AH-64 Apache

Nation: USA
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
Type: Attack Helicopter
Year: 1984
Engine: 2 General Electric T700-701C turboshaft, 1,857 shp
Rotor Diameter: 48 ft
Tail Rotor Diameter: 9' 2"
Fuselage Length: 49 ft 1 in
Overall Length: 58 ft 3 in
Height: 16 ft 9.5 in
Empty Weight: 10,760 lb
Max Takeoff Weight: 21,000 lb
Max Speed: 186 mph (level), 227 mph (never exceeded powerdive)
Ceiling: 10,200 ft (hover)
Range: 428 miles
Crew: 2


Defense forces worldwide fly three variants of the AH-64 Apache multi-mission combat
helicopters – the
AH-64A Apache, the next-generation AH-64D Apache, and the AH-64D Apache Longbow,
which is equipped
with the advanced Longbow fire control radar.

Specifications


Length:

Height:

Wing Span:
58.17 ft (17.73 m)

15.24 ft (4.64 m)

17.15 ft (5.227 m)
Primary Mission Gross
Weight
15,075 lb (6838 kg)
Standard Day
Hot Day ISA + 15C
Hover In-Ground Effect (MRP)
15,895 ft (4845 m)
14,845 ft (4525 m)
Hover Out-of-Ground Effect
(MRP)
12,685 ft (3866 m)
11,215 ft (3418 m)
Sea Level Standard Day
Hot Day 2000 ft 70 F (21 C)
Vertical Rate of Climb (MRP)
2,175 fpm (663 mpm)
2,050 fpm (625 mpm)
Maximum Rate of Climb (IRP)
2,915 fpm (889 mpm)
2,890 fpm (881 mpm)
Maximum Level Flight Speed
150 kt (279 kph)
153 kt (284 kph)
Cruise Speed (MCP)
150 kt (279 kph)
153 kt (284 kph)


AH-64D Specifications

Length:

Height:

Wing Span:
58.17 ft (17.73 m)

13.30 ft (4.05 m)

17.15 ft (5.227 m)
Standard Day
Hot Day
Primary Mission Gross Weight
16,027 lb (7270 kg)
Lot 1 Weight
ISA + 15 C
Hover In-Ground Effect (MRP)
14,650 ft (4465 m)
13,350 ft (4068 m)
Hover Out-of-Ground Effect (MRP)
10,520 ft (3206 m)
9,050 ft (2759 m)
Sea Level Standard
Day
Hot Day 2000 ft 70 F
(21 C)
Vertical Rate of Climb (MRP)
1,775 fpm (541 mpm)
1,595 fpm (486 mpm)
Maximum Rate of Climb (IRP)
2,635 fpm (803 mpm)
2,600 fpm (793 mpm)
Maximum Level Flight Speed
147 kt (273 kph)
149 kt (276 kph)
Cruise Speed (MCP)
147 kt (273 kph)
149 kt (276 kph)

LongBow

Longbow Specifications

Length:

Height:

Wing Span:
58.17 ft (17.73 m)

16.25 ft (4.95 m)

17.15 ft (5.227 m)
Primary Mission Gross Weight
16,601 lb (7530 kg)
Standard Day
Hot Day ISA + 15C
Hover In-Ground Effect (MRP)
13,690 ft (4172 m)
12,290 ft (3745 m)
Hover Out-of-Ground Effect (MRP)
9,480 ft (2889 m)
7,960 ft (2427 m)
Sea Level Standard
Day
Hot Day 2070 ft (610 m)
Vertical Rate of Climb (MRP)
1,475 fpm (450 mpm)
1,255 fpm (383 mpm)
Maximum Rate of Climb (IRP)
2,415 fpm (737 mpm)
2,370 fpm (723 mpm)
Maximum Level Flight Speed
141 kt (262 kph)
143 kt (265 kph)
Cruise Speed (MCP)
141 kt (262 kph)
143 kt (265 kph)

ARMAMENT

Hughes M230 30mm chain gun
cannon General Electric XM188E1
of YAH-63


M230 Gun Characteristics:

Rate-of-fire
625 ± 25 spm
Ammo storage
capacity
1200 rounds M789
Ammo handling
system
linear linkless
Externally powered
6.5 HP
Length
66.0 inches
(167.6cm)
Total weight
127 lb. (57.5 kg)


M789 (HEDP) High Explosive Dual Purpose M799
(HEI) High Explosive Incendiary
M788 (TP) Target Practice


AGM - 114 Hellfire

The Hellfire is the main air-to-ground missile
of many of today's U.S. Army helicopters,
including the AH-64 Apache gunship. The
name Hellfire comes from
HELicopter-Launched FIRE-and-forget
missile. A standard load for the Apache can
include a barrage of 16 Hellfires. The
Hellfire is primarily used in an anti-tank
role.

Hellfire was born of the AGM-64 Hornet, a technology demonstrator built between
1963-66 by North American Rockwell. The task of this missile was to validate the concept
of using an optically-guided 'fire and forget' air-to-ground missile to destroy heavily
aromored targets. From this successful concept, the Hellfire was first test-fired in 1971.

After the Hellfire is launched, a laser designator must be brought to bear on the target by
either the firing aircraft or a ground-based unit. When the laser seeker in the nose of the
Hellfire finds the laser reflections, it simply follows the laser light to the target. Just before
the Hellfire reaches its target, the missile pitches up sharply, then dives onto the target, a
tactic which preys upon the comparatively thin armor on the tops of tanks.

The Hellfire opened offensive action in Desert Storm, as Apache gunships took out Iraqi
early-warning radar sites to clear a path for the air assault. Over 500 Iraqi tanks met their
fate at the hands of the Hellfire missile.

Future plans for Hellfire include the AGM-114K Hellfire 2, which includes a
tandem-warhead to defeat reactive armor, and combined imaging infrared seeker and
millimeter radar seeker, with a range increased to 10,000m. The Hellfire was initially
operational in 1985.


Specifications:

Manufacturer: Rockwell, Martin Marietta
Weight:
Missile: 99 lbs.
Warhead: 20 lbs.
Length: 5.3 ft.
Diameter: 7 inches
Wingspan: 1.1 ft.
Guidance: semi-active laser homing
Propulsion: Thiokol TX-657 reduced-smoke solid-fuel rocket
Performance:
Speed: Mach 1.1
Range: approx. 5 mi
Warhead: 20 lb. impact-fused Firestone shaped-charge high-explosive

Hydra 70 Rocket System

M260 seven-tube rocket launchers
M261 19-tube rocket launcher

Hydra 70 warheads fall into three categories:
(1) Unitary warheads with impact-detonating fuzes or remote-set multi-option fuzes.
(2) Cargo warheads with airburst-range, with setable fuzes using the "wall-in-space"
concept or fixed standoff fuzes.
(3) Training warheads.

M200 19-tube rocket launcher on M156
armament subsystem


M260 seven-tube rocket launchers


AH-64A Apache Multi-Mission Configurations
Primary Mission
Starboard
Wing
M230
Gun
Port
Wing
Rate of
Climb
Duration
Combat
(Anti-armor)
4 Hellfire
320 rds
30mm
4 Hellfire
1450 fpm
1.8 hours
Multi-role
(Covering force)
4 Hellfire
19 FFAR *
1200 rds
30mm
4 Hellfire
19 FFAR
*
860 fpm
2.5 hours
Close-support
(Anti-armor)
8 Hellfire
1200 rds
30mm
8 Hellfire
990 fpm
2.5 hours
Ground-support
(Airmobile escort)
38 FFAR *
1200 rds
30mm
38 FFAR
*
780 fpm
2.5 hours

* FFAR = 70mm (2.75 inch) Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets

Engines:
Two General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshafts, 1857 hp each