How the US Army’s AH-64 Apaches are ever mission-ready
The attack helicopter is the ideal tank hunter
Few tools are as valuable as the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter for US Army forces in Europe. Part scout, part flying tank, the Apache’s job is to fly low and fast, sneak behind enemy lines and use a combination of advanced sensors and bruising firepower to foil attacks before they happen.
Doing this requires a certain kind of pilot, and Apache drivers have a reputation for being hard-charging and aggressive.
The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB), forward deployed to Ansbach, Germany, brings the Apache’s firepower to US Army commanders in Europe.
They regularly train with NATO ground forces, proving their ability to respond to crises whenever and wherever needed rapidly.
For example, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, 12th CAB’s Apaches rapidly deployed to Latvia, where they assured NATO members in the region.
—Text— “Meet the US Army’s tank hunters in Europe.”
—Voiceover— “These Apache helicopters are based in Germany, where their mission is to train alongside NATO Alliance, deter aggression, and, if necessary, defend the Alliance against attack.”
—Soundbite— CWO4 Max Wannelius (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“The best thing that the Apache can do is go behind enemy lines, undetected, find tanks and destroy them.”
—Voiceover— “Heavily armed but thinly armoured, the Apache must fly low and fast, using speed and surprise to gain the upper hand. To pull that off takes a special kind of pilot.”
—Soundbite— CWO4 Max Wannelius (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“I think flying the Apache requires a certain attitude. Some people might say that Apache pilots have an aggressive or an arrogant personality, but I think that’s also required if you’re going to go onto the battlefield and bring the fight to the enemy.”
—Soundbite— Captain Mason Conine (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“The culture is such that everyone’s always challenging each other to be better pilots. A little bit contentious, it can be a little aggressive in how we engage with and talk to each other. But at the end of the day, we’re all there for the same mission, we’re all there to accomplish that mission.”
—Soundbite— CWO4 Max Wannelius (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“I would say the best way to describe it is ‘tough love’. But the tough love makes people better. You have to have that mentality in order to fly this platform.”
—Voiceover— “Flying the Apache is a two-pilot job. The back-seater flies the helicopter, while the front-seater operates the Apache’s weapons systems, including the 30-millimetre chain gun, which the pilot can aim just by turning their head. Getting the job done requires seamless teamwork and flawless communication.”
—Soundbite— CWO4 Max Wannelius (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“One doesn’t function without the other. The front seat can fly the aircraft just as well as the back seat can.”
—Soundbite— Captain Mason Conine (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“That symbiotic relationship is really the most important part. Because even though the back-seater is flying the aircraft, the front-seater needs to tell him where he needs the aircraft to be in order to decisively engage with the enemy.”
—Voiceover— “The Apache may be a flying arsenal, but it’s equally valuable as a scout. The frisbee-like radar dome can detect ground targets and relay that information to other units. It’s incredibly powerful. So powerful, in fact, that we can’t even talk about it. Information is ammunition, and in that respect the Apache makes sure its Allies are armed to the teeth.
The 12th Combat Aviation Brigade is crucial to NATO’s response forces. To stay sharp, they participate in several multinational exercises every year, ensuring that, if the time comes, they’re ready and able to integrate with Allied ground forces.”
—Soundbite— Captain Mason Conine (AH-64 Apache pilot)
“We train with NATO forces and we stand ready to respond to any threats to the NATO alliance.”
Featured image: The US Army’s AH-64 Apache is part scout, part flying tank. Credit: NATO
