The AH-64 Apache entered U.S. Army service in 1986 as a dedicated attack helicopter, replacing the AH-1 Cobra in frontline units. Designed to destroy tanks and provide close air support, it became the Army’s premier attack platform. The original AH-64A was later upgraded to the AH-64D Apache Longbow (from the late 1990s), which introduced the distinctive mast-mounted radar, improved avionics, and better survivability.

The Apache has been heavily used in combat since Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989), through the Gulf War (1991), Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and more recent Middle Eastern operations. It has proven highly effective at night and in poor weather thanks to its advanced sensors.

The latest version, the AH-64E Apache Guardian, entered service in 2011 and is now the standard U.S. Army model. It offers improved engines, digital systems, UAV control capability, and upgraded weapons. The Army plans to keep the Apache in service into the 2050s, ensuring it remains the backbone of U.S. attack aviation.