Despite the vulnerability faced by attack helicopters in traditional close-in, low-and-slow attack roles, countries like Israel and India appear to be betting big on the American Apache attack choppers. The United States recently approved a potential $3.8 billion foreign military sale to Israel for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and associated equipment on January 30, 2026, […]

However, as pointed out by Indian Air Force veteran Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd) in a previous EurAsian Times article, “the main reason attack helicopters will not disappear is that they fill a niche that very few platforms can fill. They are the only 350 KMPH missile carriers that can hide behind trees, pop up, and literally shoot and scoot.”

“Apache helicopters are still the most survivable, efficient, and formidable flying anti-tank platforms available to militaries. They also have significant roles as anti-UAV and anti-attack helicopters,” Air Marshal Chopra added.

Pretty amazing to see the rest of the world lulled into a fantasy that Apaches aren’t the most terrifyingly effective and unpredictable weapon system on earth.

  • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyzOPEnglish
    11·
    5 months ago

    Wait are you using an example of 30 Apaches taking on an entire city of machine guns that knew they were coming and still none were shot down as an example that Apaches are ineffective!? That is proof they are far tougher than they have any right to be as flying vehicles, that sounds like a suicide mission miraculously saved by Apaches being tough as nails.

    EDIT: In fairness, one quote in the article, from the Indian guy, suggests that they’re maybe more interested in being able to haul ATGMs to a given location and pop up from behind terrain to attack armor that shows up near the front lines, which is also a role in which Russian attack helicopters have been used successfuly in Ukraine.

    This has always been the intended mission for the AH-64 including beginning integration of MUM-T unmanned vehicle control, datasharing and target assignment to extend this capability years and years before anyone took drones seriously in the context of near-peer conflict.

    The Apache has just been waiting all these decades for us to catch up in our understanding of its nature.

    Also who was carrying the cellphone signal interception kit for EW and coms surveillance in the attack you referenced? Sounds like a perfect job for an Apache…