Charlie Co., 3-159th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion has the job of maintaining the Battalion's AH-64D model Apache helicopters at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. It isn’t an easy job and is a whole lot of work for such a small company but Charlie gets is done, working 24-hour operations to ensure the Apaches can do their job each and every day. This brings us to the question “what exactly is an Apache and what is the significance of the AH-64D model?”.

An Apache helicopter is an all-weather, all-day or night attack helicopter. It has both a four blade tail and main rotor and two pilots seated in tandem. It fires an assortment of missiles to include the Hellfire and an assortment of rockets to include the Hydra 70. To complement the destructive power of the rockets it also has a 30mm chain gun under the nose of the aircraft that fires an assortment of 30mm rounds. Produced by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems this attack helicopter is a true titan of the sky and has been involved in conflicts to include the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq and even Panama.

To answer our second question the AH-64D model is an improved version of the AH-64A model. It includes capabilities like an upgraded, more powerful engine, improved sensor, and weapons systems. The real improvement over  the Alpha model is the Longbow’s dome installed over the main rotor in which a Fire Control Radar (FCR) as well as the Radar Frequency Interferometer (RFI) is housed. The FCR and RFI allow the Delta model to conceal itself and still lock on to a target that is not in the pilot’s direct line of sight by shared targeting data from another Delta model. In addition the aircraft fuselage was expanded to house new and more advanced systems while still retaining most of the capabilities of the older Alpha Model.

Charlie Co., 3-159th has the job of maintaining the battalions Apache Longbow,  the Army’s most advanced attack helicopter. Soldiers on the ground are thankful for all that Charlie does each and every time they call for air support or need the big guns to eliminate an enemy threat.

By Spec. Jonathan Rummel
3-159 HHC Unit Public Affairs Representative
1 Jan., 2009