ST. LOUIS, June 17, 2003 Arrival of the Boeing [NYSE: BA]
AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters this month in South Korea marks
completion of U.S. Army efforts to field an Apache Longbow
battalion in the region. This newest Apache Longbow unit joins
another element, which arrived in South Korea in late 2001 as the
first international deployment of U.S. Army Apache Longbows. A
third foreign-based U.S. Army Apache Longbow unit is based in
Germany.
Built by Boeing in Mesa, Ariz., Apache Longbow helicopters are the
worlds most advanced multi-role combat helicopters. These U.S.
Army Apaches, which had been in Korea as AH-64As, were
remanufactured and returned to duty in their next-generation
configuration. The U.S. Army is modernizing its fleet of AH-64A
Apaches into next-generation Apache Longbow helicopters, which link
a wide range of avionics, electronics and weapons into one
fully-integrated weapon system.
U.S. Army AH-64A Apaches and AH-64D Apache Longbows were deployed
overseas in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Apache
helicopters are fielded around the world, including the U.S. Armys
deployment to Afghanistan for Operation Anaconda as part of the war
against terrorism.
This new unit spent the last year transitioning to Apache Longbows
as an AH-64A Apache battalion. To qualify as combat ready, the men
and women of the squadron completed a series of comprehensive
classroom, flight and field exercises. Soldiers underwent a
rigorous field examination, which included three live-fire
exercises, and flew about 3,000 hours during the training
program.
Led by the 21st Cavalry Brigade, unit members completed eight
months of extensive training at Fort Hood, Texas. They returned to
South Korea by ship in May after being certified in April as the
eighth combat-ready Apache Longbow battalion.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems is one of
the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in
St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $25 billion
business. It provides systems solutions to its global military,
government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; the world's largest
military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite
manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications;
the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's
largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2003/q2/nr_030617n.html