A British Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopter seen during a media event at Wattisham Flying Station. The UK has now formally received all 50 helicopters. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
The United Kingdom has received the last of 50 remanufactured Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 6 March.
The milestone saw the final helicopter formally handed over to the MoD at Boeing's Mesa production facility in Arizona.
With 49 Apaches now at the type's main operating base of Wattisham Flying Station and training base at Middle Wallop, this 50th helicopter will remain in the United States for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) software testing before being delivered to the UK in 2026.
The Army Air Corps (AAC) began receiving its remanufactured AH-64E helicopters at the Middle Wallop site of the Army Aviation Centre in March 2022. This site will share the training burden alongside Wattisham Flying Station in Suffolk, in the east of England.
With deliveries now complete, 3 and 4 regiments will field 16 AH-64Es apiece at Wattisham Flying Station. The 32 aircraft will represent the forward fleet. Middle Wallop will receive 12 helicopters to be assigned to 7 Regiment's 673 and 653 squadrons, with the remaining six helicopters being in the usual maintenance cycle.
Delivery of the final remanufactured Apache came 12 months after the British Army declared the force to be “operationally ready” in March 2024, and 17 months after it said in October 2023 that the AAC's 3 Regiment was “ready for front-line” operations.
To date, 3 Regiment's 662 and 663 squadrons are fully trained on the AH-64E, with 4 Regiment's 664 and 656 squadrons to be trained by the end of 2025.
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