Indian Army sources explained that the AH-64E Apache Guardians, which are expected to be delivered by 2020, will increase the service ability to conduct combat operations in the border areas
India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the purchase of six Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters for the Army.
According to Financial Express, along with the six AH-64Es will come associated equipment, spares and weapons system, defence ministry sources said. A meeting of the DAC chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley cleared the long-pending proposal to procure the attack helicopters for the Army which has been pressing for the choppers, the sources said.
Noteworthy after the government finalised the deal for 22 Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force in 2015, the Army, which as of now does not have any attack helicopter, had been pushing for an order of 11 AH-64Es claiming that these helicopters are badly needed to ensure close air support (CAS) to its ground forces.
Moreover Indian Army sources explained that the attack helicopters, which are expected to be delivered by 2020, will increase the service ability to conduct combat operations in the border areas.
The AH-64 Apache is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter and is used by the U.S. Army and a growing number of international defense forces. Boeing has delivered more than 2,200 Apaches to customers around the world since the aircraft entered production. The U.S. Army Apache fleet has accumulated (as of July 2016) more than 4.2 million flight hours since the first AH-64A was delivered to the U.S. Army in January 1984.
Photo credit: Boeing
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Source: Boeing
