Israel signs $1 billion deal for 12 new US AH-64E Apache attack helicopters with maritime strike capabilities
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On October 14, 2026, the Israeli Ministry of Defense finalized an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters in a procurement deal valued at approximately $1 billion. The procurement provides the Israeli Air Force with Version 6 capabilities, featuring long-range AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, enhanced maritime strike and targeting functions, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities for real-time drone control. The contract was completed after Israel resolved an internal $288 million budget financing dispute between its Defense and Finance ministries to preserve the initial 12-aircraft batch from a broader 30-helicopter U.S. authorization.
These 12 AH-64Es will join Israel’s existing Apache fleet, which combines two generations of the U.S. attack helicopter: the AH-64A Peten, acquired in 1990, and the AH-64D Saraf, which followed in April 2005. (Picture source: US DoD)
On October 14, 2026, the Israeli Ministry of Defense signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, with deliveries expected in the early 2030s and a value estimated at $1 billion. The order covers 40% of the 30 helicopters authorized by Washington under a potential $3.8 billion FMS sale earlier in 2026, leaving 18 helicopters outside the signed agreement. The contract was finalized six days after Israel missed the U.S. ordering deadline because of a $288 million financing dispute between the Israeli Defense and Finance ministries. The AH-64E Version 6 helicopters will replace or supplement Israel’s 23 AH-64A Peten and 20 AH-64D Saraf helicopters that have been in service for more than two decades, introducing a Longbow radar with a detection range of 16 km, compared with 8 km for earlier configurations, alongside improved engines, maritime targeting functions, and connectivity with reconnaissance drones.
The agreement was finalized on instructions from Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram after the government approved additional funding. The estimated $1 billion package averages $83.3 million per helicopter, compared with $126.7 million under the earlier $3.8 billion authorization, although both amounts include associated equipment and are not directly comparable production prices. The purchase had stalled after the Defense and Finance ministries failed to agree on financing for $288 million, despite three U.S. deadline extensions. Israel subsequently approved transferring NIS 1 billion to defense procurement, reportedly from its 2027-2029 Arab community development program, with another NIS 68 million coming from the 2026 state budget. The financial adjustment allowed the original 12-aircraft quantity to be retained without committing Israel to the other 18 helicopters covered by U.S. authorization, and neither the delivery dates, expected between 2030 and 2033, nor squadron assignments have been announced.
Related topic: Why Australia chose U.S.-made AH-64E Apache to replace its French Tiger attack helicopters
Israel began operating the AH-64A Peten in 1990 and had acquired 42 helicopters of this version by 2000, before receiving its first AH-64D Saraf in April 2005. Its current Apache fleet comprises 23 AH-64As, progressively modernized toward the AH-64Ai standard, and 20 AH-64D-Is equipped with Israeli-made Elta communications suite, Elbit mission-management equipment, Rafael Combat Net, and Elisra electronic self-protection systems. Israel previously considered acquiring up to 48 AH-64Ds in 2000, but disagreements over access to U.S. software and subsequent financial restrictions contributed to the modernization of existing AH-64As instead. The 12 new AH-64Es will represent 27.9% of the existing fleet, meaning a one-for-one replacement would leave 31 older Apaches, while retaining all 43 would increase the nominal inventory to 55. However, by 2032, Israel’s earliest AH-64As will have served for 42 years and its first AH-64Ds for 27 years, increasing maintenance and airframe fatigue considerations.
The AH-64E uses two General Electric T700-GE-701D engines producing 1,994 shaft horsepower each, giving 3,988 shp combined, compared with 3,780 shp for the AH-64D’s T700-GE-701C engines and 3,392 shp for the earlier AH-64A’s T700-GE-701 engines. These respective increases of 5.5% and 17.6% are accompanied by upgraded composite rotor blades, a strengthened transmission, and improved drivetrain components. The helicopter retains a 14.63 m main rotor and a maximum gross weight of 10,433 kg, while its performance includes a maximum speed of 293 km/h, a cruise speed of 265 km/h, and a service ceiling of 6,400 m. The improved drivetrain is particularly relevant to operations in hot weather, where reduced air density affects rotor lift and engine performance, especially when carrying external weapons and fuel. During the AH-64E’s first combat deployment to Afghanistan in 2014, the U.S. Army recorded an improvement of 32 km/h over earlier AH-64Ds and an increase in flight duration from 2.5-3 hours to 3-3.5 hours.
The AH-64E Version 6 incorporates an upgraded AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar mounted above the rotor, allowing crews to scan an area while keeping most of the helicopter concealed behind terrain. Its cited detection range increases from 8 km to 16 km, expanding theoretical circular coverage from 201 km² to 804 km², while Longbow functions include tracking up to 128 targets and prioritizing 16 for engagement. Lockheed Martin’s M-TADS/PNVS Arrowhead combines infrared observation, optical targeting, and laser designation, while helmet-mounted sights allow either crew member to direct the 30 mm cannon. The Version 6 additionally incorporates maritime targeting functions to detect and engage surface vessels, including smaller targets operating in coastal waters. For Israel, these latter functions are relevant to operations along the Mediterranean coastline and near Gaza, where helicopters may be required to distinguish small vessels from other maritime traffic.
The AH-64E retains the Apache’s M230E1 30 × 113 mm Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds and a selectable firing rate reaching 625 rounds per minute. Its four underwing stations can accommodate 16 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, commonly associated with engagement distances of 6.5 to 8 km, or up to 76 Hydra 70 rockets in four nineteen-round launchers, while mixed configurations allow crews to combine missiles, rockets, and additional fuel. Israeli Apaches also employ Spike missiles, including the Spike NLOS, capable of engaging targets beyond 25 km, more than three times the commonly cited Hellfire range. The U.S. Army began integrating the Spike NLOS onto AH-64Es in 2020, permitting attacks against suitable targets from greater distances using the helicopter’s electro-optical guidance capabilities, although target acquisition and communications remain necessary. Israel has not confirmed its AH-64E missile inventory or national weapons configuration, while the U.S. authorization covers launchers without specifying missile quantities.
The AH-64E’s manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability, for its part, allows crews to receive information from compatible drones and, depending on interoperability level, control their sensors, weapons, or flight functions. Four interoperability levels extend from indirect reception of sensor information to direct UAV flight control, with U.S. AH-64Es having operated alongside RQ-7 Shadow and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones. During the 2014 Afghanistan deployment, UAV cooperation contributed to 60% of the AH-64E crews’ direct-fire engagements, while the participating unit accumulated 11,000 flight hours and maintained an 88% readiness rate during the April-September period. This approach allows drones to observe roads, vehicles, and firing positions while the helicopter remains behind terrain or outside the immediate engagement area. For Israel, an integration with compatible national drones could reduce the time required to locate dispersed armed groups, monitor movements near the Gaza border, and coordinate helicopter fire with ground troops, although this specific compatibility has not been specified in the AH-64E announcement.
Israeli Apache operations have progressively expanded from anti-tank warfare into armed reconnaissance, close air support, targeted strikes, and limited air defense missions. During the 1990s, AH-64A Petens attacked Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, including the February 16, 1992, strike that killed Hezbollah Secretary-General Abbas al-Musawi, and supported Israeli forces before their May 2000 withdrawal. During the Second Intifada, Apaches conducted surveillance and targeted strikes against Hamas leaders Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in 2004. In the 2006 Lebanon War, AH-64As and AH-64D Sarafs provided fire support, and the attack helicopters subsequently participated in operations in Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, for attacks against armed personnel, vehicles, and fixed positions, some of which caused civilian casualties. On February 10, 2018, an Israeli Apache intercepted an Iranian UAV entering from Syria, demonstrating a secondary air defense role. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli Apache fleet has conducted rapid-response strikes, aerial surveillance, and fire support during operations against Hamas and other armed groups in and near Gaza, as well as missions requiring identification of dispersed targets and coordination with ground troops, including in densely populated areas.
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Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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On October 14, 2026, the Israeli Ministry of Defense finalized an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters in a procurement deal valued at approximately $1 billion. The procurement provides the Israeli Air Force with Version 6 capabilities, featuring long-range AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, enhanced maritime strike and targeting functions, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities for real-time drone control. The contract was completed after Israel resolved an internal $288 million budget financing dispute between its Defense and Finance ministries to preserve the initial 12-aircraft batch from a broader 30-helicopter U.S. authorization.
These 12 AH-64Es will join Israel’s existing Apache fleet, which combines two generations of the U.S. attack helicopter: the AH-64A Peten, acquired in 1990, and the AH-64D Saraf, which followed in April 2005. (Picture source: US DoD)
On October 14, 2026, the Israeli Ministry of Defense signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, with deliveries expected in the early 2030s and a value estimated at $1 billion. The order covers 40% of the 30 helicopters authorized by Washington under a potential $3.8 billion FMS sale earlier in 2026, leaving 18 helicopters outside the signed agreement. The contract was finalized six days after Israel missed the U.S. ordering deadline because of a $288 million financing dispute between the Israeli Defense and Finance ministries. The AH-64E Version 6 helicopters will replace or supplement Israel’s 23 AH-64A Peten and 20 AH-64D Saraf helicopters that have been in service for more than two decades, introducing a Longbow radar with a detection range of 16 km, compared with 8 km for earlier configurations, alongside improved engines, maritime targeting functions, and connectivity with reconnaissance drones.
The agreement was finalized on instructions from Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram after the government approved additional funding. The estimated $1 billion package averages $83.3 million per helicopter, compared with $126.7 million under the earlier $3.8 billion authorization, although both amounts include associated equipment and are not directly comparable production prices. The purchase had stalled after the Defense and Finance ministries failed to agree on financing for $288 million, despite three U.S. deadline extensions. Israel subsequently approved transferring NIS 1 billion to defense procurement, reportedly from its 2027-2029 Arab community development program, with another NIS 68 million coming from the 2026 state budget. The financial adjustment allowed the original 12-aircraft quantity to be retained without committing Israel to the other 18 helicopters covered by U.S. authorization, and neither the delivery dates, expected between 2030 and 2033, nor squadron assignments have been announced.
Related topic: Why Australia chose U.S.-made AH-64E Apache to replace its French Tiger attack helicopters
Israel began operating the AH-64A Peten in 1990 and had acquired 42 helicopters of this version by 2000, before receiving its first AH-64D Saraf in April 2005. Its current Apache fleet comprises 23 AH-64As, progressively modernized toward the AH-64Ai standard, and 20 AH-64D-Is equipped with Israeli-made Elta communications suite, Elbit mission-management equipment, Rafael Combat Net, and Elisra electronic self-protection systems. Israel previously considered acquiring up to 48 AH-64Ds in 2000, but disagreements over access to U.S. software and subsequent financial restrictions contributed to the modernization of existing AH-64As instead. The 12 new AH-64Es will represent 27.9% of the existing fleet, meaning a one-for-one replacement would leave 31 older Apaches, while retaining all 43 would increase the nominal inventory to 55. However, by 2032, Israel’s earliest AH-64As will have served for 42 years and its first AH-64Ds for 27 years, increasing maintenance and airframe fatigue considerations.
The AH-64E uses two General Electric T700-GE-701D engines producing 1,994 shaft horsepower each, giving 3,988 shp combined, compared with 3,780 shp for the AH-64D’s T700-GE-701C engines and 3,392 shp for the earlier AH-64A’s T700-GE-701 engines. These respective increases of 5.5% and 17.6% are accompanied by upgraded composite rotor blades, a strengthened transmission, and improved drivetrain components. The helicopter retains a 14.63 m main rotor and a maximum gross weight of 10,433 kg, while its performance includes a maximum speed of 293 km/h, a cruise speed of 265 km/h, and a service ceiling of 6,400 m. The improved drivetrain is particularly relevant to operations in hot weather, where reduced air density affects rotor lift and engine performance, especially when carrying external weapons and fuel. During the AH-64E’s first combat deployment to Afghanistan in 2014, the U.S. Army recorded an improvement of 32 km/h over earlier AH-64Ds and an increase in flight duration from 2.5-3 hours to 3-3.5 hours.
The AH-64E Version 6 incorporates an upgraded AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar mounted above the rotor, allowing crews to scan an area while keeping most of the helicopter concealed behind terrain. Its cited detection range increases from 8 km to 16 km, expanding theoretical circular coverage from 201 km² to 804 km², while Longbow functions include tracking up to 128 targets and prioritizing 16 for engagement. Lockheed Martin’s M-TADS/PNVS Arrowhead combines infrared observation, optical targeting, and laser designation, while helmet-mounted sights allow either crew member to direct the 30 mm cannon. The Version 6 additionally incorporates maritime targeting functions to detect and engage surface vessels, including smaller targets operating in coastal waters. For Israel, these latter functions are relevant to operations along the Mediterranean coastline and near Gaza, where helicopters may be required to distinguish small vessels from other maritime traffic.
The AH-64E retains the Apache’s M230E1 30 × 113 mm Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds and a selectable firing rate reaching 625 rounds per minute. Its four underwing stations can accommodate 16 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, commonly associated with engagement distances of 6.5 to 8 km, or up to 76 Hydra 70 rockets in four nineteen-round launchers, while mixed configurations allow crews to combine missiles, rockets, and additional fuel. Israeli Apaches also employ Spike missiles, including the Spike NLOS, capable of engaging targets beyond 25 km, more than three times the commonly cited Hellfire range. The U.S. Army began integrating the Spike NLOS onto AH-64Es in 2020, permitting attacks against suitable targets from greater distances using the helicopter’s electro-optical guidance capabilities, although target acquisition and communications remain necessary. Israel has not confirmed its AH-64E missile inventory or national weapons configuration, while the U.S. authorization covers launchers without specifying missile quantities.
The AH-64E’s manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability, for its part, allows crews to receive information from compatible drones and, depending on interoperability level, control their sensors, weapons, or flight functions. Four interoperability levels extend from indirect reception of sensor information to direct UAV flight control, with U.S. AH-64Es having operated alongside RQ-7 Shadow and MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones. During the 2014 Afghanistan deployment, UAV cooperation contributed to 60% of the AH-64E crews’ direct-fire engagements, while the participating unit accumulated 11,000 flight hours and maintained an 88% readiness rate during the April-September period. This approach allows drones to observe roads, vehicles, and firing positions while the helicopter remains behind terrain or outside the immediate engagement area. For Israel, an integration with compatible national drones could reduce the time required to locate dispersed armed groups, monitor movements near the Gaza border, and coordinate helicopter fire with ground troops, although this specific compatibility has not been specified in the AH-64E announcement.
Israeli Apache operations have progressively expanded from anti-tank warfare into armed reconnaissance, close air support, targeted strikes, and limited air defense missions. During the 1990s, AH-64A Petens attacked Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, including the February 16, 1992, strike that killed Hezbollah Secretary-General Abbas al-Musawi, and supported Israeli forces before their May 2000 withdrawal. During the Second Intifada, Apaches conducted surveillance and targeted strikes against Hamas leaders Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi in 2004. In the 2006 Lebanon War, AH-64As and AH-64D Sarafs provided fire support, and the attack helicopters subsequently participated in operations in Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, for attacks against armed personnel, vehicles, and fixed positions, some of which caused civilian casualties. On February 10, 2018, an Israeli Apache intercepted an Iranian UAV entering from Syria, demonstrating a secondary air defense role. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli Apache fleet has conducted rapid-response strikes, aerial surveillance, and fire support during operations against Hamas and other armed groups in and near Gaza, as well as missions requiring identification of dispersed targets and coordination with ground troops, including in densely populated areas.
Explore More Defense News
• Land Defense News
• Naval Defense News
• Defense Aerospace News
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
