286:(NoE) missions. On 17 August 1972, the Army initiated the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) program. AAH sought an attack helicopter based on combat experience in Vietnam, with a lower top speed of 145 knots (269 km/h) and twin engines for improved survivability. To this end, the US Army issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) on 15 November 1972. The AAH requirements for reliability, survivability and life cycle costs were very similar to the
253:, and limited procurement of the Harrier for the Navy. The report never referred to the Cheyenne by name and only offered a lukewarm recommendation for the Army to continue to seek to procure attack helicopters, so long as their survivability could be improved. The Cheyenne program was canceled by the Army on 9 August 1972. The helicopter's large size and inadequate night/all-weather capability were reasons stated by the Army for the cancellation.
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launches had already taken place by then, with first firings in April 1979. A competitive evaluation of preproduction helicopters, one fitted with the Martin
Marietta sensor / targeting suite and the other fitted with the Northrop suite, was performed, with Martin Marietta winning the competition in April 1980. An initial production order for 11 "
354:
Faced with a flight deadline of the end of
September, Hughes' YAH-64 first flew on 30 September 1975, while Bell's YAH-63 first flew on 1 October. The second YAH-64's first flight was on 22 November, and second YAH-63 flew on 21 December 1975. The first YAH-63 crashed in June 1976, but a static test
381:
After evaluating test results, the Army selected Hughes' YAH-64A over Bell's YAH-63A on 10 December 1976. Both designs were regarded as good, but the Hughes design seemed to have an edge in survivability. Reasons for selecting the YAH-64A included its more damage-tolerant four-blade main rotor and
364:
During the prototype evaluation, the Army changed the AAH primary antitank weapon from the proven TOW wire-guided missile to the new
Hellfire laser-guided missile, with over twice the effective range. This was risky because Hellfire had not even been flown at the time, with the initial development
393:
The Phase 2 program suffered through a number of delays for various reasons and stretched out to over five years. The first Phase 2 flight, of an upgraded initial prototype, was on 28 November 1977, with the first flight of a newbuild preproduction prototype on 31 October 1979. Initial
Hellfire
385:
The AH-64A then entered phase 2 of the AAH program. This called for building three preproduction AH-64s, and upgrading the two YAH-64A flight prototypes and the ground test unit up to the same standard. Weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the new
225:
In 1971, political friction increased between the Army and the Air Force over the close air support (CAS) mission. The Air Force asserted that the
Cheyenne would infringe on the Air Force's CAS mission in support of the Army, which had been mandated with the
281:
Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne the US Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability to fly
237:
The Army convened a special task force under
General Marks in January 1972, to reevaluate the requirements for an attack helicopter. The task force conducted flight evaluations of the AH-56, along with two industry alternatives for comparison; the
262:
920:
246:. In 1972, the Army conducted a competitive fly-off of the helicopters from the spring 1972 until July 1972. The Army determined that the three helicopters could not fulfill its requirements.
301:. The AAH would be armed with a 30 millimeter cannon and 16 TOW anti-tank missiles. The missile armament specification was later modified to include an alternate load of 16 laser-guided
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prototype featured a three-wheel landing gear in a tricycle arrangement, and placed the pilot in the cockpit front instead of the usual rear seat, to help with nap of earth flying. Hughes'
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turboshaft engines that produce 1,500 shp (1,120 kW) each. The T700 was the same powerplant fit specified for a new Army utility helicopter competition that would be won by the
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428:
361:
A separate competition was conducted for the sensor and targeting suite for the AAH, with Martin
Marietta and Northrop submitting proposals in November 1976.
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340:) were selected as finalists, and were each awarded contracts for the construction of two prototype aircraft. This began the phase 1 of the competition.
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as an "interim type" for the "jungle fighting" role. However, the Army's broader concern was the task of protecting
Western Europe from the legions of
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In April 1972, the Senate published its report on CAS. The report recommended funding of the Air Force's A-X program, which would become the
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The Army put all four helicopters through a demanding program of flight testing during 1976. The Army flyoff began in June of that year.
96:
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230:
of 1948. The
Department of Defense (DOD) conducted a study which concluded that the Air Force's A-X program, the Navy's proposed
202:
and Warsaw Pact forces were to conduct a massive tank offensive attack on
Western Europe, they would probably cross either the
355:
prototype was brought up to flight standard and, along with the second prototype, entered the flyoff against Hughes' YAH-64s.
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prototype featured a three-wheel landing gear with the third gear at its tail. Its cockpit placed the pilot in the rear seat.
106:
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Towards the Third Dimension in Combined Arms: The Evolution of Armed Helicopters into Air Maneuver Units in Vietnam
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234:, and the Cheyenne were significantly different and that they did not constitute a duplication of capabilities.
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anti-tank missiles. The Hellfire was then in development and promised greater range and lethality than TOW.
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131:
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222:(see map). The Advanced Attack Helicopter was conceived from the need to defend against such an attack.
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initiated the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) program, which led to the development of the
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633:, p. 33. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: US Army Command and General Staff College, 22 April 1986.
597:. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 1972. Accessed on 31 October 2008.
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134:. After evaluating industry proposals, the AAH competition was reduced to offerings from
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beginning in 1972. The Advanced Attack Helicopter program followed cancellation of the
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30:
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Each company built two prototype helicopters for a flight test program. Bell's
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Critical Technology Events in the Development of the Apache Helicopter
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reduced stability of the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear arrangement.
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Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (OAVCSA).
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for use in the anti-tank gunship role. The US Army pursued the
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contract with Rockwell International signed in October 1976.
840:
Donald, David. "AH-64A/D Apache and AH-64D Longbow Apache",
142:. Following a flight test evaluation of prototypes, Hughes'
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Military aircraft procurement programs of the United States
861:. Washington, D.C.: US Government Accounting Office, 1974.
293:
The Army specified that the AAH was to be powered by twin
882:
An Abridged History of the Army Attack Helicopter Program
218:: a total distance of just 85 miles), or cross the
552:
The Warthog. The Best Deal the Air Force Never Wanted
532:, p. 84. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2003.
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210:first and then aiming for the westward bend of the
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84:
79:
65:
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45:
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398:" attack helicopters was issued on 26 March 1982.
476:Apache AH-64 Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) 1976–2005
866:Lockheed AH-56A Cheyenne – WarbirdTech Volume 27
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754:
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308:Proposals were submitted by five manufacturers:
885:. Washington, DC: Department of the Army. 1973.
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35:A YAH-64A during a demonstration flight in 1982
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429:List of military aircraft of the United States
88:YAH-64 selected for production as AH-64 Apache
190:armor to the east. The main scenario used by
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693:Model 309 KingCobra / Model 409 AAH (YAH-63)
676:Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) (1970–1981)
530:The Warthog and the Close Air Support Debate
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332:. In June 1973, Bell and Hughes Aircraft's
595:Dept. of the Army Historical Summary, 1972
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16:Family of United States attack helicopters
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858:Staff Study: Advanced Attack Helicopter
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257:Requirements, proposals, and prototypes
126:program to develop an advanced ground
7:
864:Landis, Tony and Jenkins, Dennis R.
695:, Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2008.
666:Landis and Jenkins 2000, pp. 81–82.
645:Landis and Jenkins 2000, pp. 79–82.
610:, p. 138. Osprey Publishing, 1990.
555:, p. 2. National War College. 2003.
501:, Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2008.
97:Advanced Aerial Fire Support System
926:United States military helicopters
14:
896:YAH-63 page on GlobalSecurity.org
906:AH-64 page on GlobalSecurity.com
844:. AIRtime Publishing Inc, 2004.
819:. AIRtime Publishing Inc, 2004.
408:
29:
24:Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH)
936:Helicopter procurement programs
767:, Vectorsite.net, 1 July 2007.
158:Probable axes of attack of the
146:was selected in December 1976.
855:Government Accounting Office.
784:"Attack helicopter contenders"
584:"Chapter V: Force Development"
1:
277:YAH-64A prototype with T-tail
107:Light Helicopter Experimental
842:Modern Battlefield Warplanes
817:Modern Battlefield Warplanes
582:Center of Military History.
170:(according to the U.S. Army)
715:. Osprey Publishing, 2006.
478:. Osprey Publishing, 2005.
952:
800:"The soldier's helicopter"
627:Bonin, John A., MAJ, USA.
174:During the mid-1960s, the
116:Advanced Attack Helicopter
868:. Specialty Press, 2000.
28:
334:Toolco Aircraft Division
499:First Generation Cobras
424:List of attack aircraft
369:Selection and afterward
244:Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk
180:Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
132:Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
589:1 January 2017 at the
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278:
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699:7 August 2007 at the
505:7 August 2007 at the
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295:General Electric T700
272:
264:
157:
804:Flight International
788:Flight International
740:Flight International
765:Boeing AH-64 Apache
713:Huey Cobra Gunships
657:OAVCSA 1973, p. 10.
528:Campbell, Douglas.
265:A YAH-63A prototype
251:A-10 Thunderbolt II
168:North German Plains
41:General information
931:Attack helicopters
742:, 16 October 1975.
736:"AAH under attack"
573:OAVCSA 1973, p. 9.
434:List of rotorcraft
379:
338:Hughes Helicopters
288:UTTAS requirements
279:
267:
240:Bell 309 KingCobra
228:Key West Agreement
220:North German Plain
176:United States Army
172:
124:United States Army
60:United States Army
901:Jane's AH-64 page
874:978-1-58007-027-0
850:978-1-880588-76-5
825:978-1-880588-76-5
771:13 April 2013 at
721:978-1-84176-984-4
678:– Global Security
616:978-0-85045-934-0
538:978-1-55750-232-2
484:978-1-84176-816-8
345:Model 409/YAH-63A
198:was that, if the
128:attack helicopter
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50:Attack helicopter
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303:AGM-114 Hellfire
299:UH-60 Black Hawk
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474:Bishop, Chris.
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416:Aviation portal
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322:Hughes Aircraft
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194:throughout the
184:AH-1G HueyCobra
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890:External links
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93:Predecessors
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206:(capturing
188:Warsaw Pact
160:Warsaw Pact
70:Bell YAH-63
46:Project for
915:Categories
440:References
150:Background
103:Successors
66:Prototypes
390:missile.
377:A YAH-64A
273:An early
216:Wiesbaden
214:south of
208:Frankfurt
204:Fulda Gap
164:Fulda Gap
56:Issued by
769:Archived
697:Archived
587:Archived
503:Archived
402:See also
388:Hellfire
330:Sikorsky
326:Lockheed
196:Cold War
166:and the
122:) was a
336:(later
318:Grumman
232:Harrier
85:Outcome
80:History
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328:, and
275:Hughes
144:YAH-64
140:Hughes
445:Notes
212:Rhine
870:ISBN
846:ISBN
821:ISBN
717:ISBN
612:ISBN
534:ISBN
480:ISBN
310:Bell
242:and
192:NATO
138:and
136:Bell
114:The
320:),
120:AAH
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