India, US sign contract for additional Apache attack choppers

NEW DELHI: India and US have signed the contract for six Apache helicopters for the Indian Army which follows a contract for 22 helicopters ordered by the Indian Air Force in 2015. While 17 of 22 Apaches have been delivered to India, the remaining five will be delivered to the Indian Air Force by the end of March 2020.

Notably, the deliveries for the Indian Army Apaches are planned to begin in 2023.

The Apache sale is a hybrid procurement – Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) between Boeing and MoD and Foreign Military Sale (FMS) between the GoI and USG.


The FMS contract for the Apache includes munitions, training, aircraft certification, and components includes engines, EO sensors and the radar. The direct commercial sale portion of the contract primarily consists of the aircraft (less engines/sensors), logistic support, spares and services.

Indian Army will get the AH-64E Apache configuration – the latest attack helicopter version that the US Army first took delivery of in November 2011.

In terms of capabilities, the AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army will be identical.