Image: LCPL Caitlyn Davill
The Australian Army has received its first two Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters at RAAF Base Townsville, marking the beginning of a new era in the nation’s rotary-wing combat capability. The aircraft, delivered on October 2, are the first of 29 Apaches being acquired under a US$3.5 billion Foreign Military Sale with the United States, according to the Australian Department of Defence.
Modernisation Milestone
The Apache purchase, first announced in 2021, will replace the Army’s ageing fleet of Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters, which have faced persistent sustainment and availability challenges since entering service in 2004. With this delivery, Australia becomes the 18th nation to operate the Apache, joining a global fleet of more than 1,300 aircraft.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said the introduction of the AH-64E represents “a critical step change in attack aviation capability” and aligns with the government’s broader plan to strengthen the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) northern posture. The 1st Aviation Regiment, currently transitioning from the Tiger, will operate the new aircraft from Townsville, supported by significant infrastructure upgrades worth A$700 million.
Two additional helicopters are scheduled for delivery before the end of 2025, with the full fleet expected to arrive by 2029, Boeing confirmed.
Enhanced Capability
The AH-64E Apache Guardian offers a mature and combat-proven platform featuring advanced sensors, networked communications, and the ability to coordinate with uncrewed aircraft systems through its Manned-Unmanned Teaming-2 (MUMT-X) technology. The aircraft provides enhanced reconnaissance, strike, and close air support capabilities designed for multi-domain operations.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the Apache program “modernises the ADF and transforms the Army into a force optimised for littoral manoeuvre and long-range strike.” Army pilots and maintainers have been training on the platform in the United States and United Kingdom, with several personnel already qualified to operate and maintain the new helicopters.
Video: Defence Australia
Local Industry Participation
Boeing and the Australian Government have also emphasised the domestic industrial benefits of the Apache program. Through partnerships established in 2023, several Australian companies—including Cablex, Ferra, Axiom Precision Manufacturing, Mincham, and Thomas Global Systems—will produce wiring, avionics, and structural components for both local and international Apache fleets.
“This agreement will help create jobs, develop Australia’s aerospace capability, and grow the local economy,” said Kathleen Jolivette, vice president and general manager of Boeing Vertical Lift, when the partnership was announced at the 2023 Avalon Airshow.
Boeing Defence Australia has additionally secured a seven-year Initial Support Contract to sustain the Apache fleet, covering maintenance, engineering, training, and logistics. The Army aims to achieve Initial Operational Capability by late 2026.
Preparing for Transition
The Defence Department is establishing the new Townsville Aviation Training Academy to support Apache and Chinook technical training, further developing Australia’s sovereign maintenance and training base. Meanwhile, the Army is advancing plans to retire the Tiger fleet by 2027–28, exploring options for either resale or parts distribution to other operators, according to Aviation Week.
Major General David Hafner, Commander of Army Aviation, acknowledged the Tiger’s contribution to Australia’s development of an attack helicopter capability but said the Apache’s arrival represents a “generational leap forward” in reliability and combat readiness.
The Apache’s induction marks one of the most significant steps in modernising Australia’s land-based aviation force, reinforcing the ADF’s capacity to project power across the Indo-Pacific and sustain long-range strike operations from northern Australia.
Source: Australian Department of Defence
