Definition
The Apache Helicopter is a revolutionary development in the history of war. It is essentially a flying tank- a helicopter designed to survive heavy attack and inflict massive damage. It can zero in on specific targets, day or night, even in terrible weather. As you might expect, it is a terrifying machine to ground forces.

In this topic, we look at the Apache's amazing flight systems, engines, weapon systems, sensor systems and armour systems. Individually these components are remarkable pieces of technology. Combined together they make up an unbelievable fighting machine - the most lethal helicopter ever created.

HISTORY

The first series of Apaches, developed by Hughes Helicopters in the 1970s, went into active service in 1985. The U.S military is gradually replacing this original design, known as the AH-64A Apache, with the more advanced AH-64D Apache Longbow. In 1984, Mc Donnell Douglas purchased Hughes Helicopters, and in 1997, Boeing manufactures Apache helicopters, and the UK-based GKN Westland helicopters manufacturers the English versions of the Apache, the WAH-64.

DRAG: Drag is an aerodynamic force that resists the motion of an object moving through a fluid. The amount of drag depends on a few factors, such as the size of the object, the speed of the car and the density of the air.

THRUST: Thrust is an aerodynamic force that must be created by an airplane in order to overcome the drag. Airplanes create thrust using propellers, jet engines or rockets.

WEIGHT: This is the force acting downwards or the gravitational force.

LIFT: Lift is the aerodynamic force that holds an airplane in the air, and is probably the important of the four aerodynamic forces. Lift is created by the wings of the airplane.


Lift is a force on a wing immersed in a moving fluid, and it acts perpendicular to the flow of the fluid but drag is the same thing, but acts parallel to the direction of the fluid flow.

1. Air approaching the top surface of the wing is compressed into the air above it as it moves upward. Then, as the top surface curves downward and away from the air stream, a low pressure area is developed and the air above is pulled downward toward the back of the wing.
2. Air approaching the bottom surface of the wing is slowed, compressed and redirected in a downward path. As the air nears the rear of the wing, its sped and pressure gradually match that of the air coming over the top. The overall pressure effects encountered on the bottom of the wing are generally less pronounced than those on the top of the wing.

3.1 FOR STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT

The following relationships must be true:
THRUST = DRAG
WEIGHT = LIFT

If for any reason, the amount of drag becomes larger then the amount of thrust, the plane will slow down. If the thrust is increased so that it is greater than drag, the plane will speed up.

If the amount of lift drops below the weight of the airplane, the plane will descend. By increasing the lift, the pilot can make the airplane climb