The Apache Helicopter

    The Apache helicopter, it is know as one of the most kick-butt helicopters around the world. And with very good reason too. The Apache helicopter can fly at a top speed of 182 miles per hour and climb at a rate of 889m/min and as high as 15,000 feet with its four blades, twin-turboshaft engines each giving it 1265kW and tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement. It weighs 51,65kg and its maximum take off weight is 10,433kg.

    The Apache was first used in combat in 1989 in Panama. Then in 1997 (when I was born) the United States Army got delivered the first Apache Longbow. The Longbow has the  Longbow Hellfire missiles.

    The total main weapons are; a 30mm automatic Boeing M230 chain gun, it is located under the fuselage. It has a rate of fire of 625 rounds a minute and can hold 1,200 rounds of ammunition and take out a target over two miles away. Which is a very fast rate of fire for a round that big and being able to hold that much ammo of just that one caliber is amazing to me. It is armed with Lockheed Martin / Boeing AGM-114D Longbow Hellfire air-to-surface missile. The Hellfire missile can use a millimetre wave seeker that allows the missile to work in full fire and forget mode. It can shoot up to 8km to 12km. Besides having air-to-surface missiles, the Apache also has  air-to-air missiles. Like, Stingers, AIM-9s, sidewinders, Mistrals and sidearms. And it used really advanced guided precision kill aiming systems.

The AH-64 Longbow Apache carries the combo of armaments picked to use for the certain mission that it is going on. If it is going on a close support mission it will carry four four-rail launchers and four air-to-air missiles. (like the picture I added)

The Apache is like a flying tank.  The windshield is made out of reinforced glass that can take all kinds of small arms fire. Its primary adjective is to apply death and destruction on the battlefield. It can do removers in the air most helicopters can not do. It can do barrel rolls and loops. Which is very helpful if you are trying to dodge missiles or gunfire from an oncoming enemy.

It takes two years to become a pilot. It takes great nerves, they call it riding riding the dragon. A hard part of flying an Apache is shifting your eyes, because your right eyes is fitted with a monocle. 12 different images can be places in the monocles eye. Wherever you are looking is where the computer is going to aim the helicopter’s weapons.

I would love to become a Apache helicopter pilot. To have all of that firepower and go on awesome dangerous missions. But it is very hard to get into. First you have to be an officer the a warrant officer then go to flight school. That would definitely be worth it though. Flying one of the best helicopter’s in the world.