US Army Aviation Unit in Germany Receives State-of-the-Art Apache Attack Helicopters
The U.S. Army’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade received two new model Apache helicopters, which feature state-of-the-art enhancements to the aircraft’s sensors, software, and weapons systems at Wisconsin Army Airfield, Clay Kaserne, Germany, on September 1, 2023.
The new Apaches, officially designated as AH-64E Version 6 Apache Guardians, are the first of an anticipated 24 units scheduled to receive. They arrived on a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft, were unloaded, and then two of the unit’s existing AH-64 Delta models took their place as part of the transfer, bound for a different U.S. Army combat aviation brigade. The AH-64E V6 includes multiple enhancements to the aircraft’s sensors, software, and weapons performance and is designed for interoperability within the multi-domain operational environment. The AH-64E V6 is a lethal, survivable, and agile system providing ground force commanders with more reach, more capability, and more lethality.
“This new aircraft gives us so many more capabilities. There are upgrades on so many different aspects of the aircraft, which will better aid our abilities to support our Allies here in the European Theater,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Bridgit Duffey, a maintenance platoon leader with 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Battalion), 12th CAB.
“This aircraft will allow us of the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile and further integration of the Spike NLOS [a multi-purpose, electro-optical/infrared guided missile system],” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Michael Weiskopf, the brigade standardization officer with 12th CAB. “It also has a full instrument suite allowing us to deploy in bad weather.”
The AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopter upgrade is part of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade’s modernization effort, encompassing training, organizational, and equipment fielding.
By delivering and integrating advanced capabilities through a layered effect of onboard and off-board sensors, stand-off long-range weapons, and the connected architecture required for network-centric warfare, Boeing’s AH-64E Apache brings a full complement of increased lethality options to commanders on the battlefield.
In preparation for the arrival of these V6s, 12th CAB sent a few pilots to the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama, for initial training. Maintainers, on the other hand, are scheduled to be trained in Germany beginning in October, with an estimated completion date at the end of January 2024. USAACE is scheduled to send their New Equipment Training Team to train the pilots and maintainers over the course of the next several months. As the U.S. Army continues to build the Army of 2030 and invest in next-generation technology, the Apache Brigade brings about a mobile operational capability to serve as a centerpiece in the Multi-Domain Operations battlefield of the future.
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