The Indian Air Force on Friday accepted its first Apache AH-64E (I) chopper at a Boeing facility in Mesa, Arizona, inching closer towards inducting the attack helicopters into its fleet beginning July this year. India inked a $ 1.1-billion deal with US defence giant Boeing in September 2015 for 22 Apaches.
“The addition of AH-64 E (I) helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of Indian Air Force’s helicopter fleet. The helicopter has been customised to suit the IAF’s future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain,” the IAF said in a statement on Saturday. The first batch of four Apache choppers is expected to arrive in the country in July. Boeing is likely to deliver all the 22 helicopters through 2020. The first batch of choppers will be based at the Pathankot air base, IAF officials said. The choppers will be split into two squadrons, with the second one to be based in Jorhat, Assam, they added.
The IAF said air and ground crews have undergone training to operate the choppers at US Army base Fort Rucker, Alabama and they would lead the operationalisation of the fleet in the IAF.
“The helicopter has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from ground. The ability of these helicopters, to transmit and receive the battlefield pictures, to and from the weapon systems through data networking makes it a lethal acquisition,” an IAF spokesperson said. The platform would provide a “significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces”, he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The helicopter has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from ground. The ability of these helicopters, to transmit and receive the battlefield pictures, to and from the weapon systems through data networking makes it a lethal acquisition,” an IAF spokesperson said. The platform would provide a “significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces”, he added.
{{/usCountry}}The IAF currently operates Soviet-origin Mi-25 and Mi-35 helicopter gunships. In March, the IAF inducted four US-built Boeing CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters at a ceremony in Chandigarh. India placed a $1.18 billion order for 15 Chinooks in September 2015. The Chinooks will fill a crucial gap in the IAF’s heavy-lift capabilities as it currently operates a solitary Soviet-origin Mi-26 chopper to deliver payloads to high altitudes.
In a report tabled in Parliament in February, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) scrutinized 11 military purchases and highlighted several issues in the procurement process followed by India to buy weapons and systems including Apaches and Chinooks. On Apaches, CAG said Air Staff Quality Requirements (ASQRs) were changed based on the advice of Boeing. ASQRs are the specifications put out by the air force for the equipment it needs. The defence ministry, however, said the parameters were modified based on information from different sources and not merely one company.
The auditor also said IAF’s qualitative requirements for heavy-lift helicopters were aligned to the features of Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook choppers.