Initial order of 67 Longbow Apaches was made in mid 1995 after winning an evaluation against the Cobra Venom and the Eurocopter Tiger. First 8 built by Boeing in Mesa, Arizona. The remaining 59 partially built in Mesa and completed by Agusta-Westland at Yeovil. the British Army WAH-64 is powered by twin Rolls Royce Turbomeca RTM-322 engines, giving economies of scale and a common platform shared with the RAF and RN versions of the EH-101 Merlin. It is equipped with the Hellfire air-to-surface missile. Potential for an air-to-air capability (with the Short Starstreak missile ?) is under review. 
|