Aircraft

Army, Oct 2002

The Apache Longbow system entered full-scale development in December 1990, following an extremely successful proofof-principle (POP) phase. Technical success during the POP phase culminated with the live firing of missiles against a variety of moving and stationary targets, through smoke and other obscurants. The initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), conducted from January through March 1995, proved the Apache Longbow to be an operationally effective and suitable weapon system. As expected, the Apache Longbow (AH-64D)-with its ability to engage targets in adverse weather and obscuration that would preclude the employment of laser-guided weaponswas far more effective in defeating threat armored vehicles and more survivable in the threat air defense environment than the AH-64A.

The Apache Longbow received milestone III production approval in October 1995. Single-year contracts for the airframe and fire-control radar were awarded in December 1995 and March 1996 respectively. A five-year contract for the airframe was signed on August 16, 1996 with the final (232nd) airframe covered under that contract delivered in March 2002. Aircraft now being delivered under the current (second) multiyear contract include enhanced digitization/communications capabilities for operations within the Tactical Internet.

The current program objective calls for 227 Longbow fire-control radar mission kits to be installed on the Apache's modernized fleet (758 minus attrition), which is being upgraded to the new AH-64D baseline configuration. The Apache Longbow will add significant warfighting capability to the combined arms team through increased survivability, lethality, versatility and long-term reliability improvements.

The AH-64 Apache helicopter's electrooptical system is being upgraded under the modernized target acquisition designation sight/pilot night-vision sensor (MTADS/PNVS) program (begun in October 2000) to implement an advanced technology electro-optical fire-support system that will upgrade the fielded A and D model Apache fleet. M-TADS/PNVS will allow Apache pilots to fly and fight in day, night and adverse weather with greater safety and significantly improved reliability.

M-TADS/PNVS improves reliability by more than 130 percent, increases performance more than 40 percent and provides Army horizontal technology insertion parts for the Comanche and Apache targeting and pilotage systems.

For pilotage, the M-PNVS provides a greatly improved, day-like television image to the pilot's helmet-mounted display, allowing nap-of-the-earth flight at night and in adverse weather. The new pilotage forward-looking infrared (FLIR) has a standardized long wave, infrared (SADA I) integrated detector cooler assembly and five standard electronics modules, which convert the detector outputs into a video signal that is displayed in the cockpit and on the pilot's helmet display. The M-PNVS also includes an image-intensifying television camera to assist pilotage in athermal environments. Advanced processing algorithms improve video output and give pilots exceptional resolution to avoid obstacles and see targets in flight.