By Ann Roosevelt
The Army is ready to order as many as 30 war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft.
Army Aviation and Missile Command has issued a solicitation limited to Boeing [BA], doing business as McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., for a base year and two options for the Apache Block II aircraft.
Army Col. Derek Paquette, Army Apache project manager, said: “To date we have still accepted delivery of 13 new build [war replacement aircraft] WRA and still have 47 on contract.”
The 30 additional WRA that were synopsized reflect projected additional supplemental aircraft: 12 in FY ’08, 12 in FY ’09 and six in FY ’10, Paquette said.
These WRA will be Apache Block II aircraft.
The solicitation targets Boeing because it is “the only responsible source capable of providing the supplies or services necessary for the manufacture of AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft.” The solicitation was published in the Dec. 4 issue of FBODaily.
Dec. 5, the Army Aviation and Missile Command announced in FBODaily a proposed acquisition from Boeing to remanufacture 24 AH-64A Apache helicopters to the AH-64D model with delivery slated to begin in 2010.