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Boeing begins production of army’s Apache helicopters; deliveries next year
Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache helicopters can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritise threats
Boeing on Wednesday said it has started the production of Apache attack helicopters for the Indian Army at its Mesa facility in Arizona in the United States of America (USA). In 2020, the army ordered six AH64E Apache attack helicopters for more than ₹4,100 crore.
The delivery of Apaches to the army is scheduled for 2024, Boeing said in a statement.
“We are pleased to reach yet another significant milestone, highlighting Boeing’s unwavering commitment to support India’s defence capabilities,” said Boeing India president Salil Gupte. The advanced technology and proven performance of the AH-64 will enhance the Indian Army’s operational readiness and strengthen its defence capabilities, he said.
Armed with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles, the Apache can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritise threats. The missiles equip the gunships with heavy anti-armour capabilities.
Earlier this year, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited delivered the army’s first AH-64 Apache fuselage from its advanced facility in Hyderabad, the statement added.
India placed orders worth $ 3.1 billion for 22 AH-64E Apache helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers for the Indian Air Force in 2015. The IAF has inducted all the Boeing-made helicopters, and both platforms have operated extensively in Ladakh amid the ongoing military standoff with China along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The army plans to buy a mix of 200 utility and combat helicopters to meet its operational requirements, with the platforms set to be produced in the country, army chief General Manoj Pande said at Aero India 2023 in February. He said the army needs around 110 light utility helicopters (LUH) and 90 to 95 light combat helicopters (LCH) that will be built by state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
LUH will replace the army and the IAF’s ageing fleets of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. HAL expects the army and IAF to place combined orders for at least 187 light helicopters in the coming years. Currently, the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters are a critical lifeline for troops in high-altitude areas, including the Siachen glacier.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility at Tumakuru in Karnataka, in what is being seen as a shot in the arm for Atmanirbharta or self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The new HAL factory, spread across 615 acres, will initially produce the LUH followed by LCH and later the Indian multirole helicopters (IMRH).
