The McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) AH-64 helicopter was selected as the winner in a competition with Bell's YAH-63 in December 1976. The name Apache was attached to the helicopter in 1981. This highly efficient machine has four-bladed propellers driven by two 1,696 hp General Electric T700-701 gas turbine engines. The rudimentary wings feature conventional trailing edge flaps, and a bladed tail fin improves longitudinal control. The two-man crew sits down one by one in the armored cabin. The pilot's seat is in the back and the weapons operator/gunner is in the front. Key to the helicopter's versatile use are the TADS systems on the gunner's rack and the pilot-operated PNVS systems. TADS is a set of laser designators and rangefinders for target tracking, as well as a forward-looking infrared sensor that is duplicated by conventional optics. The PNVS system is an advanced FLIR system that allows the helicopter to be piloted directly above the ground to prevent or delay detection by enemy air defenses. Apache helicopters took part in the operation in Panama in 1989, during "Desert Storm" in 1991 or in the last conflict in Iraq (2003). In late 1990, construction began on a new version of the helicopter equipped with an overhead Martin/Westinghouse Longbow millimeter radar for weapons control. Used to guide Rockwell AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles. Technical data: Maximum speed: 300 km/h; climb rate 12.7 m/s, maximum flight range (without outboard tanks): 689 km, armament: Hughes M230A1 30 mm chain gun with 1 fixed gun, and on-board armament is usually Hellfire missiles.
