50 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG

Apache turns 50: From Cold War tank killer to frontline drone hunter

The helicopter that first flew in 1975, designed to stop Soviet tanks on the plains of Europe, is now shooting down Iranian Shahed drones over Israel and Lebanon – an example of the adaptability of a weapon serving in 18 armies. Until October 7, Israel had been reducing its attack helicopter fleet, but the Hamas assault reversed that trend. Today, Israel is seeking to double its fleet. Fifty years after its maiden flight, the Apache has not become obsolete – it has adapted.

 

by Aharon Lapidot 

 

Israel Hayom

Sep 29, 2025 

 

IDF Apache helicopter 

 

Half a century has passed since the first flight of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, and in today's battlefields it has found a new role. Originally developed as a tank killer that hunts Soviet armor in Europe, in Israel it has proven to be a remarkably effective drone hunter. During the recent war against Iran, and in the ongoing fight against Hezbollah, Israeli Apache pilots have scored dozens of drone kills. Thanks to its speed, maneuverability, and advanced radar and infrared sensors, the Apache now tracks, engages, and destroys both small drones and large unmanned aircraft with the same precision it was meant for, against tank columns.

To understand its present, one must go back to the beginning. In the 1970s, the US Army sought to develop a dedicated attack helicopter to destroy Soviet tanks in a potential European war. McDonnell Douglas (later merged with Boeing) won the contract, and the prototype made its first flight in September 1975. The Apache entered operational service in 1984. It was named after the Native American Apache tribe, popularized by German author Karl May through his legendary fictional hero Winnetou.

 

IDF Apache helicopters

 

The helicopter carries a two-person crew, a pilot and a weapons officer. It is 17.7 meters (58 feet) long, weighs 5.2 tons (without fuel and weapons), and reaches a maximum speed of 293 kilometers per hour (182 mph). Its main armament includes the 30mm M230 cannon, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and 70mm unguided rockets.

The Hellfire missile became the Apache's hallmark. Guided by laser or radar, it was originally designed to destroy tanks but proved versatile against armored vehicles, buildings, boats, and even pinpoint targets. The combination of advanced sensors, a pilot's helmet that directs the cannon, and the ability to operate day and night made the Apache one of the most effective combat platforms of the modern era.

srael quickly embraced the Apache. The Israeli Air Force received the helicopters in the late 1980s, first the AH-64A "Peten" (Cobra) and later the upgraded AH-64D "Saraf." In Israel, the Apache became not only a tank destroyer but also a central tool in the fight against Palestinian terrorism. Many targeted killings of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives were carried out using Hellfire missiles fired from Apaches flying at low altitude, striking with deadly precision. In operations in the Gaza Strip, the helicopters provided close air support for ground forces, disrupted rocket launches, and destroyed anti-tank squads.

Around the world, the Apache also proved decisive. The US Army used it in Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Gulf War and in every conflict since, from Iraq to Afghanistan. The impact was so severe on Saddam Hussein's troops that they nicknamed it "the Black Death." Britain deployed Apaches successfully in operations in Libya. Egypt, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, and several other countries operate variants of the Apache, which continues to be a cornerstone of modern warfare.

October 7, 2023, was a turning point for Israel – and for its Apache squadrons, the only attack helicopters left in the Air Force. That morning, as thousands of Hamas terrorists stormed the Gaza border, only two Apaches reached the fence to try to stem the tide. They fired until they ran out of ammunition, returned to rearm, and then went back into the fight. They struck Hamas vehicles, hit Nukhba commando squads, and were the only aerial force on the scene in those critical early hours. Just two helicopters against thousands of terrorists. It was painful proof of the Apache's importance, and of the failures in Israel's preparedness for that dark day.

Before October 7, the Air Force had been debating the future of attack helicopters. After phasing out its Cobra squadrons, only two Apache units remained: Squadron 113 (Hornet) and Squadron 190 (Magic Touch). There were even plans to shut down both, effectively ending Israel's attack helicopter capability. Pilots recalled that on October 6 they had discussed retirement, only to find themselves the next morning in one of the fiercest battles in Israeli history.

The Hamas assault changed everything. By the winter of 2023–2024, the Air Force was operating its Apaches at an unprecedented pace and urgently requested additional AH-64E models from the US as part of its lessons learned. The trend continued into 2025: alongside acquisitions of F-35s, F-15s, and drones, Israel purchased new defensive systems for Apaches and Black Hawks and formally asked the US to expand its Apache fleet, potentially doubling it, recognizing that attack helicopters carry out missions no other platform can easily replace.

Fifty years after its debut, the Apache remains relevant. Though designed for a different era, when Soviet T-72 tanks threatened West Germany, in today's Middle East it has found new purpose against the drone threat. The combat helicopter that became a legend has not retired; it has simply changed targets.

That a weapon originally built to destroy Soviet armor now finds its mission against Iranian Shahed drones may be the essence of five decades of technological and operational adaptability.