Boeing is concluding final acceptance flight trials for Apache AH-64E Guardian helicopters on order for the Indonesian Army’s (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Darat; TNI–AD).
According to US defence secretary Chuck Hagel, Indonesia ordered eight AH-64E Apache in August 2013. That announcement came nearly one year after a notification to Congress a year earlier of the proposed FMS sale.
The deal also includes 140 AGM-114R3 Hellfire-II anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), spare engines, electronic subsystems, training, spare parts, simulators and other requisite support items. The value of the major defence equipment appears to be $500 million.
In January 2015, Boeing was formally awarded a $296 million order to manufacture the AH-64Es with an expected completion date by February 2018.
The AH-64E attack helicopter is the latest version of the AH-64, used by the US Army. It is also known as Apache Guardian. Until 2012 it was designated as AH-64D Block III. It has a number of improvements and upgrades, including more powerful engines, upgraded transmission and other improvements. This gunship might be also fitted with updated Longbow fire control radar.
