Washington has cleared a possible USD 3.8 billion Foreign Military Sale to Israel for 30 AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on January 30, 2026. The approval underpins Israel’s efforts to renew its attack helicopter fleet as older Apache models near the practical limits of further modernization.
According to the DSCA’s notification to Congress, the proposed package includes 30 Boeing-built AH-64E Guardians together with mission equipment, training programmes, and comprehensive logistical support. The sale is closely aligned with Israeli Air Force planning, which increasingly favours transitioning away from legacy Apache variants that impose growing sustainment and upgrade challenges.
The AH-64E Guardian marks a major step forward from the Apache Peten and Saraf helicopters currently operated by Israel. The Military Balance 2025 indicates that Israel fields 26 AH-64A and 20 AH-64D attack helicopters. While both types have benefited from extensive indigenous upgrades, their core airframe designs and digital systems originate from an earlier technological era. The move to the E-model introduces a new generation of engines, avionics, networked systems, and survivability enhancements tailored for modern, high-threat combat environments.
Performance gains are particularly evident in propulsion and flight characteristics. Equipped with T700-GE-701D engines, the AH-64E offers greater power reserves, translating into improved payload capacity, superior hot-and-high performance, and increased manoeuvrability. The helicopter’s composite main rotor system—derived from the RAH-66 Comanche programme—supports higher cruise speeds and extended range, addressing shortcomings encountered by earlier Apache versions during operations with heavy weapons loads and in challenging climates.
The Guardian’s digital systems represent an even more transformative upgrade. Building on the AH-64D’s introduction of the Longbow radar, the E-model incorporates an open architecture that allows faster software refresh cycles and easier integration of future sensors and weapons. Enhanced mission computers, robust data links, and modernised cockpit displays deliver improved situational awareness and reduced crew workload, particularly during coordinated strike missions in complex battlespaces.
Advancements in sensing and targeting further distinguish the AH-64E. The aircraft combines the AN-ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight with the AN-AAR-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensor, providing higher-fidelity imagery, longer detection distances, and more precise tracking than earlier Apache systems. Coupled with the AN-APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, the Guardian can identify and prioritise multiple targets while remaining concealed by terrain, offering a decisive advantage in environments saturated with air and ground threats.
