September 01, 2014: As the IAF awaits contract signature on the keenly awaited Apache attack helicopter deal, it has been given a chance to savour the future of its attack copter capability through three recent events where the Apache was deployed. The material, made available through the Air Wing at the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C., depicts U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters conducting operations this month (August 2014) off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) deployed in the Persian Gulf, a capability the Indian Air Force hasn't seen so far. The second is the live-fire exercise Northern Strike this month at Camp Grayling’s Air to Ground Gunnery Range in Michigan in which Apaches from the Charlie Company, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion demonstrated their blistering offensive power in the joint multi-national combined arms training exercise. Finally, and this is something the Indian Navy got a first hand look at during the RIMPAC 2014 exercise in July, a Task Force Lightning Horse AH-64E Apache Guardian from 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, conducted deck landing qualifications, a historical first for the E model of the Apache, on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) while underway for the RIMPAC 2014.

The Indian Air Force will operate the first 22 Apaches, while the Indian Army will contract (negotiations will begin later this year) for 39 more Apaches for three attack helicopter squadrons to be deployed with its three strike corps. The Indian Air Force deal includes 50 T700-GE-701D engines, 12 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars, 12 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 812 AGM-114L-3 HELLFIRE LONGBOW missiles, 542 AGM-114R-3 HELLFIRE II missiles, 245 STINGER Block I-92H missiles, and 23 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensors, rockets, training and dummy missiles, 30 mm ammunition, transponders and simulators.