Saudi Arabia begins receiving new AH-64E Apache helos
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
18 September 2014
Deliveries to Saudi Arabia of the AH-64E (seen here in US Army service) are believed to have started in early September. Source: US Army
Saudi Arabia has begun receiving the first of its new AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters from Boeing, images posted online in early September appear to show.
According to these pictures,
at least three AH-64E helicopter have arrived in the kingdom having been transported from Boeing's Mesa production facility in Arizona aboard an Antonov An-124 'Condor' strategic transport aircraft. Saudi media has reported that the helicopters' arrival coincided with the graduation of the first pilots and maintainers.
على الاقل 3 مورحيات اباتشي وصلت إلى المملكة ونقلت من شركة بوينغ وتم نقلها عن طريق طائرة انتونوف نقل عن الاذاعة السعودية ان وصول المروحيات تم مزامنة مع وصول دفعة من الطيارين والفنيين
Boeing had not responded to requests for comment by
IHS Jane's at the time of writing.
Details of the Saudi AH-64E procurement have not been made public, but
IHS Jane's understands that the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) has ordered 36 AH-64Es, the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) has ordered 12, and the Saudi Royal Guard is looking to buy 10. Combined with the 12 AH-64A/D helicopters already fielded by the RSLF, these orders will make Saudi Arabia the largest Apache operator outside the United States.
التفاصيل :
القوات البرية طلبت : 36 مروحية اباتشي
الحرس الوطني : طلب 12 مروحية اباتشي
والحرس الملكي : يريد شراء 10 مروحيات
هذه كلها مجتمعة مع وجود 12 مروحية من طراز AH-64A/D داخل الخدمة فعليا في القوات البرية وهاذا يجعلها اكبر مشغل للاباتشي خارج الولايات المتحدة
While Boeing has declined to comment on the Saudi contracts, a tour of the company's Mesa facility in June revealed a number of RSLF helicopters in various stages of production. At that time, a spokesman said that the RSLF would receive its helicopters first, with deliveries for the SANG set to start in fiscal year 2015. He made no mention of the Saudi Royal Guard.
Saudi Arabia's AH-64E procurement is part of a wider build-up of its rotary-winged capabilities that includes contracts for 24 Boeing AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopters and 24 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks for the SANG. As well, 12 MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) MD 530F Little Bird observation and light helicopters are thought to have been delivered to the RSLF in 2013.
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