Boeing

The government of Israel and The Boeing Company have signed an agreement that will allow Boeing to modify AH-64D Apache Longbow combat helicopters for Israel through direct commercial sales.

The contract signed Aug. 31 will allow Boeing to use commercial contracts rather than the foreign military sales (FMS) process to modify on-board systems unique to new or upgraded Israeli Apaches. Specific details about the systems to be modified or the value of the commercial contract were not disclosed.

Israel earlier announced that it plans to either upgrade 12 AH-64A Apaches from its current fleet or purchase an unspecified number of new aircraft through an FMS sale with the U.S. Army.

An FMS contract with the U.S. Army for Israeli Apache Longbows is expected to be signed later this year, with deliveries to Israel scheduled to begin in 2004. The exact details of that agreement and the total number of Apaches ultimately to be purchased and/or upgraded have not been announced.

This is the second direct commercial sale by Boeing involving Apaches. Boeing previously teamed with GKN Westland Helicopters Ltd. through a current commercial agreement to produce 67 WAH-64s for the British Army.

Boeing is under contract with the U.S. Army to deliver 232 AH-64D Apache Longbows through 2001 and is in final negotiations for an additional 269 Apache Longbows through 2006 as part of a second five-year, multi-year contract with the Army.

In addition, Boeing is producing advanced versions of the Apache for several international customers and is competing for additional sales with potential customers around the world.

The advanced, multi-mission AH-64D Apache Longbow features fully integrated avionics and weapons plus a state-of-the-art modem that transmits real-time, secure digitized battlefield information to air and ground forces.

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