22/04/1998
First airframe (DU0001/ZJ166) placed on Mesa production line

25/09/1998
First flight of DU0001 as N9219G, and official acceptance date

28/09/1998
Official roll-out at Mesa of DU0001 and handing over to WHL

08/06/1999
First military flight of a WAH-64

29/08/1999
The first fuselage kit for Westlands final assembly line (DU0007/ZJ172) delivered to Yeovil

May 2000
First delivery to MoD

18/07/2000
First flight of first Westlands built aircraft (ZJ173)

31/07/2000
First delivery of a Westlands built aircraft (ZJ173) to MoD

December 2000
Formal In-Service Date (ISD) achieved on time. This date marked the delivery of 9 aircraft to the AAC

13/01/2003
3 months of cold weather testing begin in Sweden using ZJ188

27/03/2003
Boeing delivered the 67th and final UK AH-64D Apache kit ahead of schedule at their Mesa, Arizona facility

01/04/2003
The AAC’s Attack Helicopter Training Unit at Middle Wallop is given the “number plate” of 673 Sqn

08/06/2003
First delivery to 9 Rgt at Dishforth

01/09/2003
Conversion-to-type training commences at Middle Wallop by 656 Sqn

15/12/2003
Military Aircraft Release 6a clearance is achieved. This accepted the embodiment of several elements of Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (HIDAS) and an additional software release into the aircraft

20/02/2004
Conversion-to-type training completed by 656 Sqn

30/03/2004
Ship Operating Limit Trials on HMS Ocean were completed successfully

21/07/2004
The 67th and final Apache AH1 (ZJ233) was officially handed over to the MoD at Farnborough Airshow

14/10/2004
Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is declared by MoD

19/01/2005
The first delivery of aircraft to the Apache’s main operating base of Wattisham took place when ZJ194 was delivered in from Shawbury as “AA292”. This aircraft will be allocated to 3 Rgt, 662 Sqn

12/04/2005
3 Regiment at Wattisham flew their first mission today using ZJ190 as “Army Air 307”

25/05/2005
With exercise “Eagle’s Strike” well under way, the Apache’s official entry into the Army’s inventory is announced

May 2006
656 Sqn (part of 9 Rgt at Dishforth) deploy to Afghanistan under Operation Herrick. This is the AAC Apaches first operational deployment

June 2007
4 Rgt at Wattisham start flying regular training missions, whilst the first aircraft from 9 Rgt at Dishforth move to Wattisham

November 2008
The first pair of upgraded Apaches are completed at Yeovil. The upgrade comprises an improved M-TADS/PNVS

May 2011
656 Sqn complete live firing exercise from on board HMS Ocean. 30 mm rounds and Hellfire missiles were successfully fired at targets in the Mediterranean Sea, and replenishment and re-armament drills were carried out on board the ship

May 2011
The AAC Apache force celebrated the completion of one hundred thousand hours of flying. A third of these hours have been in operations in Afghanistan on Operation Herrick

May 2011
AAC Apaches are deployed on their second concurrent operational mission when tasked to operate from HMS Ocean in support of ongoing operations in Libya in Operation Ellamy

04/06/2011
First mission launched over Libya from HMS Ocean as a pair of Apaches successfully return to the ship after striking military targets around Brega overnight

Late 2014
With Operation Herrick completed and the UK withdrawing the majority of active troops, the Apache Fleet gets a well deserved rest from operations

11/07/2016
Contracts signed at Farnborough Air show with Boeing for 50 new build AH-64E models to replace the current fleet. These will be to basically standard USArmy specification, but will be fitted with some of the equipment (including M-TADS, Longbow radar, HIDAS) fitted to the existing aircraft.

March 2017
A $488 million contract (W58RGZ-16-C-0023) confirmed for “RE-MANUFACTURE” of 38 existing airframes to AH-64E standard, plus supply of three Longbow training simulators.

2020
3 Rgt AAC crews begin training on the newly delivered AH-64Es at Fort Rucker

26/11/2020
Delivery of the first pair of AH-64Es to the main operating base of Wattisham. ZM704 and ZM705 arrived by road from Brize Norton, having been flown into the UK by RAF C-17

02/12/2021
The first flight in the UK of an AAC AH-64E took place at Wattisham when ZM705 was taken for an air test by Gauntlet064

17/01/2022
The first flight in the UK of an AAC AH-64E piloted by a regular squadron crew when ZM706 took to the air as Ugly1

20/01/2022
AH-64E was introduced to the public at a press event at Wattisham attended by Minister of State for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin

23/02/2022

With tensions heightening surrounding Russia and Ukraine, 4 Rgt from Wattisham deploys to Eastern Europe with four Apache AH1 helicopters, supported by a pair of 18 Sqn Chinooks