Apaches

[quadrapiper]

...the US Army are having some difficulty retaining them.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2017/09/07/the-army-is-bringing-back-pilot-retention-bonuses/

Wouldn't that be something to build terms of service around? Figure out how much time the CAF is hoping to get out of a pilot specialist post-training and make that the obligatory term - assume that most will disappear to commercial aviation. Would expect that number's already been determined somewhere in the career management and training/recruiting worlds.

 

[alexanderpeterson]

British Apaches have a folding blade mechanism for shipboard storage to support amphibian operations.
IMO Apaches would be good for CAF, besides escort recce and fire support missions, a foldable rotor would enable Apaches to be embarked in new JSS or even aboard a frigate/destroyer for littoral operations.
Could Apaches be adapted to naval helicopter hauldown equipment.

I didnt see this post until now. I re started the conversation around Used British Apaches -now more than ever they are thinking on retiring the Gazzeles-

 

[alexanderpeterson]

I read that UK is lookin to replace Gazelles helicopters. They provide support for Batus in Canada. It would be great to see a British Apache replacing it instead of the Lynx. Airbus H135

 

[KevinB]

I read that UK is lookin to replace Gazelles helicopters. They provide support for Batus in Canada. It would be great to see a British Apache replacing it instead of the Lynx. Airbus H135

I doubt you will see much in BATUS these days from the UK - the British want their Military somewhere relevant, and sure as SH*T they aren't going to put Apaches in Canada.

 

[AmmoTech90]

There are no Gazelles left in SU/C. Apaches would not do the job the Gazelles do there. They have brought Apaches over in the past to do Apache things.

 

[Kirkhill]

It has been a while....

Life in the attack helicopter

Israel’s new Apache buy a result of lessons learned since Oct. 7: Analysts - Breaking Defense

Israel's expansion of their Apache helicopter cache is a reflection of two years of constant wars.

breakingdefense.com

"Israel has been approved to buy 30 new AH-64E Apache attack helicopters represents a shift in priorities for the Israel Defense Forces, as Israel seeks to bolster the armed forces in the wake of two years of a multi-front wars"

"the decision to procure the newest E model represents a reversal from just a few years ago, when the IDF had made a conscious decision to move away from manned rotorcraft.

"“This is lesson from the war in Gaza."

"The last two years of war have shown that the Apaches “remain a vital necessity on the battlefield, particularly in urban warfare and commando operations.”"

"the war “proved the vitality of the array for unique missions, and therefore a decision was made to continue to maintain the two old types of helicopters and simultaneously acquire new ones, called ‘Echo’ [Ah-64E], in a volume to be determined according to budgetary constraints.”"

This is on top of the USMC finding new missions for their Venoms and Vipers launching long range missiles and conducting anti-drone missions with their APKWS IIs

US Marine attack helicopters to field long-range missiles by 2027

L3Harris Technologies will produce its Red Wolf systems for the Marine Corps’ Precision Attack Strike Munition program.

www.defensenews.com

U.S. Navy to Enhance APKWS with Air-to-Air Software - Naval News

The U.S. Navy is taking steps to enhance APKWS air-to-air capability through a new software upgrade, according to new documents.

www.navalnews.com

Marines to give air-to-ground missile new counter-drone capabilities

The Marine Corps plans to upgrade the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile so it can take down enemy drones, according to the service’s new aviation plan.

defensescoop.com

 

[Kirkhill]

Further to...

https://news.usni.org/2026/02/03/marines-attack-helicopters-to-get-long-range-maritime-strike-electronic-warfare-missile

 

[Kirkhill]

India and Israel both looking at AH-64Es


"However, as pointed out by Indian Air Force veteran Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd) in a previous EurAsian Times article, “the main reason attack helicopters will not disappear is that they fill a niche that very few platforms can fill. They are the only 350 KMPH missile carriers that can hide behind trees, pop up, and literally shoot and scoot.”"

2 IAFs, 1 Helicopter: Why Israel & India Are Doubling Down on the AH-64E Apache Choppers in Drone Era?

Despite the vulnerability faced by attack helicopters in traditional close-in, low-and-slow attack roles, countries like Israel and India appear to be betting big on the American Apache attack choppers. The United States recently approved a potential $3.8 billion foreign military sale to Israel...

www.eurasiantimes.com

 

[KevinB]

India and Israel both looking at AH-64Es


"However, as pointed out by Indian Air Force veteran Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd) in a previous EurAsian Times article, “the main reason attack helicopters will not disappear is that they fill a niche that very few platforms can fill. They are the only 350 KMPH missile carriers that can hide behind trees, pop up, and literally shoot and scoot.”"

2 IAFs, 1 Helicopter: Why Israel & India Are Doubling Down on the AH-64E Apache Choppers in Drone Era?

Despite the vulnerability faced by attack helicopters in traditional close-in, low-and-slow attack roles, countries like Israel and India appear to be betting big on the American Apache attack choppers. The United States recently approved a potential $3.8 billion foreign military sale to Israel...

www.eurasiantimes.com

But I suspect that in short order most of AH squadrons will be uncrewed working with a leader crewed system.