Explosive Finale! - Army Apache & Wildcat Helicopters - Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025

The Army Air Corps Display Team, a pair of Boeing Apache AH.2 helicopters and a single Leonardo Wildcat AH.1 helicopter, displaying at RAF Fairford on Friday of The Royal International Air Tattoo 2025. The AH-64 Apache was originally developed by Hughes Helicopters for the US Army as an anti-tank attack helicopter. The original AH-64A entered US Army service in 1986 and featured advanced targeting systems including sensors that were slaved to the crews’ line of sight via their helmets, as was the helicopter's 30mm cannon. The Apache’s main weapon is the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile which is designed to defeat main battle tanks and came to the forefront during the Gulf War where AH-64As were the first coalition aircraft to enter Iraq to attack early warning radar sites. Further developments of the AH-64 resulted in the new-build AH-64D Apache Longbow which included the AN/APG-78 mast-mounted Longbow Radar which allowed the Apache to track up to 128 targets and engage the 16 highest threats at once from behind cover using a new radar-guided version of the Hellfire. The most recent version is the AH-64E Guardian, renamed from the AH-64D Block III. The Guardian uses more powerful engines and has the ability to directly control drones, the radar has also seen a significant upgrade and the fuselage/rotors are now capable of being used aboard ships. In 1995, the United Kingdom selected the AH-64D Apache Longbow as the Army’s new attack helicopter. The Apache was to be licence-built by Westland and would ultimately be known as the AgustaWestland Apache AH1. The British Apache differs from US Apaches by utilising more powerful Rolls-Royce RTM322 engines and UK-specific avionics. British Apaches were also capable of being deployed aboard naval vessels, a capability which was used to operate over Libya in 2011 from HMS Ocean. The Apache AH1 saw substantial service in Afghanistan. In 2015 the UK confirmed that it would remanufacture 50 of its Apaches to AH-64E standard including new engines, to be known as the Apache AH2. Whilst the Army Air Corps own and operate the entire UK Apache fleet, they are all under the command of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC). The JAC combines all the battlefield helicopters of the Army Air Corps, Royal Navy and RAF under a single military command structure centralised around the Army. At RIAT 2025 there was an Apache AH2 from 3 Regiment Army Air Corps on static display as well as the Army Air Corps display team, from 7 Regiment, appearing here in the flying display with a pair of Apaches and a Wildcat, on Friday of the 3 day show only. The AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW159 Wildcat is a modern light helicopter that is an evolved development of the Westland Super Lynx. The Wildcat is being produced in two different versions, a battlefield support and a maritime support variant, with both sharing structural and airframe commonality. The Wildcat can be produced as a new build airframe or a Lynx/Super Lynx can be used as a donor airframe to lower costs, with the Wildcat sharing 5% of its parts in common. In addition to the UK, the type is also flown by the Republic of Korea Navy and the Philippine Navy. The UK ordered 34 Wildcats for the Army and 28 for the Royal Navy to replace the Lynx in service with both arms. The Army variant is known as the Wildcat AH1 and is primarily used for battlefield reconnaissance and transport. The naval version is used for transport roles but also anti-surface warfare when operating from other Naval Vessels. In addition to being equipped with a sea-scanning radar, the Wildcat HMA2 can carry a mix of up to 20 Martlet short-range and 4 Sea Venom heavy-strike anti-surface missiles. During September 2022 a Wildcat HMA2 laser designated a target which was then attacked by an RAF Typhoon with a Paveway IV bomb. Whilst the Army own and operate the UK Wildcat AH1 fleet, they are also all under the command of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC). A Wildcat AH1, from 1 Regiment Army Air Corps, appeared at RIAT in the static display, as well as the one seen here in the flying display from 7 Regiment Army Air Corps. This Video and Audio content is Copyright © SKeeler (HightFlight) All Rights Reserved