The US State Department has given its preliminary approval for a Foreign Military Sale of AH-64E Apache helicopters to South Korea, potentially doubling the size of the country’s fleet.
The estimated cost of the order is $3.5 billion. It includes up to 36 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, 76 T700-GE-701D engines, 456 Hellfire missiles, and various advanced radar, sensor, and communications systems.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. “The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations.”
Introduced in 2012 as the AH-64D Block III, the AH-64E Apache Guardian is the latest and most advanced variant of the Apache series. It features enhanced engines and new composite rotor blades, offering superior combat capabilities. It is equipped with the AN/APG-78 Longbow radar.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin will serve as the principal contractors for the deal. Further negotiations between South Korea and the contractors will determine any additional agreements, including potential offsets.
The Republic of Korea Army already operates 36 AH-64E Apaches, which were ordered in 2013 and delivered between 2016 and 2017. It is in the process of phasing out its Bell AH-1S Cobra helicopters, inducted in 1976.
On August 14, 2024, Poland signed a deal to purchase 96 AH-64E attack helicopters for the Polish Armed Forces. This order is poised to make the European country the second-largest operator of Apache helicopters globally after the United States.
