;'l1ioll
cursol' so Ihal ;Illy drill from the dl.osiI'L'11 hovering
\x)sition will be indic.lted immediiltcl),
:\lIlhis inlonnalioll, as \\'ell as TAOS imagery, GUl
also be e1ispbp..-,<1 on the VSU (\'enical situation
display) or viell.,) <Iispl<l)' unit \"hich dominates lhe
pilot's panel. P;.J\·S in!<)rIn;ilion Gm also be supplied
10 Ihe CPG in the fmm cockpit, especially should the
pilot be inc.'p;IGtall.'1! andlhc CPC haw to lake over
the H}illg,
Five sensors of TAOS
;\'ol'mall~ the CP(; COlln.:11I rates Oil the TAOS, which
is a biggel' and much more ('OmpliGued installation
incorporating five ~Ilsors: DVO (direct-\'iew optics),
DTV (day tde\'ision), LRFlU (Iascr rangefinder and
desig:natOI-, LST (hL'>Cr SIX)t lt~lcker) and FUR
(for\qrd-looking illfral'cd). The firSI lour sensOl'S
f(lrIn Ihe TADS daylight sensol' and ocmp}' the left
porrion (as seen br the crew) of the Iargc 1l<lrrd
container under the nose, The FUR forms the nighl
sensor and occupies the ri!:\llI, or slarhoard, portion,
The whole inSlallation, called <t tlllTel, slews at up 10
600 per second in a,ljlllllih 10 limits al [l0 le~~ Ihall
I~OO 10 leli or ri~hl, and rOlales 10 all elevalion of 3(jO
alx)\'(:, lhe helicopter's hari/,olHal axis and 60° below,
As its name Sllgg-CSts, Ihe 'I'AUS is used chieHy to find
largeL~, l()(-k-on to them, dClt'rtllinc range and Ix.:ar-
ing ami also provide 100scr desigmniotl, Il Gill operate
al night. alld has lilllited all-weather capability
lhough range is limited hy rain. snow and similar
obscuralion wllell Il~itlg lhe Fl ,I R as the day adverse-
wealher sensor. It is a malleI' of cost-effectiveness,
ami TAUS is Mill regarded as lhe besl lhat Glil be
done fur;U\ ;tttack helicopter lIsing- current lechnolo-
~r and a' all afTordahle price.
The 0'1'\' and OVO share a comlllon boresighl.
looking: through the sallie optics in the lefl (hluish-
coloured) windows ill the "ADS tlllTe!. The opliGl1
sighl has two 5eUill h"S, a xj.5 lllagniliGuioll wilh a
wide (IHO) field of view, aud a X Hi llIag-nincatioll WiTh
a narrow (1) FOV, Obviollsly the wide field is used
when St:an:hillg for targel~ and the high-power lIlag-
TlifiGltiOlI for sludyillg I:lrgels allel gllieliltg (mIII:lllle_
The TV has lhn:e lllodes, a wide-FOV of <I", a
lIarrow-FOV of 0.9" and 'lIl um!crSGtll IIl(xk· with a
pencil beam of 0,45", According 10 we;:ither umdi-
tions lhe CPG can use dirt'Ct oplics or. ill conditions
of bad weather or battlefidd sllIoke, he Gill use the
TV, \\'hich operates ill the lll:ar·iufrared_ At night he
switches in the FUR which, ill ordel' to have the
highest possible "Sttillg Glpabilit)'"' ami definition in
Ilea\'y precipit;lIioll or high hlllllidit), ha.<; the largest
a\-ailable aperture of9in (229mm), If necessary it can
back lip the PNVS. its piclUre being rebyed 10 Ihe
same I I-I A055 monocle ;Illd pilot panel dispkty_
Tilt:' I;L'ier SCIlSOrs in the TADS are Ix)th dirL't.1.ly
COnCerlK'1! with targeling and the precision ddi\'CI)'
of 1lli.~.sik'S, The L'iT is a passive n."Cei\'er'IlIllL'1llo the
emissioll:> of fricndl)' laser dl.'Sign'llol"'S whi{:h Gill be
aimed at target.'> by ground tnx)ps or other airu'lfl.
It ;'lUtomilticall} dch_'CI.~ allli lo( ks-Oll to the emissioll
from such dl..'Signatl..'1.l largeL<;. alld p;l."S<.'S the targel
data to the I HAUSS. ox:kpil displars ami \,'eapoll-
aimin~ <l\ionics. The lntcmational LL..er Systems
LRFlO is. in cotllr<lSI. all active laser. aiml..'1.! by the
GPG \'ia the TAUS tlllTl.'t ill sc]eul..'1ltargets, It thus
Gill design,ue ';\Iltets for the Apache's own Hellfire
missiles, or lor Helllil'cs flred ill remote attacks b}'
other helicopters biding behind nawl,11 cover. 01' for
Coppedlcad Iascl'·homing shells fil't_'1.1 by frieudly
artillery,
Interchange of information
The TAOS system includes. ill addition 10 Ihe tlllTct.
three avionics boxes in the main avionics b<lys, <In
ORT (opTiGll rcb,y lube) in the CPG's I'ront cockpit.
and various cockpit controls and displays, A diag-ram
shows lhe main lwo-h:mded MSS (llluitipurpose
sight system) used by lhe CPC to :lirn sensors and
weapon,~, control The TAns and night vision ;Ind
select gun. missiles or ro('kel,~. Though The TADS
and Pf\VS ;trI.': individual s}'~tems. each Ilonllillly
comrolll.'1.llJy the CP<; ami pilOi respenivcly, there is
full pnJ\'isioll for inlen hange of inforlll<llioll he-
tween the ox:kpits ami for tr:lIlsfCr of control if
necessary_ For example, either l.rew-memlxT Gill
spot a I<lrget. take charge and. hy lIIerd)' lexlking
siraigiu at thc 'argct through his IHADSS. cuc his
p<trlncr and wcapons 10 aim at that exac..1. spot.
Other on-board avionics include the LDNS (Iight-
weig-hl doppler n,\vig-ation system) and lIARS
(llcadillg!attillldc referCll(T system for preCision
lIavilf<uioll in NOE Hight and lor sloring lar~et
locations. a siandani radio I\D1" (aulo dirc..'Ction
finder) rdying- on ground Sial ions, :.l."t:ure U H FlAM.
VHF/i\~1 alld F:\1 mmmlllliGUions radio, and a

lightweight IFF transpondcr with a scc;ure cncoding

Below and ri;tll: The AAQ-II P:'>lVS presentS Ih'" pil<x with:a
dear bbckl..-hile mono<;hrome'picture "'hich is actuall)' a plOl
of surfa« lemperatures. Supenmposed on il arc guidance lines
and rlum",ri.,..f srmbolOln" Alllhc infOrnt.:alion can be supplied
to the I!IADSS (1Illegnated helmet and display sighting system)
shown II' use belli.....

23
 feature. Combat survivahility is great.ly increased hy
LOillprehellsive illimill E\V (de<:ll"l)lli<: warfare) ;Hld
IRC\! systems. The RWR (radar warning reLeiver) is
the Loral AI'R·39(V). whiLh is sen·...'t.1 hy two passive
spiral helix aerials (alllcllllas) facing diagonally out-
ward from the frolll of the two main avionic... bars.
Two more receivers Lould he added to cover the
rear. This system provides ,llltomatic warning of
illumination b}' almost all likely hostile radars. giving
both visual and aural warnings. and indications of
bearing. idemit}, and radar operating modes.
In the left avionics b<l}' is the IT1' ALQ-136(V)1
which, under miLroproccssol' COlllrol. pumps OUl
powerful jamming in the I~J b<lIlds from a transmit~
ting ael-i.JI in the top of the nose. The associa.ted
rad.ill" jammer r(.'Cci"er 'lelia I is in the lOp of the
fusclage ;Ift of the cockpit. Further b..ck. immediate-
ly aft of Ihe nltor mast. is the dustbin-like beacon of
the S;mders AI.Q-144 IRCM (infrared COUlllennea-
24
sures) sel. This houses all electrically heated ceramic
briLk which forms a brilli<llllly powerful source of IR
radiatioll. whose emissions are modulated by
computer-contl'OlIed shutlers in the StllTOtlllding:
struClure to confuse (he seeker head of an oncoming
missile and cause it to break lock. Sp;lCelweiglll!
power provisions are also made for an A VR~2 I.WR
(laser warning receiver) above the r~t of Ihe lefl
wing, To give protection ag<linst hostile r;lclars
throughout a mission (the AI.Q-136 being swiu:Ill.·d
on onl)' during the bob-lip manDeu\Te) chaff Gill be
dispensed from the Tracor M-130 system, which
ejeos stam!;m! chaff (or Aare) Gtl1.ridg(.'S from IXlxes
on each side ne;II' the rear (If Ihe l<tiIlX)(llll. E.ach box
holds 30 p,ayloads. each 1in (25mlll) square alld
H.25in (210mllt) illlcllh'1ll.
Below: The business ~nd of a fully combat-read! Apad~, anned
with AGM-114A Hellfire missil6. E'"en theALQ-1441RCM
beacon is installed, immediately behind main roc:or hub.
Above: This is approximately the view ahead enjoyed by an
Apache CPG (copllol!g"unner). Unusually, he sits under a roof
which slopes sharply down to meet a shallow bullet'proof
windshield, the metal canopy frame being strong enough not to
crush in most severe crashes. in the centre is the main sensor!
sight system ror aiming Hellfire missiles and rockets.

Right: The pilot's cockpit, here viewed through the "pe"

right-hand window. i .• siKJlifl~'anlly higher than that of the erG
10 give a dear view ahead over the Kcvlar scat in the front
cockpit. Between the <:ockpit. is a thick anylic panel impervious
to hullet. and splintns. This advanced pilot cockpit is hav'ing a
big influence On that ror the next generation I.HX hdimptcr.

25
 Abo"t: This ,-je..· gi,'es a dear indic:otion aflhe Ap;,tehe°s
wapons and srn.sot"5- TIle PNVS (pilot"s right viSion sensor)
abo'-c the nose is s,•.-i,-ell<:d 10 look ..lUte photogr;aphcr, and ,"ia
the IHADSS could aim lhe gun at him on a dad night.

Rj~ht: Ilead..u" aspect of 3. standanl AH-64A Apa(:hc of the US

Army. cal'rying standard annamcnt of four Ilelifire missiles and
one FFAR roc:kCf pod on each wing. The gun is in its usual
nose-up Slowed p<>_~ilion. aligned dead ah...ad fur minimum drag.

Bdo..·; 1bc right side elevation oflhe.same US Army Apache.

n.c TRC~~ Ill.",,': which b~dcasts {)ulsed "'3.,..-s of he-oil to
confuse m,s"ales IS mounted Just bdund lhe rotor. and thoe
chaff/nares box is on the side of the rear fuselage.

26
Above: Top view of the same US Anny AH-64A Apache,
showin!!; the main rotor, weapon wings, engine installations and
(aft of the rotor) the IRCM tunet. Note the extra width of the
avionics bays built on each sidc of thc forward fuselage.

'27
 Lnt: From the outset of ilS oper~lional career the primary
anti-lank weapon ofth., Apache has boeen the hefty Hellfire
missile. one of which is here being loaded b, Iwo crew members
inlo a lower inboard launch rolil. Mi..'i5ilc weight is 10111>.

Abo,-e: Left-hand side elc,-alion of an AII-64A ApacJ~ filled

...·ith the ALQ-I-H IRC:\llulT'et but ...ith no FFAR rocket
launchpod.~ outboard urIbe quadruple Hdlfireo<. r.;ose seu.sors
an: aligned forr and aft. a.~ they normallyan' ",·hen inoper.at;\-c.
 Abo~~: Under!lide v~w of Anny ApadM!' oonfil;\'red ..ith the
nornul mixed annamentof gun, lfdlfires and rockets. Whik
spots un the: rear fusclag" ,~tral box are sense aerials
(antennas) for the ADFlautomatic radio direction finder).

Below: Left·hllud side clevation of II production AH-54A

Ap<lche in the ferry' L.. mfiguration, with four auxiliar)" fuel
tank.~. With th~se in place these hclicupten can deploy under
their own power from the USA to Europe, though II is" long
grind.

29
 , .

----=
Left: Front "ie..· of the proposed Sea Ap,lt:he in its uriginal
McDonnell Douglas Helicopler Colllp;l'ly fonn. We.apons
include AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship cruise miss'le$. fF /II. R
rockets and A l~f-9LOI" -9.\1 Side..-inoo air-to-air mi"siles fur
self-<kfcnce.

:\0
Below: Lcft-.,id" elevation of the Sea Apache as proposed to the
US Nav)' in 1984·86. To fit ship parkillg spacClllhis version
would need a folding tail and thus a fUfwaro.-loc:ated tail wheel.
No defense mom,)' has yet been vOl~ for this model.

I -~,.--

Iklow \.,(1: Undersidt: ,-je... of the origin:,o.! pro~ Sea Apache. Bdo..., Looking: down from abo,"" on Ihe baseline Sea Apad~.
This has Ilt"'"er been:ll firm or fundro progr.amml', and-despile shm.ing the onginally considered ..-capon mix. No IRe\{ tnlTd
allcg:ations of at least equall?rice--Ihc Marines rna)' stick with is sho..'n, and in fact not only the equipment fil bullhl' vay
1M- AH·) W SuperCobrit ...h,ch has the s;lml' engines. hrlicupter itscU ,,'as highl)' problematical in lale ) 986.

31
Ahovc: McDonnell Douglas Hdicop.ler lcst pilots departing on a
simulated long-rJIl!:"e deplovmCnI n,ission in ferr}' (:.."figuration
wilh fourauxiliar}··tank...... ~e"'lend range from 260"m
(482km, 300 miles) ,.. 918nm (1,70Ikm. 1.057 mikos).
!..rrl' The nose Soensors with .....in T ADS (I<lrgd acquisition and
designation sight) "looking" al the pholognpheT. What aplJC"rs
10 be an cxhausl pip'" on the right s.de is a rear vicw mil'TOT.

Below: Two fully anncd Apache.; on a trd,"i"g mission O"cr the::

d<:scrt. "'OCt' huw far ~ main landi";; gears han! down ",-hen
unloaded. On the.' ground they an: 5011 and spong}'.
 4

Apache Weapons
ROt'.'t THE start of the AAH programme it guidance systems, the missile was made modular and

F was universally agreed that there would have

to be two main types of weapon 011 board. The
plimary purpose of the helicopter is to kill hostile
armour, and this requires a long-range missile with a
heavy hollow-charge warhead and all-the-way preci-
sion guidance. For defensive suppressive fire a diffe-
renT kind of area weapon system is needed, and to
this end the helicopter required a powerful gun aud
a r(){:kl:l subsystem.
III the lllid-1970s the obvious anti-lank missile to
choose was BG!\'I-7! TO\V, lube-laullched optically-
Lr,Kkcd and wire-guided. ils only serious operating
dcficictlcy wilell fired from a helicopter-that it has
to be optically tracked and wire-guided (by transmit-
ting the operator's steering signals along fine wires)
all the way to the target-requires that the operator,
such as the CI'G in the front cockpit of an Apache,
should keep the enemy armoured vehicle clearly in
view for anything up to 13 or 14 seconds while he
steers the missile towards it. \Vith perhaps J00 hostile
~. i .... AA and SAM vehicles looking lor targets this not
trials were held with homing heads using laser light,
TV guidance and IR homing on the heat of the
target.
In October 1976 Rockwell was selected to enter
FSED (full-scale engineering development) of the
laser-seeking version, with designation AGM-114A
Hellfire (the appropriate name coming from
"helicopter-launched fire and forget". Compared
with TO\..\' it is appreciably larger and heavier, \\'ith a
length of 64in (1,6260101) compared with 45.75in
(1,162mm) and launch weight of 101lb (45.8kg)
compared with (for TOW I) 46.11b (20.9kg). This
Below: An earlv Apache firing rockets at desert targets in 1982.
Maximum load is four launchers each with 19 FFARs, a total of
76. Here the inboard pylons are occupied by Hellfires.

only seems like an eternity but is (in the author's

view) wholly unacceptable. The US Army wisely
decided that, lor the future AAI-). a new missile
should be developed which would free the helicopter
from this long exposure.

Hellfire development

As noted earlier, Hughes Aircraft (prime conTracTor

for TOW) and Rockwell International fought for the
new missile, starting work in late 1973. The advances
that could be made over all previous anri-armour
weapons were considerable, embracing warhead size
;llld lethality, guidance precision and reliability, Right
speed, range, short Hight Time and, in most vcrsions,
The ability to plunge down from above to pierce
through the thinner top skin of the target. As there
was de;lrly something to be said for each of several

3
 enahles a more powerful solirl-pl'Opellalll rocket
!lInlOr 10 be liud. and ilS \·ny high impulse quickly
ao.:dcrates Ihe Hellfire to alxllli ~Ia("h 1.1 i (around
H90mph. 1.-I32km/h), apprL"(:i;lhl)' 1~lster than allY
olher anli-I~lnk missile ill the \YeSlern \\"Orld. TIlis
high spe(xl rcsulls in sholt Hight-tillH':S 0\'('1" all en-
gag-cllICl!1 distances, preveuting the targel frolll per-
funning cvasi\'c manoeuvres and reducing the lime
the bUllch ;!ircrali is exposed 10 l.:oul1!crfin:.
Hellfire's engagement flexibility
Indeed. lhe launch airuaft ma}' nor Ix: exposed to
wliuterfire at all, f\mong the mall}' original require-
meuL\ for lhe new missile W;L,\ the need 10'· indirect
lire. the lallm:h aircraft being ;Ihle 10 remain hidden
and ne\cr coming within \·ie\\ of the target. In faa
the eng.lgcmcllI Aexibilil}' 01" Hellfire is one of Ihe
mOSt relll'II·k;lhlc of its advances, AUU)IIO!llnus de-
signation ml.'illlS that the Apache itselr ust.'"S it~ laser
(I.RF/I» (0 illuminate the l;lrgel \\'ith la"Cr light
exat.11)' axle<! 10 be colllpaljhle \\'ith ilS own missik>s.
34
Above: A combat·ready Apache on m:;onlXUvres from ();il\'ison
Anny Airfield in 1986. Note the IRCM turre1 imm«liatd)' aft of
the main rot:or. The AH-64 is climbing to enpge the enemy.
III Ihis t·'I$C. or course. only diR"(:! fin: is possible. but
il is still possihle to lire St:\"t:ral lIli,~siks in rapid
successioll. lIl(wing the laser designatioll SpOI from
Ollt: largel 10 anuthe!' to providt: lhe rcquired g-Ili-
dam.t: during the vital terminal phase of flight. I tl all
LOAL (lock-oil "fter launch) modes lhe missile is
fired ill the direction of the targ-et. Ofl.Cll climbing to
quite a higIT altilude provided it docs Hot cl1l.er cloud
and GtlI always "see" the target. A laser designalOr
then illuminates the target; the Hellfire inslallLlr
delecls thc radiation scauered hum tile targel ami
homes 011 it, normally plunging dowlI OIl a Sleep
angle.
I f there \\CI·C 16 laser designalOrs a"ailahle. ailllL"(!
by friendly ground forces or other aircl<trl. thcll an
Apache could [;lLIll<:h 16 I-Ielllires simuham.'Ously.
E...dl would C"CllIll<llly spot the radi~lliotl uf lhe
indi"idual laser to which its guidance secktT was
coded and imml..'tliatcly home on 10 its sourl.:e. '11Ii~
 APACHE VERSUS
FIGHTER
An Apache would not go
looking for a .'>Crdp wilh a
fighter, but could aquit itself
well. As the fighter begins the
attack by bringing ilS nose to
bear, the Apacnc could be
expected to spoil the shot by
turning into the attack and
gaining 150 to 200ft (45 to
60m) of height. This would
increase the rate of closure,
giving the fighter less time to
line up his attack, and also
would bring the helicopter's
weapons to bear.
./
)
j a friendly ground unit. If
--,
- -----./---
ITIllotc designation is expected 10 be extremely im-
portalll ill future, the Apaches being teamed with
Bell OH-58U AHIP (Anny hdimptcr improvement
programme) scouL IldicopllTS, which ,Ire expected to
stand ofl from the battlefield and designate targets
with their lasers. They Gill do this llllH.:h more safely
than can the Apaches, because the OH-5l:lD laser is in
an Ml'vlS OIl a pillar high above the rotor. All the
euemy might see is lile sphericalt()p (If the M\IS, not
much bigger than a beach ball. the hdicopter re-
maining hidden. Of course. the seoul's laser beam
must be exacliy COOl-xi for compatihility with the
Hellfire selected by the Apache CPG, or the missile
will fail to recognise the vital emission coming from
the rellective surfaces of the tal-get and will fall
aimlessly to one side.. rhere must also be insta_n-
taneous. yet secure, communication between the two
helicopters, which must throughout the engagement
know each other's exact position. Thus, the timing
must be so accurate that the Apache can fire a
Hell/ire a few seconds before the partner scout
helicopter aims its laser exactly on target.
LASER·GUlDED
MlSSILEATIACKON
ARMOUR
This diagram shows Apache
doing what it knows best.
Hiding in COver it has
eng-.tged heavy armOur using
laser-guided Hellfire missiles.
One missile has homed on to a
tank desJgnatcd by a laser
aimed by a US Army Bell OH-
58D scout helicopter. The
other has homed on a tank
de.•ignatcd by a laser aimed by
there were 16 laser
designators available, the
Apache could launch 16
Hellfires.
The vital feature of this technique is that the
Apache, the costly and fully armed attack member of
the teaIll, Gill relllaiu in what Ihe Troops call a
"defilade" position. which means it call slay hidr!<:n
behind uatura! ground uwer. Vo,lith remote designa-
tion it is possible to usc either rapid (closely spaced
sequence) or ripple (simultaneous salvo) fire, of any
number of Helilires up 10 the maximulIl of 16. It
does, however, demand absolutely perfect teamwork.
One can imagine how easy it would be to get the
timing slightly wrong, or the laser coding between
the designators and the missiles slightly wrong, so
lhat (for example) each missile might home on its
target until it was about 1,000lt (300m) away, at
which point the laser would switch 10 the nexttargel.
If Thc targets were moving then every missile would
miSS.
Everyone associated with Hellfire raves about it.
illOSt of all the Apache crews. But for a considered
vi~w from a highly experienced and impartial
observer one can {:itc Maj-Gen Edward M. Browne,
the USA's Apache programme manager, who said:
3,
"~I think the Hellfire system is probably the most
accuraTe and highly lethal anti-armor \\'C.lpon that I
ha\'c sc..'C1l ill the number or years I ha\'c 1x.'Cll
associatcd with ami-armor de\'elopmcnl". Like all
good wcapon s)'stems, HelUire is not standing still
but cxisls in V;lI;OUS growth \'ersions and models with
alternative guidance systems, TIlanks to thc tlllxtular
design it is possible to change the S<.'Ckcr heads, three
alternatives being II R (imaging infr.m.x1). combined
I1R and RF (radio frequency) or M\I (vcry shon
millimetl'e-w(l\'e radar). Ea(:h h~l~ parlicular good
and b.,d features, but a mix would give llIu;valled
capability in all battlefield conditions,
TIle Apache wings are designcd to accept two
launchers on each side, The launchcr is of modular
design and Glt1 he Gmfigured for cilher two or four
rails, Loading Ikllfircs is easy, with automatic en-
gagemenl. wilh the rail and auwmatic lalchillg and
lock with thc electrical connections b'1laralllt.·t:d. The
upper part of the launcher contains the missile
o>lllrol ek'Ctronics, power supply and a safe/ann
switch. An Apache prototype fired the first Hight
prototype Hellfire in :\farch 1979, and pnxluClion
tests of the complete weapon system continued
through to the end or January 1985, In numerous
live fil;ngs the formidable I7lh (7,7kg) wadlead has
been sho\\'11 to blast through an)' imaginable tank
frontal armour. let alone thin roof plating, and this is
partly because jet penetratioll depends upon the
diameter of the shaped chargc and the Helllire head
has a diameter of 7in (17811l1ll), Today Hellfires arc
Below: Reloading FF ARs (2.75in-calibre folding.fm aircraf{
rockets) into a 19-1ubc launcher carried by a combat-ready
Apache w.Jaich already has a full load of Hellfires,
Above: TI,e Hellfire laser-!?"ided missile racked up an amazing
record of accuracy during u.~ de~·el()pment. In the Arache Test
Program the accuracy re£ord was 100 per cent, despIte
battlefield smoke obscuration, and lighting collditions ranging
from brilliant sunshine 10 the blackest night eng-..gernents.
in full proouetioll, lIot only at Rockwell at a new
plant outside Atlanta, Gcofl:,>ia, but also at 1\1;1rtin
\1ariena at Orlando, Florida.
In comparison, the rocket subsystem i.~ relatively
simple. The basic rocket has been a staudard US
munition for almost 35 years, but it has been sub-
jected to ongoing development. IL is a slim IUOC,
originally known as 2.75in calibre bUlloday officially
known as 70mll1, Most of its length is the solid rocket
motor, originally the l\1k 40 but in the latest rockets
Til(' new higher-thrust Mk 66 motor developed by the
Kavy. At the front is the interchangeable warhead,
which is usually a straightforward HE type with
variable fuzing. At the rear are the pivoted hns
which, upon leaving the launcher tube, spring open
automatically and spin the rockelto stabilize its flight.
Though a long-established weapon for use against
both ground and aelial targets, il re,lChes a new peak
of efficienq' in the Apache. Gnl: advance is the
option of an J\IS\V (multipurpose submunition war-
head) continuing numerous slllall but deadly bomb-
lets. Another is ani<:ulating pylons. Ro<;kcts can be
loaded 0)1 to all four pylons, and ill this configuration
each pylon C.ll' bl: automatically tilted according to
the rauge input from the fire-control system; greater
ranges resulting ill exactly the right additional nose-
up tilt. Another advance is the cockpit control subsys-
tem. FFARs (folding-fin aircraft rockets) can be
selected and fired by either new-member, with aim-
ing and steering commands showlI on the IHADSS
or in cor~junctjon with the TADS for iuueased.
accuracy. The crew can select any desired fuze range
or Iree height to control detonation, as well as
launching mode (singles, pairs or quads), launching
rate, quantity launched and zone launching.,h.t:ghes
Aircraft's Missile Systems Group at Canoga Park
near Los Angeles, developed the LRLs (lightweight
rocket launchers). By incorporating sell~contained
stores management, fuzing and fire control much
weight has hl:l:II saved. With four of the big M-261
launchers (19 tuhes, or 76 rockets in all) the extra
weight available for mission fuel is no less than 265lb
(120kg). The smaller 7-tulx: launcher is the M-260.
Minimum firing interval is 0.06 seconds in both
launchers, and the whole system has single-switch
BITE (built-in test equipmcut) after the rockets are
loaded.
The 30mm gun
This kaves the only inbuild armament, the gun. It is
remarkable how lIlany modern attack helicopters
today have no gun. In}he view 01 the US Army a
gun must be the primary AvVS (area weapon subsys-
tem), despite the considerable weight 01 the gUll and,
especially, the large quantity of ammunition. As
noted earlier the Hughes solution was 1.0 design a
new gun from scratch for this hclic()pter, and the
3
 APACHE ARMAMENT OPTIONS A
~
~D 0
.

~~ .
,~
Performance" I
Ven roue ~bx le~1 Mi....... ion !
~fjssiuns

Allti·armour (defence) Mid-c<\St

+ + +
Winr,: Cn.
'I Ildlfin..'S 1320 rounds
Win"
'I Ildlfirt'S
of climb speed (V II)
(IRP) fpm

1.450
k"
l:i4
houn

1.83
I

Priman· Mi""io{] 40Q0ft/!:I5"F

AlIli-armour (defence) Mid-e-.l..... -1.tMMlflI!l.'i"F I Hdlfin..'S ·1.2IM) m,.lll<l~
-I Ildlfil"t."!i 1:10 l.'i I 2.67
Anti-armour (dcf"''1Kc) Micl.....' aSI -1.()(M)Cu'9.'i"F H Hdlfires 32'0 rounds 8 Itdlflrcs '00 H7 1.9
Ami-armour (deCcnre) Europe ;.'OOC:mlifft·
em·enn rom: (/\'T Cow) Mid-east 4.lXIOftJ9i"F
8 Ildlfircs
4 Helltires
1.200 rounds
1.2QO rounds
8 Ildllircs
.. HeUlires ,..,
990 ].18

"3
2.5
1.8:1
C.,,-en~ fon.... (Air Qw) .·.ump.: .. Hdllires .. Hdlfin~
1.'lOO nKlIKls >6<1 150 2-5
2.000f 10'" 19 n.d~<U 19 rockelS

..-
Airmobikt'SCOn Mid-east ·1.OOOftJIJr,·.· 19 rud:eu: 1.200 TOUlXb 19 rockeu: S60 155 1.83
.\innobik own Europe 2.OOOlilicr.. ;llO
......... . ..... _,
38 rockcu 1.200 rounds 38 rod:cu 153 2-5
, ~

result could hardl}' have been lllore successful. The
Ilughes (now ~IcDonneli Douglas) Ordnance Divi-
sion al Culver Cit)". Los Angeles, designed and now
produces the ~m, \\'hile Ilone)'\\'el1 Defense Sysrems
supplies the ahllllunition.
CQll1rolkd in magnilude and ill timing. Equally im-
portant is the faci lhal. as e,lcll fresh round enters
;lIul p;L<;sc..-:; lhrnugh the b'l.lIl. ir is under absolute
sp,atial ami liming collirol ar all times, eliminating
\"inu;llly allllonllal amlllullirioll fc..x."<.l problems.

Chain Gun details New ammunition

The gUll is oflicially 1he M230, hut i1 is cOllllIlonly
called the Chain Gun because of lhe way it works
(t<Xlay lhere an: variolls smaller Chain (;UIlS also). A
powerful 30mm \\'l:apoll, ir has a sillgk barrd and is
externally powen.·d . by a G.5hp lllOtOr. The uui<-jue
fealllre when development heg'ln in December 19i2
was the rotating bolt mechanism driven by an almost
perfectly reliable chain. This permits a simplified
gUll cyde which has led to component lives and
reliability certainly not exceeded, and seldom even
appro,ached. by all)' other automatic weapon. Long
bolt lock time ensures that vinl/ally all gas escapes
through the 11ll1Z'lJe and nOI into Ihe action, and the
long dwell lime cnsurcs s,afely following a hangfire.
The motor (hive brivcs a powerful belt pull, eliminat-
ing the need for a po\\·cn..'<.1 allllllUniliOIl booster, and
there is 110 nc.."t.-G fur c..harge~. deduu:hing fc.."t.>o:lers or
O1hc..'r special dcvice~. Further. a:~ all the moving pans
are totally kc)c.."<.1 togelhel'. evel) llJotion is precisely
The first XM230 proto1}'pe was fired in April 19i3,
Wilh bursL~ firc..>o:11hc following 11101l1h. In Sq)lcmhcr
of that year a 2,!)()()-rnllnd Army tri;11 was suu:cssful-
Iy completed. Two ycars later itlxlut 250,000 roullds
of X:Y1552 and Xr...f(J39 a111111lIllilioll had hccl! fired
through several C;ltaill (;UllS WillI dctail (lifferellCes.
In early 19iG Ihe Deparllnelll, of Defense dirccted
Hughes to rechamber tbe gUll to fire Aden and
DEFA ammuniliOlL 10 adlicvc :\JA·I·() illteropcrabil-
it}' dll1"iug Apache operations ill Europe. Though
manufactured nOw b)' Honcywell. this ne~\".alllmllni­
tion was developed by Hughes. thc three basic Iypes
01" round being the ~1788 TI' (I<lrgcl pl'lCtice). M789
HEI)P (high-explosive dual-purpose) and Mi9~) HE
(high-explosive). The m<Xlilied gun. designated
fI.'f230, was fil"Sllired in March 1978. The \\'eight or
the total gUll system. \\'itholll mounting. is 1231b
(55.8kg); o\'erall length is 6-4.5in (1.638mm). 111e
gUll Gill fire from single-shol lip to 625 per minur,e.

38
Above: Fully armed Apaches are not normally rolled in service, Below: Apache stores: 16 Hellfire missiles and (L to R) fuel
e.~peeially near Ihe rugged terrain oflhe US southwesl. Allea.st tanks, FFAR launchers, 30mm gun ammunition and, behind
this view reveals many ,Iems along Ihe underside. this, 2.75in FFAR rockets

3'
 In the Apache il is installed Linder the forward
fuselage where, in a crash. it can safely be thrust lip
lx:tween the cockpits. The gun is completely exposed
i.lIld hangs Ix:ncath a lightl,'cight LUITct systcm nor-
mally llx:ked in the ccmra! position with the gun held
in the high-elcvatioll position by springs. When
selcCll.:d. the gun is frec 10 mO\·c an:onling to the
dircetiolls COllllllitndl..'d by thc IHADSS and TADS
within azimuth limil'i of 100" 10 IcCt or light and
de"atiall limil'i of II" up and (i()" down. There arc
lm·ialable saCcI)' illlcriocks, Ihe gun being controlk-d
by a Lear Siegler ek'l..ll"OniC S}'Stclll. Thc basic l:.'lJn
can be supplied with diller linked or linklcss
ammunition. In thc Apache the ammunition is con-
lalne<1 in a giam box in the bouom oC the Cuselage
directly undel· the main rotor hub. with a capaeit}' oC
1,200 rounds... A linklcss feed supplies the ammuni-
tion along the left side of the helicopter to the gun. a
mirror-image duet on the righl side returning the
empty cases to the magazine.
Multipurpose weapon
·111e gun Conus the plimal)' area weapon, providing
suppressive fire agaillsi main threat air defellCx.". S and
with the ability 10 cll."Stmy light armoured vchick"S. It
40
also has a considerable self-protection capability
against air threats such as dose-support aircraft and
hostile helicopters, lhouKh of course not against 'L
stand-olf interceptor. The full ammunition load is
normally carried except in exceptionally advCfse
circumstances such as 4,OOOft (I ,220m) ah.iwdc <lnd it
95"F (35"C) environment when the standard loading
is re<luced to 320 rounds, Rase Tcn Sysl,ems supplies
four inionic subsyslem~, IWO of which arc the CCB
and RC/r-,rc. Thc fonner, fhe gun <:ontrol oox.,
controls gun filing, ammunition feed and dynamic
braking of me b'llli drivc motor. Thc nmnds <.:oumerl
magazine controllcr stores and updatcs thc number
of roullds rcmaining ill the illlUlIunitioll handling
systcm. Base TCll's Olhcr two s}'stcms ;uc the CPC·s
fire-<:ontrol panel and its da(;l-clllry keylxxn-d. Lear
Siegler's TCB (turret comrol box) controls the
aUuators that aim the gun and compensate for its
recoil. II electronically performs the complex filter-
ing and comrol·law calculations necessary to put the
gun exactly back on target after each shot has been
fired . TIle TCB meets stringent accuracy require-
ments, re-aiming the gun ten limes per second..
Below: The 30mm Chain Gun may be ourpcrfonned in some
resprcts, bUI i~ reliability ex~ lhal o(an)' other gun in ilS
class. (( isa produd of McDonnell Douglas HeJioopler Co,
Reloading Ihc magazine takes ju$t 10 nunu(eS..
 5

Joining the Army

EVELOl'lNG the AAH has t<lken vcry Assembly of the Apaches takes place in the totally

D mm:h longer than anyone amicipatcd 15

years ago, but the Army is gelting a helicop-
ter very much better than specifi(:ation. For example,
the primary mission demanded a VROC (vertical
rate of climb) of 450ft/min while carrying eight
Hellfires. 320 rounds of ammunition and fuel for 1.8
hours at the standard Army hot day of 4,000fl
altitude and 95°F. Under these conditions the actual
demonstrated VROC is no less than J ,450ftfmin
(7.4m/s), and Apaches have demonstrated sustained
(not vertical) rates of climb exceeding 3,OOOftllllin
(lS.24m/s). It is this colossal sense of power and
capability that so impresses every bard-bitten pilot
who comes to the Apache.
The Anny's enthusiasm
new plant built at .\lesa, Arizona, by Ilughes
Helicopters. On 6 January 1984 this company
became a subsidiary of I'vlcDOllnell Douglas, and on
27 August 1985 the name was changed to tvfcDonncll
Douglas Helicopter Company. Rut it was still Hughes
when, on 30 September 1983, PV01, the Apache
Prod llction Vehicle 01, was ceremonially rolled out
in the presence of many dignimries and an Apache
warrior all a white horse. At tlIat time five other
airframes had arrived from San Diego and were
rapidly being turned into Apaches. Some idea of the
work involved can be seen from the fact that, when
the helicopters look finished, some 500 umbilical
Below: AJ?3-che air-loading procedUn:!!i were certified at Sky
Harbor Airport, Phoenix, on 22 June 1985 when Anny and Air
Force {earns pui six Apaches into this C-5A Galax)·.

Top Brass are impressed too. The b..:y man in the

whole programme-and it is his job not to write
advertising {:opy but to lean on the COlllractor-was
the former AH-G4 Program \-tanager, \-1J,j-Gen
Charles F. Drenz, LSi\. J Ie has let his enthusiasm
show many times in public, one GJIlnnent being,
"The Apache is a 21-hour machine, and we currently
crew our ships on a la-hour basis. 1 remember in
Vietnam we used to Ily our helicopters 8-10 hours a
day, but we had to put them into maintenance all
night long in order to get them up the next day. The
Apache is different. The ledmology in this helicop-
ter is similar to what we have in airliners ~oday. These
aircraft are continuously ready to take off with
another load. It's the crews that ntust be changed.
V-lith the Apache's 24-hour availability, reliability,
and the long service life we are going to gel with this
aircraft, we will need to double-crew this systCnt-
and this is good. The Apache's extraordinary
availability is further complemented by its speed and
flexibility 011 the b;luleficld; it ca.ll move very quickly
to wherever the ground commander wants it."

4
COllllectors h;l\'C w hc du.:cktxl alollg Wilh 17500
\\in: terminals and connectors" Each lakes four days,
USilig fl)rllli(lahle computerized win: ~lllaI)'Sis sys-
tems. With just five Apaches on the lille the f'.ksa
hKilit~· looked empty, hut it "ery quitkly filll-,t! up and
in 19H6 reach\.,"f! its planned target of 12 lu:liwptcrs a
month.
Atlhc rollout (:erelllony Jal'k Real. soon to retire as
company presidellt, promised that Hughes. ant! its
Apache supplier,; "ill 36 states. Canada and Wesl
German} lsillcc joiul--<I hy Isr.lclt\ircr.d"t Industries.
which pnxluc\"'S the weapon p}'lon fr.ulle and rack]
can be COUIllCt! Oil to perform on the Al'm)~s :-.so" ,
;I\"iation program". ""IICII the original first prototype
YA II-&-l whined into life and lhief cxpcrimental test
pilot Ste,"e Halllc} put it through a hremhtaking
Hight routine to show that it still workcd. cight ye;lrs
LO the da)' aller iLS firsl Hight.
21 st Century machine
1'\"01 ioclfhad to undergo prolonged checks before
gelling daylighl Ilnder its \,'heels on 9 January 1984"
H~t1I\-ey and copilot Ron ~Iosely ,,'ere ,,'ell pleased.
ami Jack Real madc the comment: "The Apache
must pcrfonn like a pn.."Cision instnllnem and )'et be
extremely dUl";.tule tl) li,'c in the \\'ild ,,'hile serving the
.!-\rmy around the world well into the 21 st CentUl)':'
Ahead 01" sch(:dule, Ihis machine was formally
accepted by Lhc ArlllY on 26 Janua!"), 1984. The
Army nominated Hughes to winlhe Collier Troph)',
Llie lllOS! coveted award ill acrospacc. and the
:\Iatiollal AenJIlautit; Ass(x'iation finally did pick Lhe
Apadle as "thc greatest achievcmcnt in aerollauliC';"
for 1983. On 'I April19ltlthc ArlllY aCl:eptcd \'V02,
and these first two production artidcs havc cver since
beell illStrUlllelllet.! and usct! in Aril.Oll<l 011 Ap.'lcht
de,-eJopmelll. All sU!)SL"(,IUCllt Ildicoptcrs have been
deliw:red to thc Ann) fOl"training or combal dUly in
a massi\'t prDg"I";'llllnu: which b) 1990 aims to field 34
highl) tl";'lined auack·hclicoptc," baualiow; ("(Iuipped
with 612 Ap<xhes in lllany pan.~ of the world"
One of the l<lrg:est yet most hidden faceLS of the
programme '\'lS reponed in a technical paper or 16
:\Iay 19&-1 on "softw,lfe qualily assurance"" 'niC
Apachc's llUll1el'()US avionics boxes. sensors and
WC<II)(JI\ S)'StClllS ;n"c provided by many suppliers, <lnd
arc progmlllllK'<.t in sc,"cr.11 compmer languaKes. It
IlJa~" lx: pos...iblc in future airo-aft to achieve a
coIlllllonlanguage. hm in lhe Apache it was Hughes'
job 10 illll'"b>r..IIC alllhe cUlItr.lsting s}'stems to function
hanuoniollsly. Very (:ump!cx and extensi,"e test
I"OUtilll:S were dc\'i$l.-<! for thc software to prove that
evel) S}Slem ami weapon would work as a closely
integl-atcd whole. 'nle I"csuh k-<I not nnly 10 pro-
longed "debugging" of lhe soflware hut also to
phrsical engineering chang-lOS in the pnxluetion
helicopteL
In August 1984 PV02 scored twO OUi of twO with
Below: Apacheson crew training detail 31 Hanchey Anny
Heliport, near Fort Rucl;er, Alubama. This is one of the
Training and Doctrine Command Sehools.
thc first produClion Hellfire missiles during tcsts at
the Yuma Proving Cround. Subsequcnt tcsts in-
duded lirings nnder varying cOlldiliolls, rapid lire.
ripples (salvos) and indirect fire with rcmote dcsigna-
tion. [n the sallle mOllt h SecDcf (:asJlar \Ycinberger
;lpproved the filIal illClTIllCllt of j(jO Apaches t(1
bring lhe Army programme up to li75-160 Illore
than the original plan. Lnit flyaway cost in Fiscal
y GIl' 19H4 (1()Hars has bccn held dose to $7.8 milJiOll.
but lhis docs llOt indude such costs as support alltl
traiuing.
Apache training units
In 1984 tnining was all-important. The work began
with the tnining of six instruClors at rvlesa and at
Yuma. Initial key pcrsollnel training, completed in
.J;lI1uary 19K'), used PV04-12 except for 08 and IO
which went to the Hunter-Ligget! Reservation for
operational testing with the Of-l-58D AilIP. whidl is
l;lsked with tksignating Apache targets. The centre
for Apadlc tl-aining is Fort Rucker, Alabama. backed
up hy Fort Gordon, Georgia, and Fon Eustis,
Virginia. It moved on in September 19H5 from the
initial key course 10 the AQC (AvialOr Qualification
Course), joined by special courses for maintenance.
avionics, weapons and other areas. The programme
ran a lillie late, in that the first Apache delivered to
Bd"w: Head-on view of an Apache armed only with Hellfires at
Echterdingen Army Airfield, near Stuttgart, Germany, ncar
where the Apaches might One day be most needed,
TRADOC (Training aml Donrinc COIllmand) was
not Aown across the LS to Fon Eustis lllltilJanuary
19H5. Sincc thcll. 12 more have been deli\'ered to
Fon Eustis, to the AI ALS (Army Transportation
and Aviation Logistics School), where at Felker
airfield 7G advanced training: devices help qualify 900
lIlaintcllance test pilots and other personnel e;lCh
year. III addition Fort Rucker and its satellite fields
have received 32 Apaches and ten Cobras equipped
with P:JVS 10 handle lhe AQC.
On 4 April 19H5 PV 14 look off from i\ksa al
7.30am local time, carrying four 2!)0 LS gal external
tanks, and flown by two company pilots over Arizona
and California. making a turn 011 tlIe l'aci!i.c coast at
Sant;l Barbara, and then landing back at .\1esa at
!).!)Opm after covcring 1,175 miles (1,89 IkIll). The
!)Omin fuel reserve requin.:mellt \\";l~ observed. At the
S<IUH': time the [Ompally aUllounced that the Apache,
in conformity with recent Defense DeparttTlem
mandates, was warrantcd (guaranteed) to meet or
exceed stringent reliability requirements for two
years or 240 flight hours. Any failure must be
rectified with tlO cost to the United States
govcnunelll.
A liule later, on 22 June I~JH5, six Apachcs werc
loaded into a Military Airlift Command C-5A at Sky
Harbor Airport, Phoenix, close to the l\ksa plant.
Air transport requires a certain amount of disman-
tling. The cavernous C-5 (;alaxy airlifter is just able
to swallow six of the big helicopters, twice the
number that will go into the forthconting C- I 7 and
three times as many as fit insidc the C-14IB. In this
first demonstration the Apaches were Hown direct 10
waiting Fort Rucker.
Fielding the Apache
In October 1985 the massive task of "fielding"'-
gelting the Apache into combat service-hegan in
earncst with the start of instruction by the previoLisly
trained Arnty instructors. In the sallle momh the
ArillY accepted its 50th production Apache, most of
them delivered in long cross-country flights, In
December the 59th, !<lSt of the No. 2 production
batch, was the first 10 go to Fort Hood, Texas, the
giant single-station fielding location for all Apache
combat unit training. Following completion of TRA-
DOC individual tr;tining at Rucker, Eustis and (for
avionics) Gordon, all Apache personnel go to Fon
Hood, join their combat unit and begin battalion-
level training.. This is administered by a special
Apache Training Brigade, and a satellit.e Apache
Program Offke was established to mi.llIage all auivi!}'
at Fan Hood, including: Gray and I-Iood Arm}"
Airfields.
Today every Ap<lche that comes olTthe lI.·k-sa Iinc
goes 10 Fan H<)()(1. Ilere i, is issued to one of the
im.:oming baualiolls which, when i, oomplercs iL"long
and intensive u-ainiug probrr.lnllne, will lIy ilS full
colllplemelll of helicoptcrs from Fort Hood to irs
own assigned home station, together \\'ith ever)" item
of support equipmcllI nl."Cdt.."{1 '0 beRio sustained
comhal oper:uioos. 'llle first hauillion h'as equipped.
at fion flood bel\\'CCII Febmary i.mel April 1986. but
this one. upon complction of ils training cycle ill
1987, is 10 n~main at Fort flood. Though fully
combat-ready. its experience will be re<-ldily available
to assist in the training progr.t111111C.
Apaches in the reserves
In JanullI"}' 19R6 TWO Apaches heading for Fon
Eustis made a planned stopover at Raleigh-Durham
Airpon in /'\orlh Carolina. Here tltey were sur-
rounded by cllIhusiaslic guardsmen from Company
D, 28th. Aviation B<\l(alion. 1'\0l1h Carolina Army
Nalional Guard. Ri.lck. in January 1985 the
NCAR;.JC had ~II annoullced as ,he firsl guard or
rcscrvc unit to recei\"t~ the Apache. Compan)" 0
LX:gllll sending ;l\·iaturs for the AQC coursc 1l00Iong
aften\'ards. and by late 1986 it expeoed to have 15
qualifiL-d piluts and 20 Imined ma:ntcnance starr. It is
to deplo), wilh its 15 Ap."1ches in hte 1987, by h'hicll
Abov,,: This Apadle demonsl.rated "df-d':ploymcnl (from the
USA 10 Europc:, if n«cssary) by makin!/; RI!/;hU of more than
I ,J 00 miles (1,770km) with four 230 US gal eXlernallanks,
time several olher guard units will have beell natHed
as recipiems.
In April 1986 ]\,kDonnell Douglas Helicopters
announced <l oew Vice-President in charge of the
AI-I~64 programme: Smarr D. Dodge. who had
previously had the colTespondingjob all the CH-47
Chinook at Boeing V<.Ttol. M0110n l. Leib was
appoinlt..>d Director. AH-&I Pn~t..'{.1. Engineering,
while William R. "Randy" McDonnell, son of the
p"lrclII company's Board Chairman "Sandy" l\lcDon-
nell. left Ihe AV-8B HarrieT II pmgr.nnme at 5t
Louis 10 head the company's bid 10 Will Ihc I.IIX
probJ"]';ullme, IJIX, the next-gcnenlti()Il Aml}' heli-
coptcr, includes an armed scout vcrsion hili is in no
sense a replacement lor the Apadlc. The higger
helicopter is expected to continue f(w llIany yeaN,
ami lIIay \Veil he the sul~ject of further orders. In
additioll. of course, ~.fcDonneli Douglas Hdicopll.T
Compau)" hope-with a great deal of confidem:e-lo
will export orders. Federal ("Vest) Germany has bcclI
publicly Hamcd as i.l po.ssibility for scvcral years.
despite its own hailing participation ill Ihe 1':\1-1-2
part of the l:::unKopl,er progJ-amme, and ,his explaills
that COllnt!') 's Slllall shi.lre in the Ap."lchc production
programme. AI:::G..Telefunken supplying the mtQr-
blade deicing unltml sySlCm. TIle later addition of
Ismel Aircmli. [udLL"tries to the team also spodiglns
anodle" pOlemial ClL~lomer. and a third oountl)'
hardly likely to buy llnphing else is .Iapan.
i\leatl\\'hiJe, though no major change is expected
to be introduced during manufacture or the 675
hclicoptns currently funded, l\.-lcDonnell Douglas
Helicopter has plenL y of plans for improvemeIlls and
upgrades. One is the prospect of new versions lor the
US .\Iarine Corps and Navy, as outlined in the fiml
chapter. Others concern the sensors, weapons and
self·defence systems, the latter including increasing
emphasis on low-ohsen'ables "stealth" characteristics.
Another possibility is increasing use of composite
structures. At present none of the primary structure,
and only 4.\ per cent by weight of secondary
structures, are of composites. But in Octobcr 1985
the company was awarded an $806,000 Army
rese,lrch contract 10 dcvdop a ncw gcneration of
composites for Apa{hc secondary structure. ·I·hese
-~------
are expected 10 be fibre-reinforced thermosetting
materials that are cheap to produce and fabricate,
and resistant 10 high temperatures and LO solvenL~.
The new materials will be tested on the Apache
nose-gearbox fairings which prqject from the ceIllre
of the engine inlets. According to MDHC composites
chief Joy Sen, "If these materials prove effective, the
research could be expanded 10 study the feasibility of
using them for Apache primary structures such as
the fuselage and rotor blades." This could have a
sih'llificant beneficial effe<..t all helicopter cost, and
Below: Thb Apache ill actually in NOE {nap of {he Earth) Hight,
almost touching the ground, during winter manoeuvres in early
1986 near Flagstaff, Ariwna. Snow makes its presence obvious.
4!
 6
Marine and Navy Apaches
[\'ERA!. YEARS ago whitt was then Hughes
S Helicopu'l"s beh'<Hl studying what the "el)' GIll-
able: Apache illig-hI haw to onel" other US
armed fo!"cc..;, It was dilliclllt. cenainly ill the early
1~I~Os. to cSlahlish a rase few a uS Air Force n~rsion.
bill in the Gt~ of the US Navy and .\1 arill!': Corps the
prospects looked much brighler. Neither sct'viC{: has
allything' with [lit: combat Glpabililics of the Apadu:
(though Sell Barry (;o!clwater has sialcd that the
Apache costs less to buy than docs the .\-I<trines·
/\11-1 T Cobra, alld has !"r1wn ligmes to h,tck up this
Ulntclllion-$9.8 million for the Cobm. alld t:crt;tlll-
Iy lhe All-I\\' Supt:rCo!lra will be much mon.: ex-
pensive slill). Be that ;L'i it may. and Gokh.'aler is
usu;llIy exceedingl}" well hriefeel. the Apache GlII do
things thill bOlh St'agoing US scn'ices would find \,(:11'
ll~'flil.
[\"ell in its existing fonll the Apache em do a ~reat
4fi
all-}-ear ~·l-hour job for the ~Iarilles. In 1983
Huglu..--s 'Ippoimed CeOl-ge Rock as manager of lhe
wmpany-initialed Marine C.olllsll'\a\')' Apache Prog-
ram. alld in a low key began issuinK public state-
mC[IL~. III AUgllSI 19ti-t a photo~l(lph was released
s!Jo\\'illg a dC\'c!opment Apache al the ~leS<"l plant
witll Sidewillclcrs on lallnch attachments-short cra-
dles instead of die usu;]l nil-Oil the tips of the
helicopter's weapon wings. It was cOrlllllented at the
time that tlte Apache h;l(l been thorollg-hly prO\'en in
more than H.OOO hours of testing. and that llle
\Iarines could Ix· offlTed ddi\"clics as carly as 198H.
1\1\ the existing w<:-apons and scnsol'S would he
retained.
Bela...: Allhe time of writing-only one Apache, basically a
regular AH-64A, had Rown with Side"';nder AAMs. This
particular Apache has sill«' reeeh'ed further modifications, bul
McDonnell Douglall Hdicoptc:ni has still TJOI received an)'
g-o-ahead on cngmeeringde~'eloprnenlfor the Marine ~·ersion.
 By 19S5 rvlcDonnell Douglas 'ldimpters had
taken the nmcepls 01" :\Iarinc Corps and 1\<1\')'
valiams llluch further. It had UcCII <lh'l1..'"ed both
would be puwcrnl by the same ut!shJIO I marinized
'"ersion of the T700 engine as the SH-GOB Scahawk
helicopter. rhi.<; would preselH VillUall) no problem,
Iml the ai,'fr.UIlC ancl sume equiPIllCIll items would
Iu..'ed additional plutet.1jon <lg<lins( s..... h·\\~.lU.T UlITO-
sioll. drains \\'here\t~I- wateT mi~ht collect. upgr<lded
Wlll.''C1 brakes. extra Lil.'110WIl poims. aUlomalil: po-
wered folding of the main rOlol' (using ;:1 lIew huh
design which perlllib two or I he blades 10 pin){
through 45° to be alibJ]ll."d wilh the fuselage) for
storage in the hangen; of surface vessels, doppler
1 iUl;l1ial n<l\'ihratiOll, cllilanccd E~[R (eleclmmaglldil:
ntdiation) shielding. aud provisions for floating-base
Iliailllell:lnec.
The proposed 1\'1arinc Corps versioll was itselflel't
little dl,1l1g'cd apart from 1Il,uor rC\'ision of its
weapons. The 301l11l1 Chain GUll was 1.0 hc remo\'ed,
because it would be likely to I1l\d limitcd lise in
air·to-grourul operations and \\,(ltlld "nol he a suit-
able weapon fol' the air-to-air role". Likewise. though
Below: This artist's impression gi~ a dnr nrly-1986 idea of
whal the proposed Na~{ Sea Apache would look like, in this ase
operating in the anti-ship rol" ..;lh four AGM·84 Harpoon
cruise mlssiJrs. 1be "xaet ~"menlof Knson, gun, and
..'capon has since br.o,n r:hang<:d In detail, and may lillrT ag:ain.
it appears 1.0 he a retrograde move to e\'eryone
except maker Ilughes Aircraft. lite r lellfires would
be replaccd by quadruple laulichers for the TOW
(prol>"1bl}' TOW 2) wire-guided missile. TOW is
alrC".-l.dy widely USL'11 h}' the :\Iarine Corps, including
the All-IT Cohra heliropler, Olher possible
we,lpons \\'hich ha\'e heen idemilied j<)r this version
indude the massive 5in (127mlll) ZUlli .mack rocket
and the AIM-9L Sidewinder, the lalter far air-H)-air
self-defence. Thcre would be no change in the
scnsors carried.
For Ihe Navy the prospects are more v,lIied and
the likd)' (han~es more eXlensi\'e_ though the Lauer
would still hardly alfcctthe hasic heli(.'Qpter. bllt only
the Illis~ion cquipmclll, The prohlem (or rather the
challenge) is that there arc scveral pOtcl11ial missions,
includitlg: CAP (combat air palmi) and escort,
0' niT (over the horizon tal'gclillg-). ami-shipping
strike, and AF.W (airborue early w;lrning) surveill-
ance in the ahsence of large aircraft t:arricrs. By late
1985 the "<tV}' helicopter was known as the Sea
Ap..'lchc, though it still (in mid-19H6) remains a
romp;:lllY inilblivc,
All versions would probably retaill lhe T ADS!
Pi'\VS sensors, though this is lookillg iULTC'.J.Singly
ull<:cM'lin. A m~iOl' addition, probably lor all \'er-
sion:., wuuld be a surface search and target-
4
 acquisition radar, which could be mouTHed on a mast
<lbo\'e the main rmor or, if the gun were to be
removed. in a vClIlral illslallatioll. If the lauer were
chosen, the landing gears would probably be made to
relra<..t. In any case the tailwhcd would need to he
relocated further f()I"ward, Ix:causc to meet Nav)'
deck parking re<llliremems the whole tail secljon
would have 10 fold,
Sea Apache's weapons
In the uniT and anti-shipping roles the Sea
Apache would not need a gun, but could GUT)' foul'
:\(;:\1-8'1 Ha'l)()()n or AeM-JI9 Penguin cmisc mis-
siles. 'nl(~ comp'l1l)' art\,'ork shows a Sea Apache
operating in this mle \,'ith Harpoons, and also car-
rying the gUll ami Sidc\\'indel' AAMs. For CAP
missions the T'adar would have to have good disCl;-
mination against aircraft far over the horizon. Oper-
ating from all c."Coning frig:nc or similar ship "on the
fence" at the edge uf the task force or b..'l.ule group,
the Sea Apache would mke orr armed with up to six
AI:\I-9L or similar AAf\b and either 1,200 rounds of
30mm ammllnitiOll or a (:orrespondingly greater
quamit), or 20mm or 251111ll <1I11l11l1llition, with the
highest possible nlllzzle velocit)'. TIle helicopter
would fly out along the Ix:aring of the expe<'.'1.ed
threat .md then orbit at the speed for maximulll
endlll<ltlce. either passively or aClivdy monitoring
the threat corridor. '!'hn::tl aircraft Gill be <lilton-
AH-CYIA Spc(:ification (fwo-.o;eat all_weather anack helicopter.)
Engines. Two (;"111·",1 EII,,,tl'il T700-CE-71l1 l\ld.>oshalls, Power
ranngs: intermediatc I,fi\H,hp (I:m:lk W) ,.;" h: ()~.I n"'ling"",")
("lite ""gi".. illojJcr;uh'I') I. n3shp (1 :?l'lf,kW).
Dimensions. [)""11l:tl'l' "I' ro,I,>!'S: Ill:Iill. 41'\11 Oin (14.6:1",): tail.
I ll1in (:?, 7!11ll), Lt.'ll~th overall: t,til 1'01<>1' ! 1I1'IIillr;.Hlft ~ill
(l1,63m); hoth ml()r~ tnl'ning. f>1'\f1 :\.Ii" (17.7hm). lleif{ln
O\'t'rall: over fin. 111'1 (J.:iin (:\.f,211l): olTr lail ""101' Ilfi b.(iin
(4.2H2",); 0\'1·" ai""!;lIa ..,.1\';01' nil Ill,ti" 1'OIOr. I!ill 2,~Jin (4,G4:im).
Fuselage "'idth 011 J"II:clk~. ~Ift IHii" (2.7~1'\,t1). 'r-,ill'l;ltlc
"
Performance (primary mission gross weighl, in1t:nnediate rolled power),
Vertical rale of climb, h (m)/min
Maximum "'~IC of climb. h (m)/min
Maximum le~,t:1 speed, kl (mph. k",II,)
Cruise speed, rna:" (0111 \'' '1'.
la (mph. kill/h)
Di\'espeed iimil, L;,l ("'1'" km/h)
Max range inll'l'llill fill' . ,ml (mill'S, km)
Endu..." na:. im"no;,lllId Ih)
Ho\'cr in gr'O:und effect. n (IU)
1-10\'& out of goulld effect., fi (III)
Servia: ailing, '2o(.'lll(, Ii (III)
I""ng, Ii (Ill)
·18
omously detected. interrogated and engaged. This
tactic is particularly effective d llriflg LrallsiL~ whell the
c..rrier is betl\'een launches, or OIL night. or when the
c..rrier deck is locked (ie, not to be USl.-d). According
to McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company, the Sea
Apache "offers the OTe (onicer in tactic.'l.1 com-
mand) the flexibility (0 station a powerful strike
Glpabilit), out Oil the fence lor day/night all-weather
air rlefense".
A recent addition to the Sea Ap..'lche as at present
envisaged is an automatic haul·down and deck lock-
ing system, if possible linked lO pO\\'ered traverse
an()s.~ the <kt:k into or Ollt of the hangar. Tlus is seen
as L's."Cnual for rough-\\'eather operations from
fl;g:.lte-.c"l~s ships. Additional roles now being SHl-
died include ,-~:()n .md suppressi\'e lire lor SEAL
(sealairll:tnd) oper'llil)lI~, n:l\'al gtlllfire s}X>lting and
comb<IL SAR (sc;m:h and rescue) escort. Additional
weapons beillg ~tudiL'(i include Slinger dose~range
ail--defellce mis.~iles, Sidcann ami-radii I' missiles de-
rived from the Sidewinder, and V.IIlOliS Scn·ice-
specified GUUIOII.
In September 1984 all Apache made a tour of
facilities in the e:l~lern US, in the mUl3e of which il.
called at: I\AS Oceana, I\orfllik. Virh';nia: USS /nIT/'-
pid, the museum c<uTicr parked 011 the Iluclson River
in New York CilY: and NAS Whiting Field, :\'lilton,
Florida. It spent almosl a week at Ck:e:Jna, and the
visits cen-linly did nothing 10 han It the prospC{.1S for
the proposed Navy ami r\'hll;IlC~ versions.
(slabiJalor) span, I Il't 1,7>1 in CI.:\~17 Ill). WinS 'l>:tt'.
17 rt 1.Hin
(:;.~27 Ill). T '-;Kk. 6ft I'\i n (2.03m). Whl'dh;IS<.'. 4 n 'Jin (105!lm).
/llain rot",. diS<.; ;,"':", 1.I'\O~I.~';III'1 (11)1'\.1 I ",~).
Wci!!:hts. F""!,I}' (;l(t,,;,I), 10,71)011> (-1.1'\1'\.\ kg). 1"1"",;,1 f"d,
2.+i2Ih (1,I,9Hkg). I~'(tel'llal :'l<!t'cs .(maXltlllUll,.O::XCC\J! lcn::L
mlss'on). 1,IOOIb (71Ikg): (I('ny. fOllr I:mks) 1,000 It (J.ll::>kg!.
( ;"O~'; wI,iB'h, (l'"i",,,I'X It ,i",ioll). I '1.+1:>111 (lj.~~2k:oc): (It ,axinllllll.
ferr)') 21.uOOIL:. ('J..'J2(lk~).
SL standard day 4,OOOft, 950f
:Ur.o (7!i1l) 1.1,"10(1'12)
:\.2()O(~17.'J1 '2.:iiO(783)
l(,tl(ISI.2'17) 135 (IsO. '21'\\1)
100(13<1. 2\17) 1·1."1 (l!i\l. 27'2)
197 ('227. :i63) 1\17 ('227, 363)
260 ('299, IS:!) '2l\(J 0'2'2, 51 \1)
3.1 :t3
Standard day 95°F
1:•.000(1572) Ill,:WO (:i,1 II'J)
II.JOO (3.:i05) 7,000('2.131)
2I.lMM) (IiAIM) lU,:lOO (3.139)
10,800 (3,2<J2) !i,lf)() (1,9.')1)
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