Boeing

The U.S. Army today accepted its 200th AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-mission combat helicopter from The Boeing Company. Boeing delivered the helicopter during a ceremony at the company's rotorcraft center in Mesa, Ariz., where Apaches have been produced since 1982. The delivery comes less than two years after the 100th U.S. Army Apache Longbow was delivered on Dec. 9, 1999.

"Delivery of this milestone Apache Longbow to our number-one customer demonstrates our ongoing commitment to equip the U.S. Army with the finest multi-role combat helicopter in the world," said Al Winn, vice president of Apache programs. "We're focused on maintaining and improving the Army's Apache fleet, which will continue to play a key role in global defenses over the next several decades."

Winn added that Boeing is well on its way to fulfilling its promise to deliver 1,000 more Apaches to customers worldwide through the end of this decade.

Boeing is currently under contract with the U.S. Army to deliver 501 AH-64D Apache Longbows through 2006. In addition to the 200 remanufactured Apache Longbows for the U.S. Army, Boeing has delivered 45 next-generation Apaches to international customers, including 21 AH-64D Apaches to the Royal Netherlands Air Force and 24 WAH-64 Apaches to Westland Helicopters Ltd., for the United Kingdom.

Boeing also is under contract to produce 30 AH-64D Apaches for The Netherlands and 67 WAH-64 Apache Longbows, with AgustaWestland, for the United Kingdom. In addition, Boeing will produce additional AH-64Ds for Egypt, Israel and Singapore, and it is competing for additional sales around the world.

Boeing began Apache Longbow production in 1996. The first Apache Longbows were delivered in 1997. To date, the Army has fielded four fully equipped Apache battalions, and a fifth battalion is active in an extensive training program that will qualify it for combat duty early next year.

Apache Longbow fulfills a wide range of reconnaissance and combat missions, most without the need to reconfigure ordnance loads and electronic systems between missions.

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. The Apache Longbow incorporates a series of enhancements that make it more survivable in combat, readily deployable and easier to maintain.

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