India Receives First Batch Of Apache Helicopters From US, Army Calls It ‘Milestone Moment’ | India News
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The first consignment of Apache helicopters from the US has arrived at Hindon Airbase, with protocols like assembly and Joint Receipt Inspection (JRI) to follow.
Apache helicopters in India (Photo: Indian Army)
The first consignment of Apache helicopters, received from the United States, arrived at the Hindon Airbase on Tuesday. Other procedures, such as assembling, the Joint Receipt Inspection (JRI), and induction would be followed as per the protocol.
Confirming the development, the Indian Army, in an X post, shared images of the Apache helicopter, and wrote, “Indian Army inducts Apache”.
“Milestone moment for Indian Army as the first batch of Apache helicopters for Army Aviation arrive today in India,” (sic), the post mentioned.
“These state-of-the-art platforms will bolster the operational capabilities of the Indian Army significantly,” it added.
On July 20, CNN-News 18 reported that three Apache helicopters were set to be inducted into the Indian Army in the next two days.
Though there was no official confirmation, sources had said that the units will most probably arrive in Jodhpur by July 21.
As per procedure, a JRI will be conducted before delivery and induction, the report had said.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE APACHE HELICOPTER
The AH-64E Apache is one of the world’s most advanced attack helicopters, designed to deliver powerful strikes in hostile combat zones.
Manufactured by US defence giant Boeing, the Apache is currently operated by the armed forces of countries like the United States, the UK, Israel, Egypt, and now India.
The helicopter is armed with a powerful 30 mm chain gun, laser- and radar-guided Hellfire missiles for precision strikes, and rocket pods capable of engaging multiple ground targets.
It also features the Longbow radar mounted above the rotor, allowing the Apache to detect, track, and prioritise threats without direct exposure.
INDIA’s AGREEMENTS FOR APACHE HELICOPTERS
India first acquired 22 Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force under a 2015 agreement. The six new ones being inducted are for the Indian Army’s Aviation Corps.
In March last year, the Army Aviation Corps signed a contract for 25 new ALH helicopters.
The Ministry signed two contracts for a combined value of Rs 8073.17 crore for the acquisition of 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III for the Indian Army (25 ALHs) and Indian Coast Guard (09 ALHs), marking a significant move towards indigenisation in defence manufacturing.
The Indian Army’s Army Aviation Corps raised its first squadron of Apache attack helicopters in Jodhpur on March 15.
Later, the Indian Army signed a contract to acquire six Apache helicopters from the US. However, the delivery of the choppers missed two deadlines.
The first batch of choppers was expected to be delivered by June 2024. However, the timeline was pushed to December that year due to supply chain issues.
ALSO READ | Tata Boeing Achieves Major Milestone with 300th Apache Fuselage Delivery
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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