Key Highlights
- Speaking at a House GOP Member Retreat on Tuesday, the US President claimed the helicopters had been delayed for over five years. Indian defence ministry officials fact-checked his statement, off record.
- India had ordered only 28 Apache helicopters in two tranches -- 22 in 2015 and eight in 2020, with all deliveries completed on schedule by December 2025. advertisementIndia’s real concerns over the machines are entirely different -- cost.
- The AH-64E is the pinnacle of US attack helicopter technology -- a twin-engined attack helicopter packed with radars and sensors for all weather and day / night capabilities.
- It can shoot Hellfire missiles and Hydra rockets at targets 10 km away, rake targets two kilometres away with 1200 rounds of 30mm milk-bottle sized cannon shells and bring down other aircraft and helicopters with Stinger air-to-air missiles.
- These capabilities cost top dollar, around $150 million (Rs 1,350 crore) per helicopter with missiles and ammunition.
