It is intended for interaction with ground troops on the front line, as well as for anti-tank operations at any time of the day and in difficult weather conditions, with a large degree of preservation of combat capability, survivability and the possibility of returning to service. Helicopter " Apache "was designed exclusively for offensive operations at maximum suddenness of action (based on the principle of"fight and survive").
The an-64 helicopter (model 77) was designed by Hughes Helicopter to destroy enemy armored vehicles at any time of the day and in the most adverse conditions, the Prototype of the YAH-64 took to the air on September 30, 1975, and since 1981 it became known as "Apache". The first serial helicopter "Apache" took to the air in January 1984, the First deliveries were made in January 1985, and in December 1994 in the U.S. armed forces delivered the last 811-th helicopter.
The helicopter an-64A "Apache" is made on a single-screw scheme, with four-bladed carrier and steering screws, a wing of small elongation and a three-post non-retractable wheel chassis with a tail wheel. The wing is removable. The fuselage of the usual design, such as semi-monocoque, made of aluminum alloys using materials of high strength and viscosity.
The crew cabin is double, with tandem seats. On the front there is a second pilot-shooter, and on the back, raised by 0.483 m to improve visibility – pilot. The armor protecting the crew cabin from below and from the sides, and the armor transparent partition between seats are made of Kevlar and polyacrylate and protects from bullets and shells of caliber of 12,7 and 23 mm respectively. The design of the helicopter provides maximum protection and allows you to perform the task after serious damage in combat conditions. A high level of combat survivability is achieved by booking the cockpit, using two independent hydraulic systems, by the fuel tanks, as well as by booking the main most important systems and airframe sections.
The power plant of the an-64A helicopter consists of two theater take-off capacity of 1695 HP, placed in gondolas on the sides of the fuselage. The fuel system includes 2 protected tanks with a total capacity of 1157 liters. One of them is located behind the pilot's seat, the other – behind the main gearbox. The maximum flight duration is 3 hours and 9 minutes. In addition, 4 suspended fuel tanks with a capacity of 870 liters can be installed on the wing suspension units of the helicopter's weapons.
The helicopter is equipped with a three-post non-retractable landing gear with a tail wheel. The chassis is designed for normal landing speeds up to 3.05 m/s and emergency landing at speeds up to 12.8 m/s.take-off and landing can be made from sites with a tilt angle of up to 12° in the longitudinal direction and up to 15° in the transverse direction.
The helicopter an-64A "Apache" is equipped with various types of electronic equipment, numbering a total of about 12 units. The Basis of the combat power of the Apache helicopter is the detection and targeting system-TADS, the pilot's night vision system-PNVS and the integrated helmet-mounted IHADSS aiming system, which allows controlling small arms and missile weapons with head movement. Components of TADS: laser
pointer-distance-number with tracking system, IR-system of the front hemisphere view and television system. PNVS is an advanced FLIR system (on-Board IR system for viewing the front hemisphere), which provides the pilot with the information necessary for the flight in the combat zone with tracking the terrain at altitude, which prevents or reduces the probability of detection of the helicopter by the enemy.
The main armament of the helicopter "Alach "are 4 suspension under short wings, accommodating up to 16 anti-tank missiles" Hellfire", which provide shooting at point targets and have an Autonomous guidance system, or 76 70-mm missiles with folding tail, or a combination thereof. In addition, a single-barrel automatic gun M230E1 "chain gang", placed in the ventral turret (caliber 30 mm, ammunition 1200 shells). At the ends of the wing can be installed UR "stinger". The maximum weight of weapons per suspension unit is 700 kg.
An-64A "sea Apache" - an option for the anti-submarine defense of the Navy and marine corps, intelligence over-the-horizon targets. The helicopter "sea Apache" can be removed at a distance of 240 km from the Navy connection to search for and destroy enemy ships PKR or NUR. In addition, the helicopter can provide cover landing.
The an-64A export version of international Apache was purchased by Israel (18 vehicles), Saudi Arabia (12), Egypt (24), Greece (12), UAE (20), Bahrain (8), South Korea and Kuwait.
An-64V "Apache Bravo" - 254 an-64A machines, minimally improved taking into account the experience of military operations in the Persian Gulf: increased wingspan, changed the layout of the cabin, increased engine power, hanging tanks increase the range by 200 km.
The an-64S is an intermediate version of the an-64A helicopter without the Longbow radar and the dash 701 Engine. it is the First of four experimental variants that passed the 2000 - hour test program. He took to the air on April 15, 1992 was Supposed to upgrade 308 helicopters, but in 1993 the program was closed.
AH-64D " Longbow Apache "-improved an-64A with the above-mounted plane propeller radar system millimeter range fire control company" Martin/Westinghouse Longbow "in combination with anti-tank missiles AGM-114" Hellfire "type"shot-forgot". It rose into the air on March 11, 1991. the Production variants are equipped with a more powerful engine dash 701S and engines T700-GE-701 C; this standard converted 227 helicopters First of 535 advanced helicopters AH-64C/D was commissioned in 1996
Apache helicopters were used during the fighting in Panama in 1989 and during operation desert Storm in 1991, when 228 an-64 helicopters were involved.
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