First remanufactured Apache helos arrive in Netherlands

The first of 28 Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64D Apaches to be converted to the latest AH-64E standard seen at its rollout in March 2022. (Netherlands Ministry of Defence)

The first Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters to be remanufactured to the latest AH-64E Apache Guardian standard have arrived back in the Netherlands.

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) said on 7 December that the first two of 20 helicopters to be operated in the Netherlands (a further eight will be sent to Fort Cavazos – formerly Fort Hood – in Texas for training) were transported via a US Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III airlifter to Woensdrecht Air Base.

These and follow-on helicopters will be assembled and tested at Woensdrecht, before being flown to their future operating station of Gilze-Rijen Air Base.

The Netherlands began shipping its AH-64D helicopters to Boeing’s Apache production facility at Mesa, Arizona, for overhaul and remanufacture to the latest AH-64E standard in November 2020.