The Apache helicopter looks unstoppable

The U.S. Army announced the development of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter’s next configuration earlier this month.

According to the service, Version 6.5 will improve its warfare survivability.

The Apache chopper has remained the backbone of the Army’s aerial fleet for more than four decades. Earlier this year, the Apache surpassed five million flight hours, an incredible feat that is a testament to the formidable and reliable attack helicopter.

Although the Apache was initially developed for Cold War purposes, each successive variant over the years has featured cutting-edge capabilities that make the helicopter legendary. The latest Version 6.5 is expected to be no different. According to the Army’s Apache Program Manager Col. Jay Maher, the ongoing development of the V6.5 software “paves the way for Apache modernization including the integration of the ITEP (Improved Turbine Engine Program) engine.”

In addition to a new open systems interface, the next-generation variant will possess enhanced situational awareness, navigation, communication, and lethality. As described by the Aviation Geek Club, the Open Systems Interface (OSI) is “an initial step towards a more open systems architecture, which will ultimately allow rapid insertion of new technologies and enhanced capability in future updates. The Apache PO developed the V6.5 upgrades to address DOD security mandates, Army Aviation and Army Capabilities Manager (ACM) Attack/Recon priorities, and the 2019 Version 6 Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation findings.”

The Apache’s Humble Beginnings

As the Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II and the Marine Corps’ AV-8A Harrier were being developed in the 1970s, the Army desired its own aircraft that could fulfill an anti-armor attack role for the service. While an earlier agreement forbade the Army from flying fixed-wing airframes, the service looked toward developing an advanced helicopter that could outperform foreign counterparts in performance, firepower, and range. Various manufacturing giants submitted proposals to be considered by the Army, including Lockheed and Hughes Helicopters, Bell, and Boeing. By 1976, Hughes (which would later become part of McDonnell Douglas) was awarded a full-scale development contract with the Army after designing the YAH-64 prototype.

Perhaps the Apache’s most significant attribute is its Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS). The attached helmet and eyepiece actually track the wearer’s eye movements, enabling them to perform various functions just by moving their eye. Incredibly, if a pilot’s eyes are synchronized to the helicopter’s M230 Chain Gun, they could actually target and fire the weapon just by looking at it.

In addition to the 30mm automatic Boeing M230 chain gun, the Apache features the Lockheed Martin/Boeing AGM-114D Longbow Hellfire air-to-surface missile and can be fitted with Stinger, Mistral, Sidearm, and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

The latest Apache Version 6.5 variant is expected to hit the production line by 2025 following a series of tests that will assess the helicopter’s software and hardware upgrades. “We’re very excited about the ongoing development of the V6.5 software as it paves the way for Apache modernization including the integration of the ITEP engine,” Col. Jay Maher asserted. Considering the new V6.5’s capabilities, the Apache will likely remain the Army’s premiere attack helicopter for years to come.