Интересная статья из "Джейнз" от 07.04.05, связанная с прибытием первых 3 AH-64D в Израиль:
Кстати, в октябре 2004 г. в журнале ВВС (стр. 14) сообщалось, что в сентябре 2004 г. в США на модернизацию в AH-64D были отправлены несколько дополнительных АН-64А, последние в первой части контракта (т.е. по-видимому имеются в виду 6 вертолётов, в отличии от 3 дополнительных). Остальные будут посланы посже. Вертолёты были частично разобраны в Подразделении авиационного обслуживания ("Йуд-Алеф-Алеф") и посланы в США, на завод Боинг, на грузовом самолёте "Боинг-747" компании "Эль-Аль" (маршрут - из Израиля в Финикс, Аризона (с промежуточной посадкой в аэропорту Кенеди в Нью-Йорке), оттуда - на грузовиках - на завод).
На фото виден вертолёт номер 959 перед погрузкой.
Таким образом, получается что всего AH-64D будет 18 - 9 новых и 9 модернизированных. В то же время в статье "BOEING AH-64 APACHE" написано:Israel receives new Apaches
ALON BEN-DAVID JDW Correspondent
Mesa, Arizona
The Israel Air Force (IAF) has taken delivery of an initial three Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters as part of a $640 million contract under which Israel will receive a total of 18 helicopters.
A Boeing source told JDW that the IAF is considering the acquisition of six more Longbows to create a whole IAF squadron.
The AH-64Ds, dubbed Seraph by the IAF, were delivered to Ramon Air Force Base in the southern Negev on 1 April, where the IAF's other Apache AH-64A 'Peten' squadrons are deployed.
Under the original contract, signed with Boeing in 2001, the IAF will obtain nine new AH-64D Longbows and will upgrade three of its AH-64As to AH-64D Longbow configuration. The IAF had argued that the initial contract for 12 Longbows was not sufficient to provide the "critical mass" required for a full capability and called for an additional six aircraft. In November 2004, Israel issued the order for the upgrade of six more IAF AH-64As into the AH-64D Longbow configuration. Both contracts are funded under the US government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. Deliveries of all aircraft are scheduled over the next 18 months.
"It is clear that the IAF will eventually require a total of 24 aircraft, although funding for additional Longbows has not yet been secured," a Boeing source told JDW. "Israel has a fleet of more than 40 AH-64As and might ultimately become the last country to operate the A model when the availability of spare parts becomes a problem."
The IAF Seraphs are equipped with Longbow International's AN/APG-78 Longbow mast-mounted millimetric fire-control radar, which allows the crew to search, detect, locate, classify and prioritise ground targets in a 55 km2 area. Up to 16 of the highest priority targets can be displayed simultaneously at ranges up to 8 km for moving targets. Integrated below the radar is Lockheed Martin's AN/APR-48 Radio Frequency Interferometer, which performs passive seeking to provide directional cues for the fire-and-forget capability of the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire 2 missiles. In addition to the radar-guided missiles, the Israeli Longbow is equipped with the laser-guided AGM-114K/M Hellfire 2 air-to-surface missiles, both installed in a M299 launcher, enabling the future use of the Joint Common Missile (JCM), still under development by Lockheed Martin. The IAF chose not to install the 70 mm folding fin aerial rockets in its helicopters.
Mounted on the Seraph's nose is Lockheed Martin's Arrowhead Modernised Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS), which is a "significant improvement in the night and all-weather capabilities compared with older systems", according to Brigadier General Gen Omri, head of the IAF's air directorate for helicopters.
Israel's Elbit Systems is manufacturing a unique command- and-control mission management system for the Seraph, based on its HeliC3om system designed for IAF requirements. Elbit is also supplying the Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System for the Longbow. The Seraph protection suite comprises of Elisra's Passive Approach Warning System, SPS-65 (self-protection system), and SPJ-40 - a self-protection radar jammer.
"The Seraph provides us with a significant communication improvement - the ability to detect a target and transfer its specifications to another computer," said Gen Omri. "Currently, this capability is limited to communications between Seraphs only, but our vision is that in the future the Seraph will be able to communicate with other forces."
However, some senior officers in the IDF raised doubts on the need to invest in Longbows: "It is a platform designed for traditional conventional warfare, which appears less and less relevant to us," one of them told JDW. Others said that the budget invested in the Seraph acquisition "would have been better spent on more unmanned aerial vehicles".
A senior IAF source said in response: "The Seraph increases our capabilities both in the conventional battlefield and in low- intensity conflict. Nonetheless, we have to prepare for a variety of scenarios and do not have the privilege to neglect our capabilities for the classic warfare".
Если это верно, и цифра 18 тоже верна, то из 18 вертолётов 8 будут новые, 10 - модернизированные (1+6+3).Israel ordered 18 in March 1990; first two delivered 12 September 1990 to 113 Squadron; further 24 ex-US Army AH-64As supplied for 113 and 127 Squadrons at Ramon; deliveries to 190 Squadron at Ramat David, 1995. After rejecting new-build AH-64D Apache Longbow on cost grounds, Israel considered upgrade of existing AH-64A to AH-64D; however, upgrade proposal later abandoned in favour of acquisition of new-build AH-64D; letter of offer and acceptance signed February 2001, covering nine helicopters (of which one was to be a remanufactured AH-64A). Contract for eight new-build AH-64Ds awarded on 29 May 2002, at which time additional three remanufactured helicopters included in overall deal.Subsequently, in mid-2004, it appeared Israel intends to upgrade all existing AH64As to AH-64D configuration.
Кстати, в октябре 2004 г. в журнале ВВС (стр. 14) сообщалось, что в сентябре 2004 г. в США на модернизацию в AH-64D были отправлены несколько дополнительных АН-64А, последние в первой части контракта (т.е. по-видимому имеются в виду 6 вертолётов, в отличии от 3 дополнительных). Остальные будут посланы посже. Вертолёты были частично разобраны в Подразделении авиационного обслуживания ("Йуд-Алеф-Алеф") и посланы в США, на завод Боинг, на грузовом самолёте "Боинг-747" компании "Эль-Аль" (маршрут - из Израиля в Финикс, Аризона (с промежуточной посадкой в аэропорту Кенеди в Нью-Йорке), оттуда - на грузовиках - на завод).
На фото виден вертолёт номер 959 перед погрузкой.