Israel signs for 12 E-model Apache attack helicopters

The “Echo” model AH-64Es are scheduled for delivery at the beginning of the 2030s.

Israel has signed a deal with Boeing covering 12 of the airframer’s latest AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.

The agreement will see the new rotorcraft delivered in the beginning of the 2030s, with neither Boeing nor the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) providing a more specific timeframe. A purchase price was also not disclosed.

“The procurement of the Apache helicopters is a critical step in the IDF’s force buildup, one that will strengthen its operational capabilities against a wide range of threats and contribute to the security of the state of Israel in the years to come,” says defence minister Israel Katz.

The Israeli Defense Forces already operate 48 legacy AH-64s, including 27 early A-models that are 35-40 years old, according to fleets data from aviation analytics company Cirium. The country’s 20 newer “Delta” model Apaches are still approaching advanced age, ranging from 14 to 21 years old.

Although not specified, it is likely the new AP-64Es will incorporate a significant amount of local Israeli-made hardware, as is common with Israel’s defence programmes. The country operates its own specialised version of the Boeing F-15 and Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters — the F-15IA and F-35I.

Israeli MoD director general Major General Amir Baram suggested as much, saying the Apache deal was “made possible thanks to creative solutions we developed together with our American partners, without compromising operational needs”.

Although the Apache was originally designed as a tank killer, the versatile platform is seeing new life in the modern era, providing close air support to ground troops, deploying air-launched UAVs and countering one-way attack drones. The US employed AH-64Es in a counter-UAS role during the peak of fighting against Iran in the Persian Gulf earlier this year.

One of the two-seat helicopters was shot down while patrolling the Strait of Hormuz in June, with the two aviators being rescued by an unmanned naval drone. It is not clear if the Pentagon has continued using the Apache in such a capacity following the incident.

In addition to its AH-64 purchase, Baram says the Israeli MoD is planning further weapons acquisitions, covering “additional platforms, munitions, interceptors and more”.

“This is to ensure immediate readiness for any scenario, alongside the implementation of the decade-long force buildup plan, as part of the IMOD’s strategy in the face of emerging challenges,” he says.

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