US Warms to Israel’s Apache Helicopter Request After Initial Denial

Defense News ,Israel :- In a recent development, Israel's pursuit of Apache helicopters from the United States has gained traction, overcoming an initial denial. The renewed push came during discussions between Israeli officials and their US counterparts, resulting in the prioritization and advancement of the procurement request, according to sources cited by Yedioth Ahronoth.

During the meetings, Israeli officials specifically requested production slots at Boeing plants in the US to ensure the priority supply of the attack helicopters, as reported by the Tel Aviv-based news outlet.

The Request Timeline

Jerusalem initially sought the attack helicopters from the Pentagon in December, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant raised the matter during US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to Israel. Despite an initial setback, Israel restarted the dialogue through official channels, including a visit by Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the director-general of the defense ministry, to Washington DC.

Zamir engaged with senior Pentagon and State Department officials, along with executives from major US defense companies, during his visit last week.

Purpose of Apache Acquisition

The Israeli military's desire to acquire additional Apache helicopters stems from the need to augment its existing squadrons of AH-64 Apache 190s and 113s. These helicopters have been actively deployed in various operations, including the ongoing Gaza conflict, as well as against Hezbollah in south Lebanon and in the West Bank.

Yedioth Ahronoth emphasized that the current helicopters are operating at their capacity limits, and the demand for them is expected to significantly increase in a northern conflict scenario.

Expanded Air Platforms Request

Alongside the request for 12 Apache helicopters, Israel also sought 25 F35 and 25 F-15IA fighter jets, the latter being the Israeli variant of the advanced F-15EX. According to reports from Israel's Channel 12 and Jerusalem Post, the US has issued a letter of acceptance for the Boeing fighter jets.

It is worth noting that the request for these additional aircraft was made in September of the previous year, preceding the October 7 Hamas attack. Israel has already procured a total of 50 F-35s from the US, with 39 of them already received and inducted. However, the additional 25 aircraft are not expected to arrive before 2026-2027, according to information from the Jerusalem Post.