Combat Aircraft: AH-64 Apache (Combat Aircraft Series)

OSPREY. COMBAT AIRCRAFT SERIES

6

AH-64Apache

BILL

~;UNSTOl\

COMBAT AIRCRMT SERIES

AH-64Apache BILL G "ISTO"l

. "'. . -

1

OSPREY PUBLISHING LONDON

Published in 19l'l1; 1)\ ()sprcy Pllhlishin/-C I,ul ~Il"mh('r ClI1llpany "llllc {~'(lr1-{(' Philip (;nJup ]2~ J.I I.Ollg" . \tTl"

I ~lIIdon \\'(;2E 91.1'

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oplicl!' plllll()("IlpyinJ.{. nxol'c1inJ.{ III" 01 hl"l wise. willlllll! lhe prior IX'rmissio" , II loppiJ.{hl OInl('r. Enquilies should be acldn....-.e:'( I IlI Ill{' I'll] llisllC:I"l>.

The Author 1'1,11.1. GLI\STO:'>J. limlici RAF pilol amlll}illg illslnlclor. is all illlC:I'1l;lIional1~ ad:'llmdet!/-C\.'t! expe.·J1 011 ;lin:I~lli ;mcl a\·ialioll all"airs, lie i,~ Ihe
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Contents

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1_ '\Il;11 h.. (lit-lin '111"1 )-11 i'll>l~ l. rid\.· (i~9,1 :I:\T)~

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Chaple,- I: l)csig"n and Ik\'c1optlle1l1 Chapter ~:

Technical Featun:s I.';I~N

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17

Chapln'l: AI';lChc \Vcal)ll!lS

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Design and Development E\'V FLYING machines are as menacing as the armed helicopter, and no armed helicoplcr is more menacing than the apTly named Apache. Though dull olive grey in colour, the Apaches look black as they come thumkring ill, making the air for miles ,lround vibrate wilh the Illighty power of their threshing blades. Like
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desigtKd armed helicopters were considcrcd. Thc firSI 10 be built was sm;lll, a development of thc Bdl 17 Sioux called the l'vlodel ~07 Sioux Scout. \Vith only ~60hp, it did well to larry a crew of two-for the first,ime in a slim tam]cm cockpit reminiscent of a fighter-ami a chin turret with two machine guns. Illdeed, small wings were fiued to help unload the rotor amI provide attachments for rockets or other wcapolls. Significantly, thc gUlluer was in the nose and the pilot I.>t:hilld and slightly higher. High-perfonnance requirement

\-Vith increasing involvement in Vietnam, and helafed recognition thal existing- armed hdio)ll\(TS were merely ordinary transpon11e1icoplers on to which a few weapons had been fastened, Ihe US Army spellt 1964-65 devising- a specification for a specially designed armed helicopler. R{joicillg in the tille of Advanc(.'"(1 Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS), the requirement called for a machine of unprecedented performance and <:apability, with the ability to Hy and fight extremdy dose to the ground even at night or ill bad. weathcr. III .\larch 19GG Lockheed was picked ovC!" II othcr coutcstants for what promised to be a giant programme. The first of ten prolOtypes of the AH-56A Chcycnlle hegan its Hight test programIllc Oil 21 Septcmber 1967. Powered by a 3,925shp General Electric TG4 engine, it was in some ways almost au autogyro or even an aeroplane, because in cruising Hight much or lhe lilt was provided by a wing. The main rotor was almost leathered, and "almost the entire engine output" was supplied to lhe tail gearbox where there was not only the usual ami-torque rotor but also a propeller giving forward thrust. Cruising speed W;lS ~421llph (389km/h). Avionics were said 10 he "more complicated th;-lI1 a F.-52", with inerti;ll and doppler navigation, terrain-following radar and amazingly cOlllplex systems for aiming a

nose turret with a Minigun or grenade launcher and a belly LUrret with a 30mm cannon. Missiles and rockeLS \"ere fired from under the winh'S. So great were the problems and cost.s that this bold and impn:ssi\'e machine nevcr went into production. Thc Army's urgent needs in Vietnam \,'crc met by the simpler AH-I HueyCobrd., produced \'cry quickly by Bell as a private vcnture. In a brilliantly successful programme, thc Cobra has beCII continuously upb'Taded and dcveloped to such all ext.cnt that LOday's AH-IW l'or the Marine Corps has an installed horsepower of 3,392, compared with the original AH-l's 1,0001 To a rough approximation, lifting ability i... proportional to installed power, bm me Cobras find it difficult to opcrd.te except by day and in clear visibility. Warsaw Pact tank threat

Accordingly, in 1972 the US Army at last got iLS aet togcther and, picking up where the AAFSS had left off, launched a programmc for an Advanct.'<1 Attack Helicoptcr (AAH). It was vinually forced into doing so by thc awesome and increasing power of t.he Warsaw Pact armoured forces facing Western Europe. Il wa!'> recognised that the capabilities promised by the cancelled Cheyenne were not merely desirAble but absolutcl}' essential.

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Abo,·C', 19" mock-up of the Hughes YAH-64 Apache, runnu or tht: winning dt:sign, which was to change considerably.

Four years into the AAH progrd.mme, in 1976, the Hall Edward A. \fillcr, Assistant Secretary of the Arm)' (R&D), said: "The AAH's night vision and adverse weather capability, in concert with its agility, speed and vertical acceleralion, will deprive any advancing armored force of ilS security. The AAH's Iklo...: The two p ~ of Bell's rival YAH-63losing de$ign which, amoOlg odIer thin,l;S, put the pilot in frontof the ~nner and also reatured a triC}"cle-type bnding gear.

Above: Two Lockh(:ed AH-56A Cheyennes flyin.e; ,wer the test facility at O"nard, California, 1968. The AH-56A: wa$ cancelled.

maneuverability will enable it to dt:srroy tanks in rocky 01' heavily wooded arCllnds and, in some vital areas, 23mm weapons. It is also l."lluipped with an effecti\'c illfr-I-red suppres,sion s)':'>tcm 10 protect it from heat-seeking missiles. The AAH, with its night and advcl"SC-wcather Glpabilities, will greatly reduce the qualitative armor ildvillItagc !lOW el~oyed by the East:' Five-company competition The AAH promised to be a m~jor programme, and live comp..1.l\ies fought to win it: Bell Hdimpter, Boeing Venol, Hughes Hel.icopters, Lockheed and Sikorsky. The one firm that could nOl lose was General [Iearie, whose specially designed '1'700 turboshaft engine had aJready been picked nOt only for the AAH but also for the even more numerous UTTAS (Utility Tactical Tr
was iJ different story. Bids were all in by 1 .\Iarch 1973, and on 22 June of that year the Army picked Bell and I lughes to receive competilive development COlltr.lCts, Each was to build two Ilight prototypes and one GTV (ground test vehide). In addition, Hughes received an 'l\\'ard to develop a special gun for the AAH, Bell electing to use the X\'IIR8 b'l.ln by Gener
were the same. the Ilug-hes Model 77. designated YAH-64. could hardly have beel1 lllore different in design. The engines Werc plan::d in separate boxes sfanding away fmm the rather lumpy humph..·Kked fuselage. driving via diagonal shafts frolll sep..'lrate gearboxes looking like slllalljet inlets on the front or each cllh.-inc. The transparencies o\'er the cockpits were hugc. and the crew were seated the other war round COIll!l
award. 011 ~~ .Illile 1975. <11\(1 hy 19 SqHenllx:r it had completed the 50 homs of runnillg necess.ary Ix:fore first flight of either flring prototype. The lauer was designated A V02 and AV03, meaning Air Vehicle 02 and 03; AV02 made its lirst Hight at the Hughes Hight centre at Palomar, Calilol'1lia, on 30 September 1975, one day inside the deadline. The first Bell YAH-63 lIew next day. right on the deadline. at Arlington. Texas. Ilughes' AV0311e\\' on 22 No\'embel' 1975, while the second Bellllew 011 21 December. By this time the IllIghes design had gone through a metamorphosis. Most siriking of the changes were al the tail. where the attachments for the tililplane ,1I the bottom of the taillxJom remained unused. Instead the fin "'as extended upwilrds. with a SIl'lIlgC kinked shape and a G.tInhert.'(l (sideways lifung) aerofoil profilc, and the lailplane was placL'C1 right al the top, pn~('-,(:ling far ahead of Ihe top of the fin. The nose W;L~ rc(k'signL'l1 with different sensors, large cOlllpartlJleJlL~ wcrc addL't1 on eac!l side of thlC" nose for avionics, and the ax:kpit and Gmopy wcre tmally R'Clcsih'lled witll giant flal tr.lllsparelll pancs ill strong framcs, tile light-haml windows scn'ing ;L<; lhe access doors. Finally. in tht.'SC init.. . . 1 modificauol1s. the main-rotor mast W;L'i extcmk·d upwani<; by 9.5il1 (~'I0111Ill), lx-c..'llIse ill cxtrcme Righi 1ll,\lI
blades could rub across the top of the canopy. During Phase I testing- availability of the two AVs had been consistently above 86 per cent, considered all exceptional achievement. A total of 850 hours had been flown without accident, ,It speeds lip to 225mph (362km/h) forw,lrds and 32mph (83.7km/h) to the side and rear, at weig-Im 4,OOOlb (I ,8 14kg-) hig-her than the desig-n mission weight and with lateral and vertical accelerations never before reached by a helicopter. A sustained rate of climb of 3,500ft/min (17.8m/s) had been delll(ll\strated, and prol()Jlged tests with the company's own XI\'1230 Chain Gun and 2.75in rockeL~ had shown the YAH-6'1 to be a very s1
III the AAH specification the primary armameIll was to be eight TO\V allti-tank missiles in two quadruple launchers, though the prototypes demonstrated their ability to carry double this number. TOW requires a hutIlan opnatar to guide it along the line of sight all the way to the tal-get, and this obviously tends to fOl-ce the helicopter to expose itself throughout this time to enemy lire. In 1973 the US Army began development of a new-generation ami-tank mi~sile which would not need this form of guidance. As Below: Firing some of the first FFARs (folding-fin aircraft rockets) from AV02., in cffed the very first Apache prototype. At this time no operational sensors were calTlcd.

explained later. this emerged as AGJ\.I-I14 Hellfire, and in a m<~jor specification change in February IY76 this missile replaced TO\V as the primary weapon. Bell and Hughes worked furiously to bring their prototypes to the stage at which, in mid-June 1976. they could be delivered to Edwards AFB, California. for Army competitive evaluation. At the last minute one YAI 1-6:~ h;ld an accident, on 4 June, and the ReI[ (~TV had to be frantically brought up to Hight status as the replacement. This did not help Rell's chances, and another factor in Hughes' favour was the company's decision al the st~lrt of the programme that it would necd a big industrial team to ensure that the highest possible level of spc{:ialist expertise would Ix: applied to evny major part. Apan from GE for the engines, this team comprised: Bendix, dcnric power system, and main transmission shafL'; and couplings; Bntea, hydraulic flight controls; Garrett, engine IR suppressed exhausts and integrated pressurized' air systems; HiShear, canopy and crew escape system: Litton (Precision Gear Division), engine-nose and main transmission gearboxes; Menasco, landing gears; Solar. gas1Urbine APU (auxiliary power unit); Sperry, autostabilization; Teledyne Ryan, airframe struClure; Teledyne Systems, !-ire-control computer; Tool Research and Engineering:, main and tail rotor blades; and \Vestern Gear, intermediate and tai[ rotor gearboxes. At the end of [976 it all came right for the J Iughes tealll. The AII-64 was announced the winner, and

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the company also won the gun competition with its unique Chain Gun. Ilughes immediately H.'ceived a $317.7 million COntT
These changes had all beell Aown by May 1978. By this lime AV02 and 03, after a mmbined lotal of 720 hours. were grounded in order 10 be broughl up to full produoion SL.indal'd for Phc II testing. This 56-month pro(~rramme, coslcd at $390 million including the thn.'c eX{Td all wiring for the mission avionics (though tbe vital scnsors had still not been selected). Completely new 3viollic; bays wcrc constructed, starting Ileal' Ihe nose and extending back under the wing. enclos.illg lhe upper p:.lrt 01" each main gear on the wa)'. Even more obvious W.IS continuing uncel1ainty O\'er the horizomaltail. The fixed T-tail was satisfactory in most conditions, btU at extremely 10\\' levelso-Gllk,,1 NOE (nap of the E.al1h) flying-it let the tail sink d()\\'n and the llOSC point skywards, demanding major forward stick movements at times when cockpit workload was high in any case. AV03 Aew with a low lailplane. but something close to the the new definitive tail was not seen Ullliithe first

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pre-produClion prolotypes, AV04, flew on 31 October 1979. Here was yCt another new arrangement. with an all-moving "stabilator" mounted low down right at the back of the helicopter extending from just abo"e tJle vel)' tip of the tailhoom. 111is enlargl.."t! surf"ICe was dl;ven by a hydr.llllic 1>O\\'er unit linkc...d into the Aighl-<:omrol and autosu.h system to till the machine when necessary but in normal flight 10 prcSCI'\'e a horizontal auitude 110 mailer what the cin:umstances. Thl: new tail also had a vertical fill 3in (7Gllll1l) taller c.'lTying a modified tail rowr a lull 30ill (0.76m) higher up. ["en this was Ilot quite the answer, and 011 1'1 March 1980 AVO"! Acw with a smaller slahilalor, followed two days later by the first flight of thc AVOG whkh also imroducl..,<1 a tail 1'0101' of lOin (254mm) b'Teater diameter. Back in f\larch 1979 AV02 had Gtrried Olll the fifSl (ground) firing of a Ilelllire mis."iilc, followed later by airborne shoL.. ag
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Technical Features HE HEART of any helicopter is its rotor system, and (hat of the Apache is a C<'1refully considered blend of tradilional practice and new technology. Though it has passed through imIXln:i11ll stages of modificltion, the main rotor h;:l'\ always been full)" artl(."ulaled .mel had fnur bladt's of relatively small diameter resulting in unusually high di5C loading (as in the small Hughes Cayusd Defender family). Eadl uf the four inlcrdlangeable bladl..'S h,l.." a bmad dl0n:1 and a highly Cl.mbered aerofoil st.'l.Uon. As nOlc:.'t1 pre"iously. the tips are rak(.,,(] backwards to rtxlucc compressibilil)' problems 011 the ad\·ancing blades. For transport by Glrgo aira-afL cadl blade am readily be folded through 90<>

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or remo\'c:."t.I aud stowed.

Rotor blade structure

actua!ors between the pilot's scal ;:lIId the main gearbox. Following major h}'draulic failure the syslem auton.latioll)' switches to Spcn)' secondal)' backlip FBW (lly-by-wire) electrical signalling. An unusual fealUre is that all major stresses are transmitted \'ia a fixed rotor mast from the bottom of which the helicopter is hung ,'ia four (ubular \'eestruUi. The main gearbox is hung under the centre of the fixed mast and drives via a tubular shaft passing up the centre to the rotor hub spinning on roller bcarinb'S at the top of the fixed mast. This prO\ides dual redundant load paths. and allows the lr.msmission to Ix:: rcmovl.-xi while kl..."Cping the rotor in place. No bearing lubrication is Ill."t.."(k-xi in the main rotor. and the intenlll.."diatc..: and tail-rotor gearboxes arc 80:10"·: Thanks 10 i~ sheeTPOWeT the ApKhc is ~k. Putting on Full po"."" and slamming the cyclic ,,"tid: Forward For maximum Forwards acceleration puts the Apache infO this anirude.

Each blade has live parallel sp.1;r.s of high-strength stainless steel, separated and lined by stmourallUhes of glassfibre. Laminated skins of I,hin Sl;links.~ steel are wrapped I1Hmd from the fronl., Ihe number of laminations vel)' rapidly increasing ;1I the root to form a solid stack of retcmion straps through-bolted together. The trailing portion of cach blade is of composite honeycornb struUure bonded on separately. TRE AclvilnCI...>d StruC!urcs Division were required to demonst.rate sustained operatioll under the most severe cOllditions with olle steel skin cracked across and any aile spar ShOI through. At the root the multiple laminates are allowed to pivot upwards by
pad,cd with g't'ease. CritiLal part.~ of the transmission arc pr{)(ecu~d by ESR (elL"(;tru-.~lag remelled) steel of H.T} hig:h strength. The whole.: dynamic system is thus ballistically tolerant. and has flOWll for m'cr olle hour ,tfter loss 01" all lubriclling oil. The tail rotor is Lospe<..;'llly ver}' Ix>Wcrful. IL" brreat rhnlst suq>rises the pupil pilot. because any auempt 10 turn on the grollnd Colli roll the i\pache sidewa)'s on its soft and stalky legs, and it is easy 10 slide the tail ~idewa}"s even on cl'1' U>IIuetc. This rotor has its IWO pairs or high-lift bhldcs set at the optimum angle for noise allentumiOll, whidl is alxnll 55°/125°. Like Ihe main-rotor blades the lail nllor has leading-edge dciccr slrips or the ele('1.ro-thcrmaltype, the supplier Ixing Sicrracln. which also provides the canopies and lrallSp;m.:nt blast shield betweell the cockpits. III May 19H~ Ilughes completed wind-tunnel test· iug of a dramatically diflerculilew tail rotor operating 011 the so-called Flexbeam primjple.:. Thc new tail rotor has a diameter 01" 112in (2.8'15111), compared with I lOin for Ihc normal rotor. Each omsists of two pairs of blades mounted at 90" to cadi other, hilt Ihe struClurc is wholly Ilovel. All major loads are Gtmcd

by a Flexheam, an elastically tailored glasstibre spar whit'h extends !"rom tip to tip along: the centre of each hbdc-p
Ikk...·: Standingon the roof aft ofthc rockpit. a mainlenance access all round the main rotor hub. Many parts a~ designed to with5tand hits by 23mm cannon shells.

Below: Arm)' specialislS recfl~-ed their initial training at the

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Airframe construction Teledync Ryall Aeronautical, of S,ll1 Diego, 111lild~ the complcLc airframc, colllpri~ing the fuselage, wings. taillxxltll, horizontal tail (called the stabilalOr) and the tail-rotor pylon (whi<:h most pt"Ople would caJllhe lin). The wings arc ea.sily disnmnct:ted at the roots of the two main spars, for air tran~port or storage, and they incorpordte hardpoitlL'i for two McDonnell Dou.slas Me$a pliU1t. He~ an NCO service engineer inspectS the cunous t2il rotor, ..-ith blades crossing at 55°,

o;implc.:r. £ach wheel, with h}'drauliL ul-ake, is c.~ITied on Ihe eud of a plain tube piwltl.'11 to the bonom of Ihe fuselage so that it is free to swing 1>
Above: Probabl}' destined soon to be instructing others, these were amon.1{ the fiTSllroops to specialize in the romr.licated "vionics. Tnese line-replaceable units are in Ihe rig It-hand bar.

pylons each. ;L'i well as a trailing-edgc Aap which W;L'i originally imcJl(..k-d for use in manouC\'I"CS but was not adopted and is nOI\' normally locked. The simple stabil;ttor is pivoted ne,lr it.<; leading edge 10 the top of the wil cnd of the tailboolll. aft of the fill. Its widely V,ll;;lhle angle of incidence is controlled via Hamilton Slandard electronics hy Simmonds hydr..lulic protc..-Ci \ ital areas againsl gunfire, all clements being dcsigll<.'<.l to operate for (JIIC hour after receiving ballistic (projeaile) d
At the SLiln of the design of the origirml )'Iodel 77 il W,L'i oh\'ious that some form of redundallC)' had lO be prm'ided not onl}' in the stmoure of the aid'rame hill also in thc opemtive systems. Mosl of the strucl.llre is !.:ollyelltional. but with generous thicknesses 01" material amI duplic.'ued load paths to ensure survival cvcn after severe 10Gll battle damage. HIl~hes was 1101 rt.'quired 10 demonstrate aLtual sustained flighT following the severance of ulicial pallS of (he helicopter, blU lhe company belicves lhe Apache to ha\'c a degree or airframe damage tolerance not c\-en approached by an)' ulher helicopter. A diagrdlll sho\~'S some of Ihe fundamental design fC'dtuR'S \dlich are hOpl-"f1 to ellsure crew sun:ivabilil} even aftel' a. crash iml>ssible, Perhaps the most cnKial system of all is the flight contl'ols, and here lhe obvious ans\,'er m first St."CIlll.X.I to be a. dually redundant back-up mechanical systcm. Boldly, the decision was taken ,0 design illSlcad a

HUGHES AH-64 APACHE CUTAWAY DRAWING KEY I. :'\';):hl W
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15. M~:~IA I (:Io;.. n (;un loami. 16. l·II",,-\;.~t· 'pnnsuu r.,iri"I!:' 17. A\'iom~-,; ,unling :ur
19. ( ~l-pilotJ,,,'"n 1lt'I"S ·(',Id· ,I'1\"u' HJIl'Iul ",hmill. 20. We"pnnSC
22. Wi",I""'n'Cn ",ipc.'. 23. (:... I'iI<)II~ulln{'r-s anllu"rt-cl "lIl.\.s'Tttn. %... 1I,.. I~I.d" .... lI "il/;In ing S)'M"m \1C"llIllkr. %5.I·iklt',,;ml"""1...1 WiIKI""'L'C1i pand. 26. \\·iml.\I'n,·n ",iper. 27. C:.l-p.k>VKtl1lne,-·s ",,,hI' arnK ..uHl >C;1l. 28. Solll1\ Il.Ino."'-~_ 29. Sid,' (llllsok pand. 30.1·.11~ill(·I"",·,·r!l'H"'S. 31. A, IOnk,; l'lIUiptlWlll I",~'" I){lrt and ,1,ldKl;II'd, 32. A,';,,"i('~ hal ;[(n-",
34. AdjIlSl·li., hbsl shield. .

4. -C,rgl1 aqllis..i"n ,llld d,...,iY;Il,lli..., ".\:111 daylighl ...--;11"'.... 1'

(I AilS).

5..\,imuth m''',.r h.. usiuy;. 6. ·1.-\I>.'VI·:\:\·S swiwlli"tt"

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7. I UlH'1 .Irin' IIll""'- h.. usill!!:. 8. St·,,,,, '1' It"T,'1 llIUlllU iny;. 9. \{(-.Il' \'i,·,,· milT"r. 10. :'\,,""· ... "I'I"I1l11U·'" "en'S-' !I.II.h,.... l1.lk·II"~I' 1<"',"in;i1l1l1il. 12. Signal
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39. SI"r1""lnl sid.... ",iudo\', <;l1l'1' ha,ches. 40. R.,,'l"1 bunch,'r I);lt L... 41. S,amo.1,nl ",illfo: Mort'" I'\k.n'l42. C...:kl'il n.,II-:"'ljn~. 43, 1nstnllnclll l);Illt'l ~hn ""I +t l'ilolt's "'''\'1;.1' ;lrmllU rl.. 1 ~"ll.

45. (:..Ik..l;\'l;,· pilch o,mn,1 \(-wr.

"6. Sid,· ronsok p;md.

47. EllWm"I"'w,," 1e\·l'I'S. 48, Rcarcockpil

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49. r,b;1I "lHk,'<;an·j;lg.· ,11Oel. ahs< lrb.... r 1ll""1111l1g'. ,;0, I.iukless ammlllli, iOIl I{'['(\ I'h\11('. 51. FnrW'lrd flld ,;,"k: tOlal rlld «lll;KiI Y:17j LIS ~al

( l.·ll!I ). 5%. (:OlllrOlllld linl,,!,,",

53. (:OK-k"il \'l'n\lI"I"').: ;Iir IlIunl's. 54. l)i'I'I.." "djusIIIK'm IJ
55. {;,."h 1',I11
(.tlln').

57. Vt'Iuil,uill/! air i",,,ke. 58.t.:IIFa(·rj;j].

59. SI'Il'b(l.iIl'd slub winE;". GO. r..l:iil1 nll<>rhladcs. 61.I .....mlllawd bbdc-root all.,d" •.,.". jlil1b. 62. Vibralloll absOIiJCB.

6]. R;1;.dc pi.(h Ix-;mng hUUSlOl!,::. 64. Air data S(:'JSO( mast. 65. ReM.,,· huh ullit. 66. Oflsclllap"illK hinKcs. 67. F.l;l~... m.. rk 1(~,(In.. g d;lInl~~' 68. I I;'de pilch (Ollirol rod. 69. I';ldl "'>llIml ""~Ishpbte_

71. Ail' \Urbinc sl;U'!crl ;;ha')'\l<,w.... uuil (.... I'U) input SIM 'L

72. Row.. he,HI n,nlml ",i"ill~ link.itgcs. 73. (;earbolo; moullling p~Ut:. 74. Tr"'",mL..., ion "il luolcrs. pon and slarooord. 75. R'Mor hr..kc. 76. Main I;c:lrbox. 77. GC;lThox mounting "'mlS. 78. (:CnCl'alOf. 79. !nplll shah Im"'jM.n

(."K'..... SO. (;cartxlx mouminl; d<:d'_ 81. T;lil rolOr«Murol nxl

linkage. 8!. Ammunition ma!r.uine. 1.200 muml.<.

100. C:'::arboxlCI1Killc ba~' uil f"ir;l1h"" 101.InlCI'llai llloli"I;,illa"n: I'(;"fo"". 102. Tail !"OWl' Cl.>nlml nK!. 103. Spinc sh:llt housinH:. 104. ·I.lil nMur, r."1.'lmw,;..m

shaft. 105. SharI h... II;uh'$ ;",d couplin~s.

106. Re\'c! dri"c lIl\em>e:dialc ~'C':iIrbox.

134. '\\·..C5S h'[1,h. 135. II :., ,(1);rillslrn"i'""":lIlCc

00!" 13 . Ibtl;., a'iel dL~·lm'li,:>. bal" 137. Rc;\rfuc lank.

l"{luiprncnt

138. RetkulalCd ['lam [ire suppn-ss.-Illl 13l1k 11<:,1 lininh"'_ 139. VIlt'
Slrt-l ~ldtB (fiH').

107. ~"in/-:ucor py\on ...ML..... rudKMI.

108. Taill"QC,or dri\'(' shafl. 109. All ",.)\;ng ""I plano:'_

70. M
..,

141. (;];L_fihn.. sll<:lr linings.

142. 11000000'comb IrailinR cdR'" lland.

~. Sluh ... illlol.m... 11....:1\( J(JllllS.

84. Enll:in., .. ,m~mis.,iul1 ~l~.Irbox.

8.".I\il· il1l;lke. 86. 1':lIl(illl' iUlc.!;I',I, ,ill:lllk. 87, (:C'1('ml ~:ll""lrk 'r7IH)-(;E-

71J1'mhu,\h.dL

,.

110. '1 ail rotor /ol('ali)OK housin}:. Ill. Rlght-;mglc: li":ll elri,'., KC".IrlJo;>:. II!. Fin lip aen:,1 r:,iring. 113. Ikar radar "'3rninR anll'nal·. 114. T.,i111:"il;"d,m lil(hl. 115. Cunhcrcd lr.\ihnp; l"{1g-c s•."o'u" (c1i"L~ ,io"al '1:,),;lil\'). 116. ·I"ill',)(.)\, pilCh cUlIlrUl

;letual"r. 117. '1'"il,O(o\' huh

143. Class-fibr(' blKk skins. 144. Tr.lil;ng(.'dgc tiXl'C:lwh. 145. Swcpt hlad(' lip fairing. 146. S(;UI( disch"rgl·r. 147. Sluh" iUlollr.,ili"g-t'C:lg.·

!lap. 148. Sl\Ih ",ing rih ronslnletlOfl. 149. T"';n Sp;1l" I,,>c,rn~.

150.1'nl1.1I.l'·;J.::lIitm .",.1 slrob... lip;hts. 1~51.1">1"I wing -;"m"I'ylulls (/([1l).

152. R''''kcl p:n k: llilU"W<';1l :!,;:,ill (7cm) l,'FAK 1">C'kclS, 153. R'Kk"'cllllclllirc.: "eMIl 'IA ;"'li-I;II,k Illi"ik,. 154..\li.~sik·li1\m("h "ails, 155. FIlM'la.I.(I" '''1'''1 \S"" 'If! lairin);. 156. !\, 'an!inx Sl '"\,.

1'~llf("'''I,

I11crhal1iSIIl, 118. As.'ynl<'trir (lIois<:: "uc.:,,"a\,otl) wil 1'0\01' hlades, 119. T"ilpl:IIIC ('(lIl~tnl('li(l". 120. Tailphm<' pi\'ol )X::lril1g, 121. (:;"1 "ri"K Ia ilw )11'.:1. 122. T"il",lll'Cl ,ltud:. .,u""rocr. 123. Tailwhl...·1 1"01:.(' "11,,1'111''''111. 124.II,mdgr;pym:ti"I<·n"nn·

93. Slal'h'>
Slcl'" 12 . ·.... illll.Ul.:C<>lllrul

94_ API' ,·xh:m....

hwh';\lIIic;:j;,,-l. 126. Fin/nM"rp,loll

strut. t 159. ShO("k :11)S(>I'h.:r Strlll. 160. Il....mlill].: ~"·I>S. I ~ I. :\lain unc:lcrr.uTia].:c Iq;:

88. 11llah' p;\nkk sc.;palwor. 89. rngi".' ;!(H:.\Surv ct]Uipml'l1l/(l';[I'h"x', 90. Oil "'~,i<:r pl,'mun. 91. ( ;"S 'Ill,hi,l.: ~1;lrlc.:rl :mxiliarv pow('r \Inil.

92. S, a rI"~'Hl •'llJ.:im· n,,, li"g panl"!!Jlold..dOI,·n "',,"'IC"<1'1('C

95. I"l("\,malk 5\·st... m and "",;nIC1I1II'11",1 nOllln,1 l't]Uipnll'tll. 96. (~.,lil1g :111' L'Xh... ,,,, I",,, ,'-':>. 97. l':anid(' Sl1>ar.llurcxhau-Sl .1,onJ",bu·r. 98. 'BI;t(k 110....· ",I r.>-fl..l '''I'I,,~ .....,itM I "lI/o:i"c cxha...... duets. 99. I Inh,JllIit; n;s.,''''·uir.

3tlaChJJK'mjoilll. 127. Ch:,rl ;melll,m: c1i~IJCIISCL

128. T:ulboom nllK frames. 1%9. \'''"II';II r.tllar ".,mi,,); dena!. 130. T"ikunc Ir.lIll.:;I1K1 -Slril,.I:'.·........ ''>lllKlitM'. n I. UIlt' ;'l·rl;l.I. 132. AllF I.."p .lcr~,1. 133. AU"- sc,,·n.sc :,\·rc,1.

157. J'un lllamwlwd. 158. Mai" ulld('l"":lrri;,g-l' kog-

1>1'''' hsill);.

162_ Alllmullilit)[l fL....~I.Uld G1nridgc r.lSe ....' um chulcs. 163. (:"" ,,,,ht·lIill].: "M,u"li,,].:.

164. AOmUlh «MII... >I UMMII";"): fr.ml<'. 165. IlugllCS ,\I1:"lr\-1 Chai" (;, "' ;l(hnn\ :llIlU111;U ". "" "MH'

166. n1o.C>l mu:ak.

~UI'PIC.,."itMI

GUillun

13

Righi: The Apache coxkpit is

COCKPIT

bdtcr prO(ected than that of

any pre\'iou$ anac:k hc1ico~er. Plan and side ele,-allOns show the armoun~d ~ ... seats. the bla.~l/fr2gmcnt shields around and bd..·ftn the cockpits and the tr.rn..spar('nt blast shield. All annour lends 10 be hea,'y. and 100 m\1ch eats 5e"~ly into lhe w~pon payload capacity and fuel tankage. Right: A, lo..··fiicker rotor; D, protc:eted sen$()rs: C, radar w"nling recei'"er; D. radar jammcT: E. radar jammer re<%in'r; F, ballistically

Armour bulkhead ,.-ith b1astproof l!:lass

SURVIV ABILITY A

A

]

tolerant MruClure; G. TRCM

januner; H, IR suppressed jctpipes:J, chaff/flare di.~pcnscr; K,load.absorbing collapsible landing gear; 1.., low aun.1 si,l,'TIaturc; M, crashresistant fud cells (front and rear): N, armuun:d special crew scalS: 0, gun and mounling collapses upwards; P, strong canup}' frame shaped to bane a iollbar effect to prOlect crew; Q, r«essed and protected knJiOnI: R,

K

lOOKl-absorbing structure.

RUCS-back-up control s}'stem-of the FBW (fly- differclltiallr..lIlsfonner) in the cockpit, processes the b}--wire) tn>e. This is much lighter. em be electrically signal, alld sends it to the control actuator. The Iauer checked for intq,'li.I}' before e,lCh flight. and gives responds to thc LVDT input. enabling the pilot to Ay perfenl)" smQOlh flight with a mllch higher lend of the helicoptcr. safel}' than JX>SSible with a um\'cntional flight control Fault detection and location s)"Su;m. All primal)' Hight comrols arc ac..1uated by the Parker Ilannilin (Benea Di\'i.~ion) dual hydraulic An equall}' complcx amI fundamcntal Oil-board syssystems operating at 3.000lblSlJ ill (:.1 11 kgkm~} The tem is the FDiLS (fault detection and location sysBees operates through the e1eclroIllL'(:hallicll vakes t<:m). which monitors all the on-Uoanl electronic systems. The lauer are to be foulld all o\,el- the 011 the flight-control aClu}'stcm and from the pilo(s COlllrol information. This is a part of the FCC (fire-comrol inputs. It improves all aspects of the i\pache"s fiying computcr) sllbsyst,em described in the next (\'·0 chapqualities b}' adding damping, refining the co- ters_ The..' FD/LS operates all the time in a continuous ordinates of tUI"IlS, t,Liloring all inputs and pn)\'idin~ self-checking Illode. F.\<err on-bo... rd ilem is su~jected an attitude-hold and a hover position n:lmi\·e to the to frequent automatic comparison between its real perlorm::mce ilnd iUi ide.."ll perfonmlllcc ::IS repreground \,·hencver the pilot R"tjuests it. If the prim(11)· mech:.miGu system is se\-ered or sented by malhClllatiGlI repn.."Senl::llions, Vinuall) e\cl1' on'ionic ilem is boxed in a modular jamllled by hostile lire. the BLe - b clIg'.-lged automatically_ Should this OCCUI". the l)ASE t..ah-s an form. removablc in seconds even by maintenance electrical signal from a special LVlYI· (Iillcar vari
Above: Line m:ointenanceon a US Army ApaCM, showing the excellent all-round a«e5S to the reliable 1700 engines. ~fost of the bulk of the cowls is taken up by the IR suppressrd jopip<"S-

LRU (linc-n:placcahlc Ullit). Gill be identified insl~lIlt­ ly hy the Fl)/l~,,) should a fault oo.:ur. In dIe air various measures can Ix: lakcll, often automatically, to (]n:ulllvclIl. l,he failed ullit, and a w
the avionics bays the main item is the Slllall mast Oil top of the main rotor. This Gln;es btcr.I1 anns bearing ail-.<Jma SCIlSOI-:-i at the tips. 111csc tr.Insmjt e1earical signals repl"(~.<;Cntillg olllnidirectional and exact air data over the entire flight envelope. The outputs are passed not oilly to the displays in both cockpits but also to the FCC (fire-control wmputer) for the comput,uion of complex mathematics for rocket launching and for firsl-round hits with the gUll. Other signals go lO the sli.lbilator aCluator computer, stabilil)' augmclU:lLioll computer alld Ilavigati(lIlal doppler lor Earth-wind compulatioll.

Three engines

or course, the sOlln:e of OIl-hO;l1'd power (.-omes trom the gas-turbine Cllbrinl..':'I, and in fatt there are three, The main ellgilles, u~cd for propulsion, are the T700s mounted outside.:: the fuselage and driving through a nose gearoox Oil each side, Eadl enbrille comprises a !,ras-gener;,uor, or l.:Ol"e, with axial and centrirll~l compreSSOI"S drivcl! h)· a two---St
I'

particle separator. This has no moving parts and relies on the tendency of panicles to carryon in straight lines while the air is sucked sharply inwards to enter the axial compressor. About 95 per cent of ingestt.'ci sand, du.st, salt and other material is automatically rClllovc..'ci and dumped overboard by a blower drivcn by the cnbrine accessory gearbox. The resulting intcnsely "diny" airAo\V" is blown into the side of the IR-suppl"t."Ssed exhaust companmenL

Auxiliary power- unit The third engine is the Carrell CTP36-55(H) APt: (auxiliary power unit). Situated slightly higher up between the main engines, aft of lhe rowr mast. the APU is rated at 125shp (93kW), and provides Olmpressed. air [or starting the main engines and electricity for maintenance checking. The main engines are idcnticd, and not handed left or right. and each has its own self-eomained lubricating oil and ignition system. Fuel is housed in two crash-resistant cells in the fuselage. one ahead of the rotor and the other about the same distance aft, with a combined capacity of 3I3gal (376 US g".d, 1,422 litres). For lerrying. four Kevlar aux.ili
16

another 920 uS gal, but no inflight-refudling probe is provided for. Hughes (now McDonnell Douglas Helicoplers) itself developed the Black Hole IR suppression system for the engine jetpipes. Even a modest turboshah engine pumps Out more than enough heat to serve as a target for a modern IR sensor or seeker he-dd, and a hot jetpipe could form a particularly 'Juicy" target. TIlere is no possibility of reducing the he-dt output, which depends entirely on engine power, but there is much that can be done to shield all hot mctal and ooolthcjcl exhaust_ In the Black Hole systcm fresh air is continuousl)· drdwn in to a large mixcr compartmcnt. Thcre are no moving pans. the pumping action being affected by the jets themselvcs. The cold air mi....es with the jets, and all an cncmy can "see" are cool plumes of gaslair mixture emerging from large boxes without a single spot hot enough to trigger an IR seeker. In addition the extemal skin of e\·en slightly warm areas is coated \V"ith special IR paint, resulting in extremely low signatures right aa-oss the spectrum of wavelengths. Belo..·: The 1700 engine is domilUoted by lbe giant pipe passing up..omts :unidship$ and ending in the aft-faeinJt e~or for _ ingested dirt. The inlet is at the left,jerpipe al die right.

3

Apache Sensors

F

RO.\l LON(; hcf<)rc the 1:lUllch of the AAH prog',lIlll11C i. has bcclI c"idcllt thaI sensors

would pia)' a crucial and cemra] role. In the lillie nell Siollx ScOUI there had been no sensors. Partl), because of !)(lr1o."1C1 limitations, (he small helimplet" had anTied lillie mission ttluipmem beyond comnullliGllions 1,Idio and;1I1 opliGti sighl. Lnlortllnatd)'. tbis was enough for if 10 fir quite llsehll 1IIi.~.e'en W
aiming to g-ct vcr} Ilcar this Gtpabilit). but the Apache still needs to be lIown m:llltlall}. thuugh with Ihe help 01" a lot or useful "black IXJxes". nlis chapter is concerned mainly with tht: sell~rs Ihat sllpplemelll the eyes and ears of the CI"eW in the plimary lask of kil1in~ hostile arlllOUr. Such targets arc small. highl}' mohile. and CIll be found almost anywhere. lllt~)· are Cet1:till 10 he ;IS well hidden or GllIl(H1Ragt..'f1 as possihle-thnugh the}' are much more visihle when on Ihe march ..nos.'. ('Ollllll")' or even along highwa}'s-and thc)' \\'ill always Ix: proLLxted b)' fligillclling nJllCCIll1c sensor.; on a production AU·64A Apache comprise dIe multisrnsor TAOS below and the': $impl.,r pilot'5 PNVS abo\·e':. All sensor.; a", complementary and the':"' is a degree of nodundancy.

Nap of the Earth flying

From the outset it was reco~ni%ed that the AAH had have a o'ew of t\\'o. Even with the \l"orklO
10

17

,-,..,.,.

-8

,. ..

- . ...

::.-.~ -

"-

....

23mlll et as being too dillicult to soke.

10

Sensors grouped in nose

'---lOI! 6---~

AA~IIPNVSTURRET

Abo...,: 1ne PNVS (pilot's Night Vision Sensor) serve!; the backseat pilot on1r- II incorporatr.'l ill SftlSith"c FUR (fono'ard-lookine: mfn-red) senroo-. Key: 1. Ele~-ation mirror and :U0C'411en5.~.Window co,·cr. 3, Post amplifier control dri,-er. 4, LEOfooilimalor ~b1)" 5. Azimuth gyroscope. 6. Infra-red imager. i. Focussing mechanism. 8, Shroud. 9, Po",'er rqulalor. 10, Visual relay multiplexer. II, Focus control. 12, Cool/dewar assembly. 13, Viae<> lR preamplifier. 14, Azimuth dri,'c gimbal.

\Vhat is perhaps llIllch more curiOllS is that, from thc start of lhe :\:\11 programme, The main sensors havc beell grouped ill the nose. This location rules OUI ,my possibilitr of seeing withoUl being seen. To wat.ch th.e enemy, or fire at him. tile Apadlc crcw have to expuse lhe whole helicopter to vicw (l'xn~pt ill thc special case of firing Hellfire missiles hlindly from behind a hill a~ainst a laser-desib11lall:d targel). ·Illis is dead)' il serious disadvantage. and it is 1l0lllluch of all ans\\'er to point to the Apache's ability to withstand hostile lire" As alt"ead}' nOled, SA~ls. could flrchall the whole machine in an insl'lIlt, and a sjn~le hullet could kill the pilo\. When the full-scale engineering de,'elopmem of tJu: Hughl.'S helicopTer \\~.-lS ordered, on 10 December 1976, thl: n)llll~u:t also n_'CJuired the development of .1 ,"isiollie; syslem-'1Il elet:lIunic aid to finding ;Ind hitting targcl'>-l"apahle of bein~ used ClI night or in

SENSORS AT WORK

An idealized representation of how Ap;tch~ helicopten mighl opn:at", in a battl",. Advancing behind co,"er (arrows). lhe}· ",,"entuall}" use FU.R and (l(her seIlS()r.i (shaded ll~as) 10 dC1Cd hostile: annQUr OIl nighl.

Ixul I\'emher, 'IS well ,l~ the fire-control equipment Ilcn~SS;H)' lO illlegrate lhi:> sptel11 \\,jlh both the area weapon and Ihe ami-tank weapon, as desnibed in Ihe next chapler. )'reviously all that IHld been kno\\'n for ('crtain was that the new helicoptcr \\'oukl need a st;thili/.<-'d opticil sight olTeliug \'arying degn~es of largC! magnificuion. some form of precise targetJOlI f(lr plluing the sensors ill 111e nose was onl)' panly 10 gi\'c Ihem the besl possihle.: field of l'il,.'I\', The overriding faclor was that gUlls arc l11uch It"ss l·xlx:nsivl,.' lhall sensors, ,1l1d in a typical nash HOW THE APACHE WOULD FIGHT In this simplified diagrmn a singte Apache has chanced upon a hard-skinned battle tank and a ro<:ket· firinR truck. The sensors gi'." the two cre,,'-members all the detail they need and e,'entually the lank is despatched by a Hellfire and the truck by rockelS. The situation ,,'ould not-in theorJ. at t.,,,,,t--be greatly diff.,rent iflhe "-eather were nighl-timeor a bliuard, though Iht: dispb.ym pirturrli "'outd be less distinct.

I ,

lauding I"'latever i5. ull<\crneath is likely to he crushed and whaten:r is inside the nose is likely 10 sup-·ive. As for the much !.leiter locmion of;:l1l ~tl\IS (miisHHoumed sight). which accurding to ClIlTCllI evaillatiulls h}' lour nations hrl\'cS from eiglu to 12 limes IL'S.~ likelihood of being simI c1o\\'n. this W'l~ in its Infant-)' in 1976. and thc Army \\'(lS anxious HI move quit...kly ;mel minimize risk. IUlhe author's \'iew not yel shaR'(! by e\'ell'one in the Anlly-an MMS would have had a much bellcr chance of being selected if it hael been realisc.'t! lhal getting the Apache il1lo comhal sen'ice was going lO Iell decided \0 splil Ihe \'isionics into IWO main illsl~IJlations. Gilled Lite TADS (larg-el acquisition designation sight) and Lhc PNVS (pilot's

1 ,,,.1

, ~

, ~', 1 ,

,

1

T CPG's display

Fire control computer

-.

~ ~::::4it=30=mm=gu.===~

H'llfi~.===============!I 19

night-vision s)'sll"m). Competitil'e de\'dopmelll was put in hand with l\\() possihle COllll,lnOI"'S for lhe complele srslem. :'\I .. nin MaricHa ali(I Northrop's Elearo-:'\Iechanical Division at Anaheim. In the S<1.me war the associaled missile, Hdllire. was the result of compelitl\'e dl::\'e!opmcnt b)' Rock\\'~JI allel Hughes (Hug'hes Aircrali. not Helicopters),

TAOS "bug e)'es" impression As pre\'iol1Sly 1l00cd, \l1'otol)'l)t,;S i\VO'2 and ():1 resllilled Iheir Highl pl'Oj,(r:ll111l1CS:ll 1he end of 197H, Ihe Ii >riner Willi 111(' Northrop ~ns()rs :lIld 03 Willi 1he \""rtill Marict1a installation, The noses of 111<: two IllachillcS \,'erc visitll}' cliffc.:relll, :-J()l"! lirop g", III 1;l(:t thc impression is dul.: sold\' 10 the TAUS. which occlIpil.'S what l(x)ks like a big 'oil'dnull li:...t.'(! tl'
20

Abo'·e: In typical "hull down" position an Apache is hard 10 see or deslrOy, Bul as il has no masl,mounled sighl, il is blind and impolenl here unlil il exposes iuelf.

The impression is slal1ling. and it is doulllt"ul if all}' 01 man's weapons has cver look(xl so lIIll(:h like a menacing living 1ll0TlSIer as an :tHacking Apacbc~ though it looks a hil tToss-l.:}"cd. Oll(~ "eye" bciug or:tng-e-yell()\\' al\(\ thc (lllltT pllrJlle-bllle! 'l'llc l':'>j VS is relatively 1l110lHrllsivc. being the small IUlTct Oil lOp. Of 1fw IWO sensor \llliIS. I'NVS is III11Ch the simpler. Moullted in iL~ lllrret "lxlvl.: the nose, il Gill swccp to 900 1.0 lell or right. while liltcd to all}' ang-le frotll ~W alx)vc lhe horiwwal (relalivc to Ihe helicopter) to 1.'j° dowli. Slew rate is up 10 1200 per second, Fidd ot" view is ~OO X '10°, which gives a diagonal H)V of ,'j(t, 'l'bl.: PNVS t:Olllains ;lll AAQ-I I ~Ik III lR sellSllr (lperatillg" ill tilC far-illfrared range ;tt ,,·aveleng-ths of 8 to 14 lllil.:l'OllS (a micron is a millionth (If a ml:tn: (II' a thousandth nl a millimelrc). Like all such ~lIsot"'S the AAQ-li illcoq)OraleS a locllssing mechanism. nyoKcnic dewar (\·aculIlll Hask) lO refriger,lle lhe S('nsiti\"t' cell 10 ;1 wI)' low Icmper;Hure 10 dimin;llc \I1l\,'an!t--'("1 "!Ioise" frolll tht., background. ;111 a/inltHh h')'n), ami \
TARGET ACQUISITION

±90 deg

PNVS Stabilized fo£wa.-d-looking infra_1"Cd SCnSOr to give the pilot night vision. Azimuth 90 0 to left and right, elevation +20 to _45°, slew rate 120°/ sec. Held of view 50° diagonal, xl power; far_IR waveband at 8-14 micmns wavelength.

TADS Stabili7.cd sight for day tarltet acquisition (direct optics, TV, laser ranger/dcsignator and lase£ s~t trackeT) and by night (tUR). Azimuth 120" to left and right, elevation + 30 0 to -60°, Slew rate 60o/sec,

,, , '/

±12Odeg

plihcrs, power relays and multiplexers. The result is a signal in video (TV) form which is passed to the fire-control compuTer into the Honeywell Avionics IHADSS (integrated helmet and display sighlillg subsystem), which is a monocle display in front of one eye of the wearer of a special helmet. In fact. both crew-Illembers wear these special helmets, tbough normally ollly the pilot has I HAUSS imagny ill actioll. Thennal imaging The IHAUSS is electronically slaved to the PNVS, so that the latter "looks" wherever tbe pilot is looking. The picture it presents, focussed in front of the pilot's eye (usually the right eye), is a bright monochrome picture of the scene at which the pilot is looking, neither reduced nor magnified, ,llld totally unaffected by the blackest night, rain, smoke or other obscuration. As it is a thermal picture, it records scene temperature v,lriatiolls; W,lrrn targets such as vehicles, people or any other heat source stand out brightly (usually white, but polarity can be reversed to give black targets against a <:ooler white IXlCkground).

In addition to the basic PNVS piclure the lHAUSS also presents the pilot with a great deal of other vital information in the form of alphanumerics (letters and numbers) and bright symbols or lines. The "menu" of information varies according to whether the helicopter is in the cruise regime, or in transition to slower NOE f]jght, or in the hover, or in the bob-up manoeuvre to fire at the enemy, the regime being selected by a lour-position switch 011 the pilot's cyclic stick. For example, in cruising flight the I I-IADSS adds a heading scale across the top of the P!\VS picture, showing current heading and desired heading; a digital altitude display. plus an expanded altitude strip which appears the instant height above ground falls below ~OOh (9Im); a rail' of dimb indi<:ation; a diamond-shaped aircraft symbol. horizon line and sideslip display; digital readout of ail~peed. and engille torque (a direct indication of power): P!\VS line-of~sight reticle, shown in tbe staudard crosshair
21

dilTen':lll cruise s)'l11bolog-y: a velocity vector consisting' 01' a heavy straighl lille witlt a hlack disLIt the end extending: from tile P;.JVS n.:tidc to indiGlIe the direction and rate of aircraft lllm'emen(, and an accelel',nion cursur in the form of a Slllall cil'de 10 pro\'ide the pilo! with pn:dieted magnitude ;mel direction uf movt"lllem, Sdettio[l of Ill(: "hovel'" mode el'ases Ihe hori/.on line and itu.:reaS<.'S the scnsiti\'ilY of the velocil}' \'(.'(.10r ami au:c1er;'l1ioll cursol' so Ihal ;Illy drill from the dl.osiI'L'11 hovering \x)sition will be indic.lted immediiltcl), :\lIlhis inlonnalioll, as \\'ell as TAOS imagery, GUl also be e1ispbp..-,<1 on the VSU (\'enical situation display) or viell.,) Cr SIX)t lt~lcker) and FUR (for\qrd-looking illfral'cd). The firSI lour sensOl'S f(lrIn Ihe TADS daylight sensol' and ocmp}' the left porrion (as seen br the crew) of the Iargc 1l
wide (IHO) field of view, aud a X Hi llIag-nincatioll WiTh a narrow (1) FOV, Obviollsly the wide field is used when St:an:hillg for targel~ and the high-power lIlagTlifiGltiOlI for sludyillg I:lrgels allel gllieliltg (mIII:lllle_ The TV has lhn:e lllodes, a wide-FOV of of fricndl)' laser dl.'Sign'llol"'S whi{:h Gill be aimed at target.'> by ground tnx)ps or other airu'lfl. It ;'lUtomilticall} dch_'CI.~ allli lo( ks-Oll to the emissioll from such dl..'Signatl..'1.l largeL<;. alld p;l."S<.'S the targel data to the I HAUSS. ox:kpil displars ami \,'eapollaimin~
siraigiu at thc 'argct through his IHADSS. cuc his plVS presentS Ih'" pil<x with:a dear bbckl..-hile mono<;hrome'picture "'hich is actuall)' a plOl of surfa« lemperatures. Supenmposed on il arc guidance lines and rlum",ri.,..f srmbolOln" Alllhc infOrnt.:alion can be supplied to the I!IADSS (1Illegnated helmet and display sighting system) shown II' use belli.....

23

feature. Combat survivahility is great.ly increased hy LOillprehellsive illimill E\V (de<:ll"l)lli<: warfare) ;Hld IRC\! systems. The RWR (radar warning reLeiver) is the Loral AI'R·39(V). whiLh is sen·...'t.1 hy two passive spiral helix aerials (alllcllllas) facing diagonally outward from the frolll of the two main avionic... bars. Two more receivers Lould he added to cover the rear. This system provides ,llltomatic warning of illumination b}' almost all likely hostile radars. giving both visual and aural warnings. and indications of bearing. idemit}, and radar operating modes. In the left avionics b
24

sures) sel. This houses all electrically heated ceramic briLk which forms a brilli
Above: This is approximately the view ahead enjoyed by an Apache CPG (copllol!g"unner). Unusually, he sits under a roof which slopes sharply down to meet a shallow bullet'proof windshield, the metal canopy frame being strong enough not to crush in most severe crashes. in the centre is the main sensor! sight system ror aiming Hellfire missiles and rockets. Right: The pilot's cockpit, here viewed through the "pe" right-hand window. i .• siKJlifl~'anlly higher than that of the erG 10 give a dear view ahead over the Kcvlar scat in the front cockpit. Between the <:ockpit. is a thick anylic panel impervious to hullet. and splintns. This advanced pilot cockpit is hav'ing a big influence On that ror the next generation I.HX hdimptcr.

25

Abo"t: This ,-je..· gi,'es a dear indic:otion aflhe Ap;,tehe°s wapons and srn.sot"5- TIle PNVS (pilot"s right viSion sensor) abo'-c the nose is s,•.-i,-ell<:d 10 look ..lUte photogr;aphcr, and ,"ia the IHADSS could aim lhe gun at him on a dad night.

Rj~ht: Ilead..u" aspect of 3. standanl AH-64A Apa(:hc of the US Army. cal'rying standard annamcnt of four Ilelifire missiles and one FFAR roc:kCf pod on each wing. The gun is in its usual nose-up Slowed p<>_~ilion. aligned dead ah...ad fur minimum drag.

Bdo..·; 1bc right side elevation oflhe.same US Army Apache.

n.c TRC~~ Ill.",,': which b~dcasts {)ulsed "'3.,..-s of he-oil to confuse m,s"ales IS mounted Just bdund lhe rotor. and thoe chaff/nares box is on the side of the rear fuselage.

26

Above: Top view of the same US Anny AH-64A Apache, showin!!; the main rotor, weapon wings, engine installations and (aft of the rotor) the IRCM tunet. Note the extra width of the avionics bays built on each sidc of thc forward fuselage.

'27

Lnt: From the outset of ilS oper~lional career the primary anti-lank weapon ofth., Apache has boeen the hefty Hellfire missile. one of which is here being loaded b, Iwo crew members inlo a lower inboard launch rolil. Mi..'i5ilc weight is 10111>.

Abo,-e: Left-hand side elc,-alion of an AII-64A ApacJ~ filled ...·ith the ALQ-I-H IRC:\llulT'et but ...ith no FFAR rocket launchpod.~ outboard urIbe quadruple Hdlfireo<. r.;ose seu.sors an: aligned forr and aft. a.~ they normallyan' ",·hen inoper.at;\-c.

Abo~~: Under!lide v~w of Anny ApadM!' oonfil;\'red ..ith the nornul mixed annamentof gun, lfdlfires and rockets. Whik spots un the: rear fusclag" ,~tral box are sense aerials (antennas) for the ADFlautomatic radio direction finder).

Below: Left·hllud side clevation of II production AH-54A Ap
29

,

.

----= Left: Front "ie..· of the proposed Sea Ap,lt:he in its uriginal McDonnell Douglas Helicopler Colllp;l'ly fonn. We.apons include AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship cruise miss'le$. fF /II. R rockets and A l~f-9LOI" -9.\1 Side..-inoo air-to-air mi"siles fur self-
•

:\0

Below: Lcft-.,id" elevation of the Sea Apache as proposed to the US Nav)' in 1984·86. To fit ship parkillg spacClllhis version would need a folding tail and thus a fUfwaro.-loc:ated tail wheel. No defense mom,)' has yet been vOl~ for this model.

I

Iklow \.,(1: Undersidt: ,-je... of the origin:,o.! pro~ Sea Apache. This has Ilt"'"er been:ll firm or fundro progr.amml', and-despile allcg:ations of at least equall?rice--Ihc Marines rna)' stick with 1M- AH·) W SuperCobrit ...h,ch has the s;lml' engines.

-~,.--

Bdo..., Looking: down from abo,"" on Ihe baseline Sea Apad~. shm.ing the onginally considered ..-capon mix. No IRe\{ tnlTd is sho..'n, and in fact not only the equipment fil bullhl' vay hrlicupter itscU ,,'as highl)' problematical in lale ) 986.

I

I

31

Ahovc: McDonnell Douglas Hdicop.ler lcst pilots departing on a simulated long-rJIl!:"e deplovmCnI n,ission in ferr}' (:.."figuration wilh fourauxiliar}··tank...... ~e"'lend range from 260"m (482km, 300 miles) ,.. 918nm (1,70Ikm. 1.057 mikos). !..rrl' The nose Soensors with .....in T ADS (I
Below: Two fully anncd Apache.; on a trd,"i"g mission O"cr the:: d<:scrt. "'OCt' huw far ~ main landi";; gears han! down ",-hen unloaded. On the.' ground they an: 5011 and spong}'.

4

Apache Weapons ROt'.'t THE start of the AAH programme it was universally agreed that there would have to be two main types of weapon 011 board. The plimary purpose of the helicopter is to kill hostile armour, and this requires a long-range missile with a heavy hollow-charge warhead and all-the-way precision guidance. For defensive suppressive fire a differenT kind of area weapon system is needed, and to this end the helicopter required a powerful gun aud

F

a r(){:kl:l subsystem.

III the lllid-1970s the obvious anti-lank missile to choose was BG!\'I-7! TO\V, lube-laullched opticallyLr,Kkcd and wire-guided. ils only serious operating dcficictlcy wilell fired from a helicopter-that it has to be optically tracked and wire-guided (by transmitting the operator's steering signals along fine wires) all the way to the target-requires that the operator, such as the CI'G in the front cockpit of an Apache, should keep the enemy armoured vehicle clearly in view for anything up to 13 or 14 seconds while he steers the missile towards it. \Vith perhaps J00 hostile ~. i .... AA and SAM vehicles looking lor targets this not only seems like an eternity but is (in the author's view) wholly unacceptable. The US Army wisely decided that, lor the future AAI-). a new missile should be developed which would free the helicopter from this long exposure.

guidance systems, the missile was made modular and trials were held with homing heads using laser light, TV guidance and IR homing on the heat of the target. In October 1976 Rockwell was selected to enter FSED (full-scale engineering development) of the laser-seeking version, with designation AGM-114A Hellfire (the appropriate name coming from "helicopter-launched fire and forget". Compared with TO\..\' it is appreciably larger and heavier, \\'ith a length of 64in (1,6260101) compared with 45.75in (1,162mm) and launch weight of 101lb (45.8kg) compared with (for TOW I) 46.11b (20.9kg). This Below: An earlv Apache firing rockets at desert targets in 1982. Maximum load is four launchers each with 19 FFARs, a total of 76. Here the inboard pylons are occupied by Hellfires.

Hellfire development As noted earlier, Hughes Aircraft (prime conTracTor for TOW) and Rockwell International fought for the new missile, starting work in late 1973. The advances that could be made over all previous anri-armour weapons were considerable, embracing warhead size ;llld lethality, guidance precision and reliability, Right speed, range, short Hight Time and, in most vcrsions, The ability to plunge down from above to pierce through the thinner top skin of the target. As there was de;lrly something to be said for each of several 3

enahles a more powerful solirl-pl'Opellalll rocket !lInlOr 10 be liud. and ilS \·ny high impulse quickly ao.:dcrates Ihe Hellfire to alxllli ~Ia("h 1.1 i (around H90mph. 1.-I32km/h), apprL"(:i;lhl)' 1~lster than allY olher anli-I~lnk missile ill the \YeSlern \\"Orld. TIlis high spe(xl rcsulls in sholt Hight-tillH':S 0\'('1" all engag-cllICl!1 distances, preveuting the targel frolll perfunning cvasi\'c manoeuvres and reducing the lime the bUllch ;!ircrali is exposed 10 l.:oul1!crfin:.

Hellfire's engagement flexibility Indeed. lhe launch airuaft ma}' nor Ix: exposed to wliuterfire at all, f\mong the mall}' original requiremeuL\ for lhe new missile W;L,\ the need 10'· indirect lire. the lallm:h aircraft being ;Ihle 10 remain hidden and ne\cr coming within \·ie\\ of the target. In faa the eng.lgcmcllI Aexibilil}' 01" Hellfire is one of Ihe mOSt relll'II·k;lhlc of its advances, AUU)IIO!llnus designation ml.'illlS that the Apache itselr ust.'"S it~ laser (I.RF/I» (0 illuminate the l;lrgel \\'ith la"Cr light exat.11)' axles.

34

Above: A combat·ready Apache on m:;onlXUvres from ();il\'ison Anny Airfield in 1986. Note the IRCM turre1 imm«liatd)' aft of the main rot:or. The AH-64 is climbing to enpge the enemy.

III Ihis t·'I$C. or course. only diR"(:! fin: is possible. but il is still possihle to lire St:\"t:ral lIli,~siks in rapid successioll. lIl(wing the laser designatioll SpOI from Ollt: largel 10 anuthe!' to providt: lhe rcquired g-Ilidam.t: during the vital terminal phase of flight. I tl all LOAL (lock-oil "fter launch) modes lhe missile is fired ill the direction of the targ-et. Ofl.Cll climbing to quite a higIT altilude provided it docs Hot cl1l.er cloud and GtlI always "see" the target. A laser designalOr then illuminates the target; the Hellfire inslallLlr delecls thc radiation scauered hum tile targel ami homes 011 it, normally plunging dowlI OIl a Sleep angle. I f there \\CI·C 16 laser designalOrs a"ailahle. ailllL"(! by friendly ground forces or other aircl
APACHE VERSUS FIGHTER An Apache would not go looking for a .'>Crdp wilh a fighter, but could aquit itself well. As the fighter begins the attack by bringing ilS nose to bear, the Apacnc could be expected to spoil the shot by turning into the attack and gaining 150 to 200ft (45 to 60m) of height. This would increase the rate of closure, giving the fighter less time to line up his attack, and also would bring the helicopter's weapons to bear.

LASER·GUlDED MlSSILEATIACKON ARMOUR

./

--,

-

)

j -----./---

ITIllotc designation is expected 10 be extremely importalll ill future, the Apaches being teamed with Bell OH-58U AHIP (Anny hdimptcr improvement programme) scouL IldicopllTS, which ,Ire expected to stand ofl from the battlefield and designate targets with their lasers. They Gill do this llllH.:h more safely than can the Apaches, because the OH-5l:lD laser is in an Ml'vlS OIl a pillar high above the rotor. All the euemy might see is lile sphericalt()p (If the M\IS, not much bigger than a beach ball. the hdicopter remaining hidden. Of course. the seoul's laser beam must be exacliy COOl-xi for compatihility with the Hellfire selected by the Apache CPG, or the missile will fail to recognise the vital emission coming from the rellective surfaces of the tal-get and will fall aimlessly to one side.. rhere must also be insta_ntaneous. yet secure, communication between the two helicopters, which must throughout the engagement know each other's exact position. Thus, the timing must be so accurate that the Apache can fire a Hell/ire a few seconds before the partner scout helicopter aims its laser exactly on target.

This diagram shows Apache doing what it knows best. Hiding in COver it has eng-.tged heavy armOur using laser-guided Hellfire missiles. One missile has homed on to a tank desJgnatcd by a laser aimed by a US Army Bell OH58D scout helicopter. The other has homed on a tank de.•ignatcd by a laser aimed by a friendly ground unit. If there were 16 laser designators available, the Apache could launch 16 Hellfires.

The vital feature of this technique is that the Apache, the costly and fully armed attack member of the teaIll, Gill relllaiu in what Ihe Troops call a "defilade" position. which means it call slay hidr!<:n behind uatura! ground uwer. Vo,lith remote designation it is possible to usc either rapid (closely spaced sequence) or ripple (simultaneous salvo) fire, of any number of Helilires up 10 the maximulIl of 16. It does, however, demand absolutely perfect teamwork. One can imagine how easy it would be to get the timing slightly wrong, or the laser coding between the designators and the missiles slightly wrong, so lhat (for example) each missile might home on its target until it was about 1,000lt (300m) away, at which point the laser would switch 10 the nexttargel. If Thc targets were moving then every missile would miSS. Everyone associated with Hellfire raves about it. illOSt of all the Apache crews. But for a considered vi~w from a highly experienced and impartial observer one can {:itc Maj-Gen Edward M. Browne, the USA's Apache programme manager, who said:

3,

"~I think the Hellfire system is probably the most accuraTe and highly lethal anti-armor \\'C.lpon that I ha\'c sc..'C1l ill the number or years I ha\'c 1x.'Cll associatcd with ami-armor de\'elopmcnl". Like all good wcapon s)'stems, HelUire is not standing still but cxisls in V;lI;OUS growth \'ersions and models with alternative guidance systems, TIlanks to thc tlllxtular design it is possible to change the S<.'Ckcr heads, three alternatives being II R (imaging infr.m.x1). combined I1R and RF (radio frequency) or M\I (vcry shon millimetl'e-w(l\'e radar). Ea(:h h~l~ parlicular good and b.,d features, but a mix would give llIu;valled capability in all battlefield conditions, TIle Apache wings are designcd to accept two launchers on each side, The launchcr is of modular design and Glt1 he Gmfigured for cilher two or four rails, Loading Ikllfircs is easy, with automatic en-

gagemenl. wilh the rail and auwmatic lalchillg and lock with thc electrical connections b'1laralllt.·t:d. The upper part of the launcher contains the missile o>lllrol ek'Ctronics, power supply and a safe/ann switch. An Apache prototype fired the first Hight prototype Hellfire in :\farch 1979, and pnxluClion tests of the complete weapon system continued through to the end or January 1985, In numerous live fil;ngs the formidable I7lh (7,7kg) wadlead has been sho\\'11 to blast through an)' imaginable tank frontal armour. let alone thin roof plating, and this is partly because jet penetratioll depends upon the diameter of the shaped chargc and the Helllire head has a diameter of 7in (17811l1ll), Today Hellfires arc Below: Reloading FF ARs (2.75in-calibre folding.fm aircraf{ rockets) into a 19-1ubc launcher carried by a combat-ready Apache w.Jaich already has a full load of Hellfires,

Above: TI,e Hellfire laser-!?"ided missile racked up an amazing u.~ de~·el()pment. In the Arache Test Program the accuracy re£ord was 100 per cent, despIte battlefield smoke obscuration, and lighting collditions ranging from brilliant sunshine 10 the blackest night eng-..gernents. record of accuracy during

in full proouetioll, lIot only at Rockwell at a new plant outside Atlanta, Gcofl:,>ia, but also at 1\1;1rtin \1ariena at Orlando, Florida. In comparison, the rocket subsystem i.~ relatively simple. The basic rocket has been a staudard US munition for almost 35 years, but it has been subjected to ongoing development. IL is a slim IUOC, originally known as 2.75in calibre bUlloday officially known as 70mll1, Most of its length is the solid rocket motor, originally the l\1k 40 but in the latest rockets Til(' new higher-thrust Mk 66 motor developed by the Kavy. At the front is the interchangeable warhead, which is usually a straightforward HE type with variable fuzing. At the rear are the pivoted hns which, upon leaving the launcher tube, spring open automatically and spin the rockelto stabilize its flight. Though a long-established weapon for use against both ground and aelial targets, il re,lChes a new peak of efficienq' in the Apache. Gnl: advance is the option of an J\IS\V (multipurpose submunition warhead) continuing numerous slllall but deadly bomblets. Another is ani<:ulating pylons. Ro<;kcts can be loaded 0)1 to all four pylons, and ill this configuration each pylon C.ll' bl: automatically tilted according to the rauge input from the fire-control system; greater ranges resulting ill exactly the right additional noseup tilt. Another advance is the cockpit control subsys-

tem. FFARs (folding-fin aircraft rockets) can be selected and fired by either new-member, with aiming and steering commands showlI on the IHADSS or in cor~junctjon with the TADS for iuueased. accuracy. The crew can select any desired fuze range or Iree height to control detonation, as well as launching mode (singles, pairs or quads), launching rate, quantity launched and zone launching.,h.t:ghes Aircraft's Missile Systems Group at Canoga Park near Los Angeles, developed the LRLs (lightweight rocket launchers). By incorporating sell~contained stores management, fuzing and fire control much weight has hl:l:II saved. With four of the big M-261 launchers (19 tuhes, or 76 rockets in all) the extra weight available for mission fuel is no less than 265lb (120kg). The smaller 7-tulx: launcher is the M-260. Minimum firing interval is 0.06 seconds in both launchers, and the whole system has single-switch BITE (built-in test equipmcut) after the rockets are loaded. The 30mm gun This kaves the only inbuild armament, the gun. It is remarkable how lIlany modern attack helicopters today have no gun. In}he view 01 the US Army a gun must be the primary AvVS (area weapon subsystem), despite the considerable weight 01 the gUll and, especially, the large quantity of ammunition. As noted earlier the Hughes solution was 1.0 design a new gun from scratch for this hclic()pter, and the 3

A

APACHE ARMAMENT OPTIONS

~

.

~D

~~ ~fjssiuns

Allti·armour (defence) Mid-c<\St Priman· Mi""io{] 40Q0ft/!:I5"F AlIli-armour (defence) Mid-e-.l..... -1.tMMlflI!l.'i"F Anti-armour (dcf"''1Kc) Micl.....' aSI -1.()(M)Cu'9.'i"F Ami-armour (deCcnre) Europe ;.'OOC:mlifft· em·enn rom: (/\'T Cow) Mid-east 4.lXIOftJ9i"F C.,,-en~ fon.... (Air Qw) .·.ump.: 2.000f 10'" Airmobikt'SCOn Mid-east ·1.OOOftJIJr,·.· .\innobik own Europe 2.OOOlilicr.. , ~

......... . ..... _,

38

..-

.

0

,~ Performance"

+ + + Cn.

Winr,:

'I Ildlfin..'S 1320 rounds

I Hdlfin..'S H Hdlfires 8 Ildlfircs 4 Helltires .. Hdllires 19 n.d~
·1.2IM) m,.lll
Win"

'I Ildlfirt'S

-I Ildlfil"t."!i 8 Itdlflrcs 8 Ildllircs .. HeUlires .. Hdlfin~ 19 rockelS 1.200 TOUlXb 19 rockeu: 1.200 rounds 38 rod:cu

Ven roue

~bx le~1

of climb speed (V II) (IRP) fpm k"

Mi....... ion houn

1.450

l:i4

1.83

1:10 '00

l.'i I

2.67 1.9

,.., 990

>6<1

S60 ;llO

H7 ].18

2.5

"3

150

1.8:1 2-5

155 153

1.83 2-5

I !

I

result could hardl}' have been lllore successful. The Ilughes (now ~IcDonneli Douglas) Ordnance Division al Culver Cit)". Los Angeles, designed and now produces the ~m, \\'hile Ilone)'\\'el1 Defense Sysrems supplies the ahllllunition.

CQll1rolkd in magnilude and ill timing. Equally important is the faci lhal. as e,lcll fresh round enters ;lIul p;L<;sc..-:; lhrnugh the b'l.lIl. ir is under absolute sp,atial ami liming collirol ar all times, eliminating \"inu;llly allllonllal amlllullirioll fc..x."<.l problems.

Chain Gun details

New ammunition

The gUll is oflicially 1he M230, hut i1 is cOllllIlonly called the Chain Gun because of lhe way it works (t<Xlay lhere an: variolls smaller Chain (;UIlS also). A powerful 30mm \\'l:apoll, ir has a sillgk barrd and is externally powen.·d . by a G.5hp lllOtOr. The uui<-jue fealllre when development heg'ln in December 19i2 was the rotating bolt mechanism driven by an almost perfectly reliable chain. This permits a simplified gUll cyde which has led to component lives and reliability certainly not exceeded, and seldom even appro,ached. by all)' other automatic weapon. Long bolt lock time ensures that vinl/ally all gas escapes through the 11ll1Z'lJe and nOI into Ihe action, and the long dwell lime cnsurcs s,afely following a hangfire. The motor (hive brivcs a powerful belt pull, eliminating the need for a po\\·cn..'<.1 allllllUniliOIl booster, and there is 110 nc.."t.-G fur c..harge~. deduu:hing fc.."t.>o:lers or O1hc..'r special dcvice~. Further. a:~ all the moving pans are totally kc)c.."<.1 togelhel'. evel) llJotion is precisely

The first XM230 proto1}'pe was fired in April 19i3, Wilh bursL~ firc..>o:11hc following 11101l1h. In Sq)lcmhcr of that year a 2,!)()()-rnllnd Army tri;11 was suu:cssfulIy completed. Two ycars later itlxlut 250,000 roullds of X:Y1552 and Xr...f(J39 a111111lIllilioll had hccl! fired through several C;ltaill (;UllS WillI dctail (lifferellCes. In early 19iG Ihe Deparllnelll, of Defense dirccted Hughes to rechamber tbe gUll to fire Aden and DEFA ammuniliOlL 10 adlicvc :\JA·I·() illteropcrabilit}' dll1"iug Apache operations ill Europe. Though manufactured nOw b)' Honcywell. this ne~\".alllmllni­ tion was developed by Hughes. thc three basic Iypes 01" round being the ~1788 TI' (I
Above: Fully armed Apaches are not normally rolled in service, e.~peeially near Ihe rugged terrain oflhe US southwesl. Allea.st this view reveals many ,Iems along Ihe underside.

Below: Apache stores: 16 Hellfire missiles and (L to R) fuel tanks, FFAR launchers, 30mm gun ammunition and, behind this, 2.75in FFAR rockets

3'

In the Apache il is installed Linder the forward fuselage where, in a crash. it can safely be thrust lip lx:tween the cockpits. The gun is completely exposed i.lIld hangs Ix:ncath a lightl,'cight LUITct systcm normally llx:ked in the ccmra! position with the gun held in the high-elcvatioll position by springs. When selcCll.:d. the gun is frec 10 mO\·c an:onling to the dircetiolls COllllllitndl..'d by thc IHADSS and TADS within azimuth limil'i of 100" 10 IcCt or light and de"atiall limil'i of II" up and (i()" down. There arc lm·ialable saCcI)' illlcriocks, Ihe gun being controlk-d by a Lear Siegler ek'l..ll"OniC S}'Stclll. Thc basic l:.'lJn can be supplied with diller linked or linklcss ammunition. In thc Apache the ammunition is conlalne<1 in a giam box in the bouom oC the Cuselage directly undel· the main rotor hub. with a capaeit}' oC 1,200 rounds... A linklcss feed supplies the ammunition along the left side of the helicopter to the gun. a mirror-image duet on the righl side returning the empty cases to the magazine. Multipurpose weapon ·111e gun Conus the plimal)' area weapon, providing suppressive fire agaillsi main threat air defellCx.". S and with the ability 10 cll."Stmy light armoured vchick"S. It

40

also has a considerable self-protection capability against air threats such as dose-support aircraft and hostile helicopters, lhouKh of course not against 'L stand-olf interceptor. The full ammunition load is normally carried except in exceptionally advCfse circumstances such as 4,OOOft (I ,220m) ah.iwdc
5

Joining the Army EVELOl'lNG the AAH has t
D

The Anny's enthusiasm

Assembly of the Apaches takes place in the totally new plant built at .\lesa, Arizona, by Ilughes Helicopters. On 6 January 1984 this company became a subsidiary of I'vlcDOllnell Douglas, and on 27 August 1985 the name was changed to tvfcDonncll Douglas Helicopter Company. Rut it was still Hughes when, on 30 September 1983, PV01, the Apache Prod llction Vehicle 01, was ceremonially rolled out in the presence of many dignimries and an Apache warrior all a white horse. At tlIat time five other airframes had arrived from San Diego and were rapidly being turned into Apaches. Some idea of the work involved can be seen from the fact that, when the helicopters look finished, some 500 umbilical Below: AJ?3-che air-loading procedUn:!!i were certified at Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, on 22 June 1985 when Anny and Air Force {earns pui six Apaches into this C-5A Galax)·.

Top Brass are impressed too. The b..:y man in the whole programme-and it is his job not to write advertising {:opy but to lean on the COlllractor-was the former AH-G4 Program \-tanager, \-1J,j-Gen Charles F. Drenz, LSi\. J Ie has let his enthusiasm show many times in public, one GJIlnnent being, "The Apache is a 21-hour machine, and we currently crew our ships on a la-hour basis. 1 remember in Vietnam we used to Ily our helicopters 8-10 hours a day, but we had to put them into maintenance all night long in order to get them up the next day. The Apache is different. The ledmology in this helicopter is similar to what we have in airliners ~oday. These aircraft are continuously ready to take off with another load. It's the crews that ntust be changed. V-lith the Apache's 24-hour availability, reliability, and the long service life we are going to gel with this aircraft, we will need to double-crew this systCntand this is good. The Apache's extraordinary availability is further complemented by its speed and flexibility 011 the b;luleficld; it ca.ll move very quickly to wherever the ground commander wants it."

4

COllllectors h;l\'C w hc du.:cktxl alollg Wilh 17500 \\in: terminals and connectors" Each lakes four days, USilig fl)rllli(lahle computerized win: ~lllaI)'Sis systems. With just five Apaches on the lille the f'.ksa hKilit~· looked empty, hut it "ery quitkly filll-,t! up and in 19H6 reach\.,"f! its planned target of 12 lu:liwptcrs a month. Atlhc rollout (:erelllony Jal'k Real. soon to retire as company presidellt, promised that Hughes. ant! its Apache supplier,; "ill 36 states. Canada and Wesl German} lsillcc joiul--
Llie lllOS! coveted award ill acrospacc. and the :\Iatiollal AenJIlautit; Ass(x'iation finally did pick Lhe Apadle as "thc greatest achievcmcnt in aerollauliC';" for 1983. On 'I April19ltlthc ArlllY aCl:eptcd \'V02, and these first two production artidcs havc cver since beell illStrUlllelllet.! and usct! in Aril.Oll