https://australianaviation.com.au/2023/ ... 1dcda4cfbd

Above link is from the online edition of Australian Aviation.

It was inevitable really. Maybe 15 years later than it shouldve been.
I'm not sure if this is the same Apache that will be gracing the Avalon Airshow this week?

Sent from my SM-A526B using Tapatalk

HMS Ocean, a LPH, deployed WAH-64s from the Army Air Corps in 2011, on combat operations over Libya.
They had minor modifications dating back a few years before for this.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... 153051.jpg

More recently they've trialed on HMS Prince of Wales.

James1980 wrote:

https://australianaviation.com.au/2023/02/apache-begins-adf-trials-on-hmas-canberra/?utm_source=AustralianAviation&utm_campaign=27_02_2023&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2&utm_emailID=1415291194a50749768c01a81e47bcf54e8810f9ebe8213bf49e561dcda4cfbd

Above link is from the online edition of Australian Aviation.

It was inevitable really. Maybe 15 years later than it shouldve been.
I'm not sure if this is the same Apache that will be gracing the Avalon Airshow this week?

Sent from my SM-A526B using Tapatalk

It is the one that will be at Avalon.

Very cool. I’ve always found it interesting that the USMC is just insistent it can’t be ‘marinized’ sufficiently/affordably.

texl1649 wrote:

Very cool. I’ve always found it interesting that the USMC is just insistent it can’t be ‘marinized’ sufficiently/affordably.

They already had their Sea Cobras I guess, like the AH-64, just kept updating it.

GDB wrote:

texl1649 wrote:

Very cool. I’ve always found it interesting that the USMC is just insistent it can’t be ‘marinized’ sufficiently/affordably.

They already had their Sea Cobras I guess, like the AH-64, just kept updating it.

I don't know this for a fact, but I've heard the AH-64 was a little heavier than desired to be used on ships.

texl1649 wrote:

Very cool. I’ve always found it interesting that the USMC is just insistent it can’t be ‘marinized’ sufficiently/affordably.

It's not ideal from a maritime ops perspective. But it can be done, if need be.

For example, the AH-64 for the longest time does not have a blade folding capability; in order to stow the blades for transport, it takes about 11 people, plus a hoist to remove the blades from the helicopter. A new blade folding kit was made available only a few years ago, and is only available with certain later production AH-64E's right now, but this is still a fully manual system:

A video of the process with the new kit is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwRr-YToiHo

The AH-1Z has a semiautomatic blade folding mechanism, which is considerably less involved and thus easier to do on a rolling, pitching ship.

The USMC did investigate a fully marinized 'Sea Apache', and as the design continued to be refined, the changes to the Apache design were very significant in the end; beyond the additional corrosion protection and enhanced EMI protection, there were a host of other changes:
1. Tail wheel was relocated further in;
2. The rear tail fuselage could fold to reduce length;
3. Relocation of the main landing gear from underneath the fuselage to the stub wing tips, and were made retractable as engineering studies found that the standard Apache main wheel track was too narrow, causing the aircraft to be very unstable on the deck of a small ship;
4. Deletion of the 30mm chain gun and the nose mounted sensors with a new nose mounted radar;
5. Installation of an inflight refueling probe;
6. A powered automatic rotor blade fold system;
7. Upgraded doppler navigation system;
8. Additional tie down points

Another major concern is that the AH-64 is a significantly bigger helicopter; for a given space onboard a ship, it would mean that they would be forced to carry less aircraft overall to fit the AH-64 onboard, which means a reduction in firepower overall. I believe the exact ratio was that for every AH-64 you bring onboard deck, you lose the space of 2-3 AH-1's.

I have seen discussion here regarding Apache Trials and Operation on RN Warships (HMS POW and HMS Ocean), can I ask that given HMAS Canberra is modelled on the Spanish Juan Carlos Class, has there been any Apache trials or operation on that class of ship?

Looks like the order is going head for Apache for the ADF



Boeing signs deal with U.S. army to build 184 AH-64E Apache helicopters

Boeing Co said on Friday it had signed a contract with the U.S. army and international customers, including Australia, to build 184 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/boeing-s ... 51575.html