AH-64 Apache The Ultimate Combat Helicopters
The documentary “Is Boeing AH-64 Apache The Ultimate Weapon?” is part of a series called “The Ultimates: Combat Helicopters” and explores the role of the helicopter in modern warfare.
The narrator explains how the helicopter was first used in the Korean War for evacuating wounded troops and quickly evolved into a powerful attack weapon during the Vietnam War.
The documentary highlights the role of digital technology in modern warfare and how the helicopter is moving into a new era of digital battlefields.
The narrator explains that commanders can now use digital technology to know the exact position of their troops, aircraft, and weapons, as well as the enemy’s position at any given moment in time. This information can be instantly sent to troops on the ground and in the sky using one gigantic military internet.
The documentary then focuses on the AH-64 Apache Longbow, which is described as the deadliest helicopter ever built and the first to be wired for the digital battlefield. The Apache Longbow is a heavy attack platform designed for the army, providing not only a heavy attack capability but also close air support and armed escort for other aircraft.
The Apache can carry a wide range of weapons, including Hellfire missiles, rockets, and machine guns.
The Apache is designed for combat both during the day and at night and has seen action in Panama, Somalia, Bosnia, and both Gulf Wars.
The documentary goes on to explain the various technologies integrated into the Apache Longbow, such as sensors that identify and track targets day and night using high-resolution television, infrared, and lasers.
The information from these sensors is displayed in the pilot’s eyepiece on the helmet, which is linked to the gun, so wherever the pilot looks, the gun points as well. On top of the Apache is the Longbow radar pod, which is used to locate and track targets using a technique called unmasking.
One of the key advantages of the Apache Longbow is its digital systems, which can easily be replicated in a simulator. This means that pilots can be trained on a device that simulates real missions without ever putting aircraft or pilots at risk.
The documentary showcases a training facility at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where the US Army trains Longbow Apache helicopter pilots on four state-of-the-art simulators.
In summary, the documentary highlights the evolution of the helicopter in modern warfare, the role of digital technology in the digital battlefield, and the capabilities of the AH-64 Apache Longbow as the deadliest and most advanced attack helicopter.
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