Apache's future: Resilience in global military strategies

Do attack helicopters still have a role to play? The ongoing war in Ukraine prompts questions about the future of this type of equipment, yet different countries draw significantly different conclusions from the same data.

South Korea, referencing the fighting in Ukraine, has chosen to review its AH-64 helicopter purchase program. After delivering the first tranche of 36 units, future deliveries are uncertain.

Japan is taking a more radical approach. Although it currently operates a significant fleet of attack helicopters, it plans to completely phase them out in favor of various types of drones.

China offers a markedly different perspective. Based partially on the fighting in Ukraine, it considers the attack helicopter indispensable and invests heavily in developing its designs. Israel reaches similar conclusions, operating 48 Apache helicopters in AH-64A and AH-64D versions. The country plans to double its fleet nearly.

The Apache was initially designed for Cold War scenarios, intended as part of a powerful arsenal for full-scale conflict against a technologically advanced opponent. NATO's AirLand Battle concept anticipated the Apache operating within an ecosystem that included the "big five": the M1 Abrams tank, M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, Patriot anti-aircraft system, Black Hawk transport helicopter, and attack helicopter.

Over decades of service, the Apache has been involved in various types of conflicts, including those against clearly weaker opponents, as in Panama or during Operation Desert Storm, as well as in COIN (counterinsurgency) operations. The Russian attack on Ukraine and growing tensions with China suggest, as noted by Thomas Newdick from The War Zone that for the Apache, the pendulum swings in the other direction.

In developing its helicopter, Boeing returns to its roots—aiming for the Apache to dominate once again in hostile, weapon-saturated environments like those found on the European battlefield.

The first modern concept of Apache modernization was introduced in 2022. Boeing proposed updates to the powerplant, modular construction, advanced avionics to reduce crew information overload, sensor, and data link modernization, reduced operating costs, and new long-range weapons and airborne drones ALE (Air-Launched Effect).

The refined plans, presented in October 2024, build on earlier ideas. The Apache is in for a true revolution with a new fuselage featuring an extended lifespan to lower operational costs.

Enhanced aerodynamics and a new powerplant are expected to enable more incredible speeds without altering the rotor design. Earlier concepts included using an articulated tail rotor as a pusher propeller, akin to the S-97 Raider helicopter (Boeing proposed a similar design for the AH-64F variant as early as 2014).

The increase in speed is crucial for collaboration with the new Bell V-280 Valor helicopters from the FLRAA program, intended to replace the current Black Hawks. The modern Apache is also designed for greater range, particularly for operations in the Pacific.

The upgraded AH-64 will be capable of carrying more weapons, facilitated by extended wings that can support six weapon stations instead of the current four.

The helicopter's avionics will undergo significant changes, using technologies from the F-35 to streamline information presented to the crew, showing only the most pertinent details. A new helmet with a display will support augmented reality, overlaying computer-generated images and data onto real-world views.

Boeing is also considering eliminating the radar dome, which has been positioned above the rotor since Apache version D. The radar could be relocated to the fuselage, and drones could take over the role of safe observation sensors.

Canceling the FARA program, which was intended to support attack helicopters with lighter, reconnaissance-focused aircraft, will vitally enhance reconnaissance capabilities.

Will the proposed changes be implemented, and when? Boeing has yet to clarify whether the new Apache will be an upgrade of the existing Echo variant (AH-64E Guardian, currently version 6.5) or a new variant, unofficially referred to as "Future Apache" or "Advanced Apache."

The manufacturer's plans suggest the modernization could begin between 2032 and 2035. According to Pentagon projections, the upgraded helicopter is intended to remain in service until 2060, marking it as a nearly 90-year-old design at that time.