India receives first shipment of 4 AH-64 Apache helicopters at Hindon Air Force Station
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the first shipment of 4 AH-64 Apache helicopters at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, i.e., July 27, 2019.
Manufactured by the United States (U.S.) based Boeing Aerospace Company, the AH-64 helicopters, were received ahead of the scheduled delivery date. The shipment is a part of Rs. 13, 952 crores deal between India and U.S., signed in September 2015. As per the deal, Boeing will deliver all 22 helicopters by March 2020. The next shipment of 4 AH-64 Apache is expected to arrive next week.
The AH-64 Apache is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter, which is used by the U.S. Army. Besides, a lot of other countries have also purchased the AH-64 Apache from Boeing Aerospace Company. The company has so far delivered more than 2,200 Apaches to customers around the world. The first AH-64 Apache was delivered to the U.S. Army in January 1984.
Also called ‘tanks in the air’, the AH-64 Apache is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter. It has a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a cockpit for a crew of two. It has a nose-mounted sensor suite identifies the target and helps the night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun, carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage, and 4 hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament and stores.
The AH-64 Apaches will be based at Pathankot and Jorhat airbases to cater to the Western and Eastern fronts. The first squadron of AH-64 Apaches will be commissioned at Pathankot in September 2019. It is armed with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns and rockets.
Speaking on the occasion, an IAF Official said, “The helicopters have significant capability in mountainous terrain. They can carry out precision attacks at stand-off ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from ground.”
For the records, IAF has also began the induction of another U.S. helicopter, Chinook in March 2019.
India had inked a deal in September 2015, worth Rs. 8,048 crores, with U.S. for 15 Chinooks. These Chinook are capable of transporting howitzers and troops to forward and high-altitude areas with China and Pakistan. The Chinooks will be based at Chandigarh and Assam. As of now, IAF has only 2 squadrons of Russian-origin Mi – 25 / 35 attack helicopters.
