The McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) AH-64 helicopter was selected as the winner in the competition with Bell's YAH-63 in December 1976. The name Apache stuck to the helicopter in 1981. This highly efficient machine has four-blade rotors driven by two General Electric T700-701 turbine engines with a capacity of 1696HP. The vestigial wings are fitted with conventional trailing edge flaps, and a plate tail improves longitudinal steering. The two-man crew takes seats one after the other in the armored cabin. The pilot's seat is in the rear, and the weapon operator / gunner is in the front. The key to the universal use of the helicopter are the TADS systems on the gunner's stand and the PNVS systems used by the pilot. The TADS is a target-tracking laser marker and rangefinder set and a forward-facing infrared sensor that is duplicated by the normal optics. The PNVS system is a developed FLIR system that allows you to pilot a helicopter just above the ground in order to prevent or delay detection by the enemy's anti-aircraft defense. Apache helicopters took part in the operation in Panama in 1989, during the Desert Storm in 1991, or the last conflict in Iraq (2003). At the end of 1990, the construction of a new version of the helicopter began, equipped with a Martin / Westinghouse Longbow millimeter radar installed above the head to control the weapons. It is used to control the Rockwell AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles. Technical data: Top speed: 300 km / h; climb speed 12.7 m / s, maximum range (without external tanks): 689 km, armament: 30mm Hughes M230A1 Chain Gun fixed-1 cannon, and outboard armaments - most often Hellfire missiles.
