AH-64 Apache

The AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with reverse-tricycle landing gear, and tandem cockpit for a crew of two. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra. First flown on 1 October 1975, the AH-64 features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The Apache is armed with a 30 mm M230 Chain Gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's belly. The AH-64 also carries a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire and Hydra 70 rocket pods on four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons. The AH-64 also features double- and triple-redundant aircraft systems to improve survivability for the aircraft and crew in combat, as well as improved crash survivability for the pilots.

The U.S. Army selected the AH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, awarding Hughes Helicopters a pre-production contract for two more aircraft. In 1982, the Army approved full production. McDonnell Douglas continued production and development after purchasing Hughes Helicopters from Summa Corporation in 1984. The first production AH-64D Apache Longbow was delivered to the Army in March 1997. In August 1997, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas merged to become The Boeing Company. Today, AH-64 production is continued by the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems division.

= In Game = The AH-64 appears in serveral Battlefield games as the U.S. Army's main attack helicopter and the AH-1 Cobra being the United States Marine Corps counterpart of the AH-64 Apache.And it's lock-on systems have been disabled for balancing purposes

Battlefield 2:Special Forces
The AH-64 Apache appears in Battlefield 2: Special Forces as the U.S Navy SEALS main attack helicopter.

Battlefield: Bad Company
The AH-64 Apache in Battlefield: Bad Company is the U.S. Army's main attack helicopter. The counterparts of the AH-64 Apache in the game is the Russian Mi-28 Havoc and the MEC's KA-52 Aligator.

The AH-64 appears in the multiplayer maps:

Gold Rush:
 * Oasis
 * End of The Line

Conquest:
 * End of The Line
 * Crossing Over
 * Par for The Course

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The AH-64 Apache reappears in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and is the U.S. Army's main attack helicopter.

Tactics
The AH-64 takes slighty more than a full load of rockets to take down a Main Battle Tank. So the best tactic is to press the trigger slowly so you will not run out of ammo and you will be able to reload quickly.

Another tactic is to fly low-altitude and fly behind the enemy vehicle and slowly shoot your rockets at the rear. However you are vulnerable this way and if your not fast enough, An enemy RPG could shoot you down or the tank could blow you out off the sky with it's main cannon.

It's wise to have a gunner on your helicopter as he can take down enemy infantry with ease and can help you take down a enemy tank faster.

In a Helicopter dogfight you should always try to get above the enemy helicopter and get close for a surekill as it only takes 2 helicopter rockets to shoot another one down.