AH-64D Apache Longbow - How Does It Work?

[Music] [Applause] [Music] hello everyone madness here thank you for joining me today I really appreciate it so today we are discussing a little bit about the Apache Longbow helicopter now I do have a bit of personal regard to this aircraft in a bit of a connection to it for the fact that it did support me in Afghanistan multiple occasions from the British Army Air Corps and I have huge respect for this aircraft and I really really do but today I'd like to discuss not so much a review of this aircraft as we already know it is a absolutely incredible piece of equipment but instead I'd like to discuss how the Apache Longbow helicopter actually works now yes you may just think it's quite simple they find targets they engage them they fly home they refuel it rearm and off they go again but the systems that they put in place on these helicopters are becoming more and more technologically advanced every single day new equipment new technology is being placed on these aircraft that allow it to do so much more than it was originally designed for which is extremely impressive and we're actually going to discuss how the Apache Longbow is actually able to do its job it's not as simple as just flying out there and locating targets there's a lot more to it and there's also some impressive modern-day features that have just been announced for this aircraft and also some old features that I never really knew about so it's nice to just talk about a system and how it actually works instead of just saying hey this is how it destroys something it's nice to actually understand its principles and the kind of dynamics of the system that he uses because at the end of the day this is an absolutely outstanding piece of not only military hardware but technology too so let's just quickly go over an overview of the Apache for those of you who don't know much about it the Apache helicopter is a revolutionary development in the history of warfare it is essentially a flying tank guys a helicopter designed to survive a heavy attack would also inflict massive damage primarily to armored targets it can zero in on specific targets day or night even in terrible weather conditions as you might expect it is a terrifying machine to ground forces in this video we'll look at the Apaches amazing weapon systems sensor systems and individually these components are remarkable pieces of technology combined together they make up an unbelievable machine and one of the most lethal helicopters ever created the Apaches chief function is to take out heavily armored ground toys such as tanks and bunkers to inflict this kind of damage you need to have some serious heavy firepower and to do it from a helicopter you need an extremely sophisticated target system the Apaches primary weapon is the Hellfire missile which meets these demands each missile is a miniature aircraft as such complete with its own guidance computer steering control and propulsion systems the payload is a high explosive copper line charged warhead powerful enough to burn through even some of the heaviest tanks armored in existence the Apache carries missiles on for firing rails attached to pylons mounted to its wings there are two pylons on each wing and each pylon can support up to four missiles and eight in total if on each pylon so the Apache can carry just about as many as 16 missiles at a time before launching each missile receives instructions directly from the helicopters onboard computer when the computer transmits the firing signal the missile sets off the propellant once the burning propellant generates up to around 500 pounds of force the missile breaks free of the rail as the missile speeds up the actual force and acceleration triggers the arming mechanism of the missile when the missile takes contact with the target and Impact Sensor sets off the actual warhead itself the original Hellfire design uses a laser guided system to hit its mark in the system on the Apache now the gunner aims a high-intensity laser beam at the target and in some situations ground forces might also operate their laser instead the laser pulse is on and off on a particular coded pattern before giving the firing signal the Apache computer tells the missile control system specific pulse pattern of the laser the missile has a laser seeker on its nose that detects the laser light reflecting off the target in this way the missile can see where the target is the guidance distance calculate the missiles need to turn in order to head straight for the reflected laser light to change course the guidance system moves the missiles flight fins this is basically the same way as an airplane steers through the sky the laser-guided hellfire system is highly effective but it does have some flaws however cloud cover or obstacles can block the laser beam so it never makes it to the target also if the missile passes through a cloud it can lose sight of the time the helicopter or ground targeting crew has to keep the laser fix on I get completely until the missile makes contact this means the helicopter has to be out in the open and therefore extremely vulnerable to attack the Hellfire - using the Apache Longbow helicopters corrects these floors instead of a laser seeking the system the missile has a radar seeker the helicopters radar locates the target and the missile zeroes in on it since radio waves aren't obscured by clouds or obstacles the missile is more likely to find its target since it doesn't have to keep the laser focused on the target the helicopter can find the missile enemies inside color or locate more targets let's look at the Apaches rockets next Apaches usually fly with two Hydra rocket launchers in place of the two sets of Hellfire rocket sets on each wing each rocket launch cows 19 folding thin 2.75 inch aerial rockets secured into launching tubes to fly the Rockets the launcher triggers an igniter at the rear end of the tube the Apache gunner can fire one rocket as time or launch some incomplete groups the flight fins unfold to stabilize the rocket once it leaves the launcher the Rockets work with a variety of warhead designs for example they may be armed with a high-power explosive or just smoke producing materials there allow it to obscure any positions or cover for friendly advances in one configuration the warhead delivered several sub munitions small bomblets that can separate from the rocket and air and fall on the targets below this is of course very effective and engaging infantry targets the gunner is allowed to engage close targets with an m230 30 millimeter automatic cannon attached to a turret under the helicopter nose the infamous footage of being able to engage insurgents from long distance with this cannon provides an extremely valuable asset for close air support for troops on the ground the gunner aims the gun using a sophisticated computer system in the cockpit the computer controls hydraulics that swing the turret from side to side and up and down the automatic cannon is a chain gun designed powered by an electric motor the motor rotates the chain which slides the bolt assembly back and forth to load by extract and eject cartridges this is different from an ordinary machine gun system which is the force of the cartridge explosion all flying bullet to move the bolt the cartridge travel from the magazine above the gun down to the feature to the chamber the magazine holds a maximum 1,200 rounds and the gun can fire 600 to 650 rounds a minute the cannon fires a high-explosive round designed to pierce light armor let's talk a little bit more about the targeting system for the cannon as well as other major apache controls the Apache cockpit is divided into two sections one directly behind the other the pilot sits in the rear section and the copilot or gunner sits in the front section as you might expect the pilot maneuvers the helicopter and the gunner aims and fires the weapon system pretty self-explanatory both section the cockpit include its own flight and firing controls in case the pilot needs to take over full operation or to take shifts the pilot flies the Apache using collective and cyclic controls similar to the ones you find on any other helicopter system however the controls manipulate the rotors using both mechanical and hydraulic systems using a digital stabilization system this stabilization system allows extremely fine-tuning of the powerful hydraulic system to keep the helicopter flying smoothly and provide a stable platform to be actually able to engage targets on the longbow Apache three display panels provide the pilot with most navigation and flight information these digital displays are much easier to read than traditional instrument dials the pilot simply presses buttons on the side of the displays to find the information he or she needs let's have a quick look at the Apaches actual sensor equipment one of the most amazing things about the Apache it is highly sophisticated sensor equipment the longbow Apache detects surrounding ground forces aircraft and buildings use an extremely powerful radar dome mounted to the mast the radar dome uses a millimeter radio waves that can make out the shape of anything in its range the radar is comprised of the Northrop Grumman previously Westinghouse anap G 78 longbow mast mounted fire control radar or SCR and the Lockheed Martin anap r48 radar frequency interferometer as most of us are aware the iconic dome on top the normal Apache defines it as the Apache Longbow the helicopter this does not mean though that other patches are not able to use the same kind of system as they can actually data link into each other's longbow systems from other helicopters to utilize that radar the radar signal processor of the Apache Longbow compares these shapes to a database of tank trucks and other aircraft and equipment to identify the general class of each potential target the computer pinpoints these targets on the pile and Gunners displays panels live and always ready to go the pilot and gunner both use night vision sensors for night operations as always along with night vision sensors that work on the forward-looking infrared or FLIR system which detects the infrared light released by heated objects the pilots night vision sensor is attached to a rotating turret on the top of the Apaches nose the Gunners night vision sensor is attached to a separate turret on the underside of the nose and the lower turret also supports a normal video camera and telescope which the gunner uses during the day the computer transmits the night vision or video picture to a small display unit in the pilots helmet the video display projection image onto the monocular lens in front of the pilots right eye infrared sensors in the cockpit track how the pilot positions the helmet and relays this information to the turret control system each pilot can aim the sensors by simply moving his or her head this is extremely extremely technologically advanced guys and allow us to basically automatically look exactly where the gun wants to go and where you're aiming the weapon systems there are also manual controls available of course and this is pretty much able to be done by both the pilot and gunner next let's have a look at a few of the systems that protect the pile and the gunner during any kind of potential battle the Apaches first line of defense against attack is actually keeping out of range as we mentioned earlier the helicopter is specifically designed to fly low to ground hiding behind cover wherever possible the Apache is also designed to evade enemy radar scanning the pilots pick up radar signals would be onboard scanner and they can activate their own radar jamming signal to confuse the enemy the party is also designed to evade heat-seeking missiles by reducing its infrared signature basically the heat energy it releases from its engines the black hole infrared suppression system dissipates the heat from the engine results by mixing it with air flowing around the helicopter the cooled exhaust then passes through a special filter which absorbs even more heat the longbow also has an infrared jammer which generates infrared energy of varying frequencies to confuse heat-seeking missiles as it's not to a great surprise the Apache is concurrently still being updated today being it's one of the main assets of most militaries of the Western world it is very capable of being able to be upgraded both electronically and in its own hardware so the next video I'm going to show you guys actually the new kind of systems that have been put in place for the Apache that allow it to communicate with multiple different assets on the battlefield including UAV drones and fast air now that is not really anything new but it is interesting to see how this system is put in place and how it actually works because yes it's nice to know that it's capable of doing it but how does it actually communicate and what kind of systems are utilizing this video goes over in a kind of broad basis and it's more of a promotional video but I actually thought is quite interesting so I thought I'd share it with you guys enjoy no mercy zero stick an air weapon team of two block three Apaches is currently situated in the farc on Bagram Air Base they are a quick reaction force prepared to conduct a hasty attack in support of a ground reconnaissance element operating in the PES grande valley because of the improved drive system 701 delta engines and composite main rotor blades the team is armed with a combat load of more than 500 pounds over what a block to Apache can carry in this high-altitude hot temperature environment no mercy zero sticks receives a priority mission over the Apache Longbow net troops and contacts vicinity of hezron valleys Bulldog 0-3 Nomar she's a flight of two Apaches departing for the PARP and redirect your location eta 14 minutes because of the performance enhancements of the block three Apache the no mercy team is able to fly directly to the area of operation a flight time of 14 minutes a block to Apache doesn't have the power available to climb over the mountain and would have to take the longer route to the valleys for a flight time of 25 minutes immediately after departure no mercy one-one requests level 4 control of an unmanned aircraft system to help develop a situation prior to arrival at the objective Bulldog 0 3 this is no mercy one-one requests level for control of UAS our Bremen city of Fez Grand Valley I've been on high priority shooting contact over the UAS was conducting reconnaissance in preparation for a mission to be carried out at a later date due to the higher priority troops and contact missions the commander releases control of the UAS - no mercy one-one to assist with develop in the situation remember two one one is the Bulldog 0-3 request approach contact you AF control previous versions of the Apache block - only permitted viewing of the UAS video the Apache block free maintained viewing the video with the digital enhancement of UAS tailored control UAS navigation control and the capabilities to downlink host the UAS and ownership video to the ground and to other equipped aircraft this technology was successfully demonstrated during a limited user test in November 2009 no mercy 1/1 takes control of the UAS and detects enemy reinforcing units north of the troops and contact locations because the block three Apache has a SATCOM radio giving them non - hi communication no mercy one one can contact the friendly forces in contact an informant of the insurgents north of their position tiger zero six no Marcie one one request you come on your OS RVT to view the feed from QAS and mark my video once we get within range over our work you want one this is dagger 0 6 receiving the UAV video it is common on the target hospital monitor your video to find the correct target the ground commander can now confirm the Apache is looking at the correct target by monitoring both the UAS sensors and the Apache sensor this increases situational awareness for both the troops on the ground and the Apache crew the result will translate into increased insurgent casualties and reduce friendly and noncombatant casualties no mercy zero six locates friendly close air support in the area of operations via link 16 using the precise participants location and identification messages after handing off the target to an f-18 and providing clearance to engage the block three Apache has influenced the battle even before arriving in the area of operations in route no Mercy's integrated aircraft survivability equipment identify the threat that blocks their direct route to the objective they are able to bypass per the mission order and proceed to the objective using the cub decision 8050 this system will have capabilities such as voice command ultra narrow and the ability to integrate available mission equipment system information to make alternate routes or tactical recommendations that consider mission objectives environment terrain friendly and enemy tactics order of battle as well as target and threat characteristics a cognitive decision aiding system will assist crew effectiveness while increasing mission efficiency and survivability as the team nears the objective area the team uses all available systems to find and engage the enemy the block breeze radar detection systems known as RFI will include and enhanced frequency range extension and passive ranging capabilities with the fire control radar extended range no mercy zero six initiates a search well outside the threats engagement range with the next-generation extended range missile the crew takes out the priority targets as determined by the aided target detection and classification system the system uses data fusion that integrates onboard sensors UAS and other reconnaissance surveillance and target acquisition assets into an actionable intelligence capability by prioritizing and classifying the threats to develop the battlefield common operational picture this capability reduces the crew workload and significantly enhances the combined-arms capability of US forces no mercy one one uses the UAS payloads to find additional targets as the team closes in on the target they use the UAS as laser to designate the target and to fire a next-generation missile at its maximum range this keeps the crew outside the range of a new weapon without alerting the enemy that there's an Apache in the area once on station the block 3 has seven times the manoeuvre power of the current block to have catchy and two-thirds more on station times reduced reaction times and increased situational awareness it will save lives for friendly forces so there we have it guys the Apache Longbow helicopter and what an impressive weapon system it is now we're already pretty much aware how good the sella copter really is but it is really fascinating to me to see how the systems are implemented and how they actually work to be able to find targets and engage them clearly that radar system the FCR on top there is doing a lot of work for being able to engage targets without being seen which is really the key attribute for this helicopter when going into a combat environment it needs to be able to shoot and engage from long distance without being spotted and disappear again which is absolutely fantastic it seems as though the Apache is here to stay and to be honest I'm really happy about that it is amazing to see new technology being pumped into these things all the time as expensive as they are and how technologically demanding they are they really are an absolutely amazing asset to have on the battlefield and I can personally attest to how well they do and how well they can actually support ground troops on the ground because I was one of the ground troops that this helicopter was providing support for guys I really appreciate you stopping by today and I hope you learned a little bit about the Apache Longbow a couple of tidbits of information which I didn't know the rotors on this thing can actually take up to 25% damage from 50 caliber machine gun fire any kind of small arms fire up to 50 caliber machine gun fire and it can continue flying just as well as it would as if it didn't have that damage which is highly impressive I also found out the rotor blades on this helicopter can actually chop through 2.5 inches worth of tree branch to be able to potentially land in wood lines if it needed to for an emergency landing which again is incredible this little tidbit said add on to something that was really not relevant but for today guys that is all and I really do appreciate you stopping by and watching and please leave a like and let me know what you think of the video in the comments section also if you do wish to support my channel please feel free to go check out my patreon account and feel free to make any kind of donation it'd be much appreciated and thank you in advance other than that guys if you do want to be notified of any other further videos that coming out from my channel whether we gaming or military related please slap that Bell button on the subscribe notification bar there it's little tiny Bell and you should be able to be updated with what's coming up straight away from my subscriptions if you're that keen on actually listening to what I have to say so have a wonderful day thanks again all the best and bye bye [Music] [Music]

Channel: Matsimus

Views: 419,556

Rating: 4.85533 out of 5

Keywords: AH-64D Apache Longbow, Apache Longbow, AH-64D, attack helicopter, AGM-114 Hellfire, Longbow radar, AH-64 Apache, AgustaWestland Apache, Apache AH1, AH-64D Apache, AN/APG-78 Longbow, Longbow millimeter-wave fire-control radar, AH-64A, apache longbow radar, how does apache longbow work, matsimus gaming, AH-64E Guardian, AH-64D Block III, Radar Frequency Interferometer, M230 chain gun, Advanced Attack Helicopter, AH-64, 30mm chain gun, Hellfire missile, brimstone missile

Id: jkH-VqFbcrc

Length: 22min 2sec (1322 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 27 2017