AgustaWestland AH-1 Apache

Julien · June 19, 2011

All pics in the thread from Gary Stedman unless noted otherwise.

Ferry tanks fitted to one of the first AH's delivered to Wattisham, summer 2005. ferry tanks never actually used by the AAC, only flown by Westlands during trials.

ZJ173 on display at Colchester military festival in June, 2007. Aircraft is in UK training fit only - no Helicopter Intergrated Defensive Avonics System (HIDAS) fitted.

ZJ209 in Wattisham hangar, May 2008 showing panels removed for 300 hour checks.

Quad Hellfire rails and UK spec CRV-7 19 tube rocket pod on ZJ166 at Wattisham, May 2008

Rotor head on ZJ166, same time and location as above.

ZJ226 outside Wattisham hangar, May 2008. Fitted with then current theatre standard HIDAS.

AH Front seat, early configuration (Fitted with TADS, prior to MTADS)

AH Rear seat, all standards.

cockpit detail on ZJ166 at Wattisham, May 2008.

View through Wattisham hangar, October 2008.

ZJ224 the very day it returned too Wattisham after Operation Herrick duty (October 2008). This aircraft was the one flown by 'Ed Macy' at Jugroom Fort in January 2007.

AH ground running at Wattisham, May 2008.

Julien · June 19, 2011

I will put the descriptions on top of the pics now. (just to confuse!)

Detail shots of ZJ203 at Colchester Military Festival, July 2006. Aircraft was fitted to the then, Theatre Entry Standard.

AGM-114 Hellfire drill rounds

Overall view of aircraft and fitted with the original HIDAS configuration

Early TADS/PNVS (Pilots Night Vision Sensor).

From the front, flare dispenser, Laser Warning Reciever and missile plume sensor (all both sides and originally specific only to UK models, LWR now being fitted and retrofitted to US Army airframes).

Standard exhausts, UK airframes not being fitted with the upturned exhausts trailed on US Army airframes which has been dropped by them anyway.

Chaff dispenser (left side only and specific to UK models).

UK specific CRV-7 launcher and Hellfire CTM (Collective Training Missile) which for UK training is usually loaded as a single round on one side, with a blue drill round the other side.

ZJ203 at Colchester Military Festival in July 2006

ZJ204 at Wattisham, November 2010. Aircraft is named 'The Dickson Pioneer III' on both sides of the avonics bay. Aircraft is fitted with MTADS.

ZJ169 at Wattisham, March 2011. Forward avonics bay open and fitted with MTADS

Latest MTADS (Modernised Target Acquisition and Designation Sight) on Apache at Wattisham, November 2009. MTADS has a revised upper sight housing and by 2011 all UK Apaches are fitted.

Close up of the MTADS sight.

Nose on of a MTADS fitted Apache at Colchester, July 2009.

Shows revised HIDAS fit that was applied to UK Apaches from 2008. Rear fuselage mounted missile plume sensor now moved to wing stubs.

New missile plume sensor fitted under rear fuselage on aircraft with the revised HIDAS fit. Revised HIDAS fit not universal through fleet as of May 2011.

MTADS fitted aircraft on static display at Wattisham, December 2009.

Julien · June 19, 2011

Apache being pushed pushed out of hangar with warning tags still fitted.

Shows aft right side internal avonics bay and ground servicing panel.

Left hand side internal bays and 30mm ammo feed

Left hand Extended Forward Avonics Bay (EFAB) internal image

Revised forward cockpit of a MTADS fitted aircraft - note the new MFD in the centre

Forward EFAB HIDAS fit. As already noted, HIDAS not fitted too all aircraft. Forward HIDAS fit is the same on four and five position aircraft, when fitted.

Training laser fit attachment fitted to aircraft configured for UK only operations. Left handside only, fitted inbetween EFAB and TADS.

ZJ224 shows letter \'K\' painted underneath after a Operation Herrick deployment. Have seen \'B\', \'A\' and \'F\' previously.

ZJ233 shows the new five point HIDAS (positions on front EFAB, stub pylons and underneath rear fuselage. Aircraft is fitted with original TADS. Note flare dispenser on rear fuselage is not covered.

ZJ187 fitted with RCEFS (Reduced Capacity External Fuel System) tanks on the inboard stations, five point HIDAS and MTADS.

Apache also fitted with the new RCEFS in October 2009. By 2011 the CRV-7 rocket pods wee no longer a standard load on Operation Herrick. External stores are RCEFS and Hellfire rails.

Nose shot of a Apache fitted with MTADS, original four point HIDAS and the training laser fit attachment. Standard training fit of Hellfires also fitted.

General shots

Julien · July 15, 2011

A few more detailed pics from Gary Stedman

Open panels on GPS bays.

Right rear avonics bay.

Gearbox

Tail driveshaft and rear access panels.

Forward left Extended Forward Avonics Bay (EFAB)

Centre EFAB and 30mm chain link.

Carbine variant of the SA80 carried in cockpit by all AH aircrew.

Julien · March 17, 2012

Some more pictures with thanks to Gary.

These 3 pictures show front seat of a MTADS fitted aircraft. Front cockpit of a MTADS fitted aircraft has a third MFD, raised in the central position, replacing the old binocular sight.

These 4 pics show the rear cockpit of ZJ179.

This pic shows the open right hand forward Avonics bay, including the 30mm feed.

This pic Shows the missile plume sensor moved to the end of the stub pylon.

This shows stub pylon without the plume sensor on the older HIDAS configuration where it is still fitted to the rear fuselage.

This pic is a front view of the full Modernised Target Acquisition Sight.

These pics show the Reduced size Crashworthy External Fuel System (RCEFS) tank. Acquired quite recently as a external tank that can be flown on Apache’s on operations, A single or pair of RCEFS’s are frequently carried on the outboard stub pylon stations.

Cheers Gary for keeping us updated with changes to the Apache airframes.

Julien