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United States Boeing
AH-64E Apache Guardian
The latest production version of the U.S. Army's twin-engine, tandem-seat attack helicopter, featuring the Longbow millimeter-wave fire-control radar and improved engines. It is the world's most widely exported attack helicopter, flown by over a dozen allied air arms.
In service since 2011 · 17 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
293
km/h
480
km range
6,400
m ceiling
771
kg payload
💲 ≈ $35,000,000 — Approximate unit flyaway cost, AH-64E new-build
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 17 operators
In service since 2011. Status: active · ~2,600 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$88M – $123M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 293 km/h Stronger than 44% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 265 km/h Stronger than 67% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 480 km Stronger than 25% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 6,400 m Top 8% of helicopters
- Rate of climb
How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.
- 13 m/s Stronger than 77% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 30 mm M230 chain gun
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 4 Stronger than 41% of helicopters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 771 kg Stronger than 28% of helicopters
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Crew compartment boron-carbide armor plating and crash-resistant seats
- Countermeasures
Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.
- AN/APR-48 radar warning receiver, chaff, flares, AN/AAR-11 missile warning system
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 17.73 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 3.87 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 5,165 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 10,433 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft, 2000 hp each
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 2,000 hp Stronger than 60% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Radar
Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.
- AN/APG-78 Longbow millimeter-wave fire-control radar
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- AN/ASQ-170 Target Acquisition Designation Sight, AN/AAR-11 pilot night vision sensor
- Thermal imaging
Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.
- Yes
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $35,000,000 Stronger than 46% of helicopters
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 2,600 Top 9% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 17 Stronger than 85% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Russian Helicopters Ka-52 Alligator Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian has a maximum speed of 293 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian has a maximum range of 480 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian can carry up to 771 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian weigh? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian has a combat weight of 10,433 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian require? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian's primary weapon is the 30 mm M230 chain gun.
What engine does the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian use? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian is powered by the 2x General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft, 2000 hp each.
What is the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian used for? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian is operated by 17 countries.
How much does the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian cost? +
The Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian has an approximate unit cost of 35,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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