Westland WAH-64 Apache AH1
Britain's licence-built Longbow — Rolls-Royce engines and folding blades for ships · First flight 1998 · In service 2004
The British Army chose the Apache in July 1995 over the Eurocopter Tiger and other bids, and a contract for 67 helicopters was signed in 1996. The first eight were built by Boeing and the other 59 were assembled by Westland at Yeovil from Boeing-supplied kits. Westland produced the first WAH-64 in September 1998, the first nine Apache AH1s were cleared for service in January 2001, and the 67th was handed over in July 2004.
Based on the AH-64D Block I, the AH1 swapped the GE T700s for Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 engines, added a folding-blade mechanism and other changes for operation from Royal Navy ships, the BOWMAN secure radio and a Selex HIDAS defensive aids suite. Instead of Hydra rockets it carried up to 76 CRV7s.
British Apaches first deployed to Afghanistan in May 2006, achieved maritime certification aboard HMS Ocean in December 2005 and flew from the ship during the 2011 Libya operation. The AH1 was retired on 25 March 2024; 50 airframes were remanufactured by Boeing into AH-64E Version 6 aircraft with US engines.
