Boeing says Australia on course to receive Apaches at end of year

The Australian Army's new AH-64E Apache helicopters will be nearly “exact” in configuration to US Army Apaches, and will be capable of maritime operations, according to Boeing. (POIS Helen Frank/Commonwealth of Australia)

The Australian Army is on schedule to receive its first batch of four Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters at the end of 2025, company officials have said, adding that broad efforts are under way to enhance the Apache platform as a result of lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict.

According to Terry ‘TJ' Jamison, director of business development for Boeing's attack helicopter programmes, Australia will receive its initial AH-64Es in the v6 configuration. The AH-64E v6 has enhanced capabilities over previous versions. These include a Link 16 capability and the ability to target unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and small ships.

However, the Australian Apaches could also receive new capabilities being planned under the improved v6.5 configuration, which is under development in the United States, Jamison said during an online session with journalists organised by Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) on 12 March.

“We are finishing the testing of v6.5, which has a modular open systems approach (MOSA),” Jamison said. This “is going to enable our customers to integrate key technologies [into the Apache as] seamlessly as updating your iPhone, to maintain helicopter survivability and decisiveness”.

One “refinement” is the enhancement of the Apache's counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) capabilities, according to Jamison. The “new aspect” of the Apache's C-UAS capabilities is the “ability to provide situational awareness in a 16 km bubble around” the helicopter using launched effects (LE), based on the battlefield lessons emerging from Ukraine, he said.