Boeing

The government of Israel has signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the United States Department of Defense for the purchase of nine AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters.

Once government-to-government negotiations are completed through a foreign military sales agreement, the U.S. Army will contract with Boeing for the Israeli aircraft and equipment. Total value of the program - including aircraft, ordnance, spares, training and support - is expected to approach $500 million.

Boeing is nearing completion of the first multi year contract to deliver 232 remanufactured AH-64D Apache Longbows to the U.S. Army through 2001. In September 2000, Boeing and the U.S. Army signed a second five-year, multi year contract to remanufacture an additional 269 AH-64As into the Apache Longbow configuration through 2006. Defense forces from several international customers also are considering upgrading to the Apache Longbow.

In addition, Boeing is producing 30 AH-64D Apaches for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and 67 WAH-64 Apache Longbows as part of the GKN Westland Helicopters, Ltd. team that is building the aircraft for the United Kingdom.

The advanced, multi-mission AH-64D Apache 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. The Apache Longbow is the world's only fourth-generation attack helicopter and the only combat helicopter in service with the ability to rapidly detect, classify, prioritize and engage stationary or moving enemy targets at standoff ranges in nearly all weather environments.

01-23