By Ann Roosevelt
NASHVILLE, Tenn.–The AH-64 Apache helicopter continues to perform in an operational environment and its upgrade program is on track, according to Army and Boeing [BA] officials.
“The program continues to be strong and outstanding overall,” Col. Shane Openshaw, Army Project Manager, said at a briefing at the Army Aviation Association of America here Tuesday.
Al Winn, Boeing vice president of Apache Programs, said, “Production continues well; we’re six up the schedule. In the month of April, we delivered all the May aircraft. In May, we’ll work to deliver all the June aircraft.”
Working ahead gives the Army an efficient production operation and also provides the customer the most affordable price, he said.
Openshaw said the Extended Block II contract has 96 aircraft on contract and, through April, 58 of the helicopters have been delivered. Of the new build aircraft, 52 are on contract, with 23 deliveries at the end of April, two ahead of the contract delivery.
Apache Block III development is on track, he said. The critical design review is completed, the limited user test slated for November, and a Milestone C review in April 2010 are expected to lead to low-rate initial production.
“The technical performance is outstanding,” Openshaw said. “The challenge is to keep [the Apache] in the fleet and keep it alive for the foreseeable future.”
Winn said this year has been a series of milestones for the program. The new split torque face gear is in testing and “performing exceptionally well.” New nose gear is now in qualifying tests.
A new gearbox was designed as well as a new test stand to hold it, and it, too, is performing well, he said.
There are two Apache Block III avionics aircraft flying the new system with more than a million lines of new code–all in avionics.
Currently, a ground test vehicle is being built to examine new helicopter blades in ground testing.
“We have demonstrated all the capabilities for the (Limited User Test) LUT already, including Level IV UA control demonstrated on the avionics airplanes,” Winn said.
All the test time on the airplanes is being done to support an air readiness release.
“We’re performing on plan or ahead of plan, and still staying a healthy program,” he said.
Lt. Col. David Fee flew Apaches with the “Wolf Pack,” the 1st Attack/Reconnaissance Battalion, 82nd Airborne in Iraq from July 2006 through October 2007.
The new systems, integrated cockpit and weapons “allowed us to change tactics, went from low level flight to about 2,000 feet,” Fee said. Flying low level meant getting hit by insurgent fire, while flying high meant few, if any hits. Aviators were able to engage at a higher rate, with the new Modernized Target Acquisition Designation System engaging more than 500 times protecting Iraqi and U.S. forces.
The M/TADS, a Lockheed Martin [LMT] product, “almost completely” changed the tactics and use of Apache, Fee said. It offers a clear picture of the location of friendly forces and the situation on the ground from 2,000 feet, an altitude at which pilots are safe and not distracted by towers, wires, and buildings.
His former unit is on its way back to theater, flying out this week.
Mike Burke, Boeing business Development Director for Army Rotorcraft, said company officials sit down with units returning from theater to find out first hand what is going well or not with Apache–valuable feedback for the program.