4 min readNew DelhiJun 10, 2026 04:29 PM IST
The latest round of attacks exchanged between the US and Iran on Wednesday (June 10) as part of the ongoing war in West Asia saw US forces strike Iranian air defence installations, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the narrow waterway of the Strait of Hormuz. This, the US Central Command said in a post on X, was a “proportional response” to what it called “unjustified Iranian aggression” even as a nominal ceasefire remains in place.
The situation escalated after a US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait on Monday. Although US President Donald Trump blamed Iran for shooting down “one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters” in a post on Truth Social, Iran had denied responsibility for the attack. On Wednesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it had attacked US naval targets in Bahrain with drones and US military facilities in Jordan with missiles as part of retaliation measures.
The recent hostilities had brought into focus the AH-64 Apache helicopter, which Trump said had been “patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz”. Here’s what to know.
AH-64 Apache: Features, history of combat
Manufactured by US aerospace major Boeing, the AH-64 Apache is one of the US Army’s most battle-proven and technologically advanced attack helicopters. Designed for high-intensity modern warfare, it combines lethal firepower, advanced sensors, and ability to withstand hostilities in contested environments. Its primary missions include close air support, destroying armoured formations, and escort operations.
The helicopter carries a mix of weapons, including a 30mm chain gun, 70mm rockets, and Hellfire missiles. The Apache seats two crew members, with the pilot positioned behind and above the co-pilot and gunner, both of whom are capable of flying the aircraft and independently operating its weapons system.
The Apache, whose development began in the 1970s and went on through the 1980s, was first used in combat in 1989 during US military action in Panama. It was subsequently deployed against Iraq during the Gulf War (1990-91), as well as in operations in Turkey, Bosnia, and Kosovo. It has also seen extensive action in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s and has been deployed across various global theatres.
During the ongoing West Asia war, the Apache has been used to engage Iranian small boats during US military operations in the Gulf region.
Story continues below this ad
The helicopter has three variants: the baseline AH‑64A model, the AH-64D Apache Longbow, and the AH‑64E Guardian, besides some export versions that are tailored to requirements of client countries. While the Longbow first flew in the mid-1990s and started operational service in 1997, the Guardian’s first flight was in 2004 and began service with the US Army in 2011.
India and the Apache
In September 2015, India’s Ministry of Defence had placed an initial order of 22 AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2019. The deliveries began in May 2019 and were completed by July 2020.
Subsequently, six additional aircraft were approved for the Indian Army Aviation Corps, whose sale was greenlighted by the US State Department in June 2018. The deal, which was eventually signed in February 2020 for an estimated $600 million, was finally completed last year when these were delivered to the Indian Army in two batches of three helicopters each.
Besides this, Boeing also formed a joint venture with Tata Sons, called Tata Boeing Aerospace, which opened an Apache fuselage production facility in Hyderabad in March 2018.
Story continues below this ad
The author, Abhishek Nair, is an intern with the Explained Desk.
