Apaches to be scrapped?

[Selous]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-scrapped.html

Despite the helicopters’ successes on the frontline, defence sources suggested that the Army Air Corps fleet of 66 Apaches could eventually be cut to around 50 aircraft fit for operations.

Britain’s American-made AH-64D helicopters face becoming redundant because the US has decided to stop using the AH-64D model and adopt a newer variant, the AH-64E.

This seems odd, the MOD has spent millions on the Apaches currently in use and now they may have to be replaced. Apparently the support will no longer be offered to the currently used model, but I don't see why this should have to be the case unless the newer model is (unlikely) different in some radical way.

[Andy H]

Hi

They may well be scrapped but not without a replacement in situ.

The US will be left with several hundred D models themselves, so I cannot believe that they will just scrap them. I can see them being offered for foreign sale with the usual care/maintenance packages tagged on. There would be no issue the with the UK fleet. Unless the E version has substantial upgrades that warrants the whole sale exchange of the fleet, then maybe the MOD with have a mixed fleet of D & E's

Regards

[copenhagen]

This production was brought to you by the Ministry of Defence, the people who brought you the Clansman radio and TSR2

[Selous]

Would this mean a change/abandoning of the 'longbow' additions to the basic Apache, or would they likely be transferred to any new vehicles acquired?

[copenhagen]

Originally Posted by copenhagen

This production was brought to you by the Ministry of Defence, the people who brought you the Clansman radio and TSR2

[Selous]

I must admit that kind of imagery is usually prevalent in my mind when words like MOD, Procurement, Equipment, Money, Cost and so on are used alongside each other.

[slick_miester]

Originally Posted by copenhagen

Shouldn't those be GB Pounds going down in flames, not US Dollars?

[Andy H]

Originally Posted by slick_miester

Shouldn't those be GB Pounds going down in flames, not US Dollars?

Hi Marc

Not unless its another F22 Raptor crashing at nearly $450 million a plane

Regards

[Naffenea]

The UK model Apache is better than the US D model. The upgrade to E will bring us closer in line to UK capabilities. Who ever wrote the article doesn't understand fielding life cycles anyways.

[VinceW]

Reducing the UK Apache fleet to 50 Choppers(From 48 to 32 Deployable)would make sense since there is a shortage of Pilots to fly them as there is in the RAF,RN and rest of the British Army as well.