US Army qualifies AH-64E Apaches for deck landings

[Flyingmonster]

The US Army has achieved deck-landing qualification status for its Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, following trials on board the US Navy amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu.

The E-variant of the rotorcraft – assigned to the service's 1st Armed Reconnaissance Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment – qualified during the navy's Rim of the Pacific exercise off the coast of Hawaii on 19 July. The aircraft are normally based at Fort Carson, Colorado.


US Army

Attaining the qualification will allow the army to land AH-64Es on USN ships to refuel and rearm, as well as opening up the range of operations the rotorcraft can conduct.

“In the event of conflict, we would be able to deploy our aircraft via a ship to land and be able to operate in a maritime environment,” the service says.

Eight Apaches have been training in Hawaii, but additional evaluations – including exercises further out into the Pacific – are required before they return to Fort Carson in mid-August, the army says.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... gs-402180/

[Tiger Tim]

The British AAC did this years ago and are regulars on the helicopter carriers.

They have fitted some of the AH-64D's with folding rotor heads.

[EGDR]

The British AAC did this years ago and are regulars on the helicopter carriers.

They have fitted some of the AH-64D's with folding rotor heads.

The AH-64E is a fairly new version, it needed to be certified for deck operations. The AH-64D has been used on carrier decks by the US for a few years, as with the UK Apaches.

[C24]

Jobs going, yes but if the UK think outside the box, an order for 30 or so AW609s for FAA/RAF use would be handy.

AS work from the new carriers and ISTAR, perhaps?

http://www.agustawestland.com/products/aw609

[sandy11]

Can the Agusta/Westland tilt rotor carry an F-35B engine?

[Malcolm]

Can the Agusta/Westland tilt rotor carry an F-35B engine?

Well, since the V-22 couldn't until they revised the carrying crate...

The AW609 is not being marketed to the military. It's aimed at the VIP and possibly offshore oil rig market. Military-ising it will likely cost mega bucks.

[C24]

Malcolm is correct.
Plus, it is being built in Philadelphia so no jobs here

[POL]

Shock as upgrade of current airframe confirmed to be cheaper than building a new airframe from scratch.

[Andy_99]

Wow, look at this http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mark ... -8-5m.html Boeing really want to sell these to the British.

Wow at that price maybe we should purchase some extra as we'll have huge great big new shiny carriers soon & the flying wheelie bin won't be ready for ages (If Ever)

[Ravendriver2008]

Can the Agusta/Westland tilt rotor carry an F-35B engine?

Well, since the V-22 couldn't until they revised the carrying crate...

The AW609 is not being marketed to the military. It's aimed at the VIP and possibly offshore oil rig market. Military-ising it will likely cost mega bucks.

Thats not necessarily true, AW, over the last decade have been trying to market the AW609 to maritime forces, navy and Coast Guard. Paris Airshow 2001 was the first example as they had a naval cabin mock up (please see my photo below from Le Bourget ) and they also tried to push for it at Farnborough 2008 and 2010



And recently at DAS2015 , the first military customer for the AW609 is the UAE Joint Aviation Command

http://www.finmeccanica.co.uk/-/jac-uae-selects-aw609

Apart from the small size of the 609 Cabin ('I've sat in one of the two airframes in the USA this being the N609TR cabin and even one of the mock ups - my photo below from this year's Heli Expo. Plus there is no rear ramp nor any plans to re design the airframe to have a rear loading ramp.

cheers and Happy Xmas