QATAR PLANS to acquire another 24 AH-64E attack helicopters to join a first batch of 24, deliveries of which began at Boeing's Mesa, Arizona, facility in March (see Qatar receives first AH-64s, May, p23). The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on May 9 that the State Department had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar of 24 more AH-64ES plus related equipment at an estimated cost of $3bn. As well as the Apache Guardians, the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) would receive eight AN/APG-78 Longbow fire-control radars, plus weapons, including 2,500 AGM-114R Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. In March 2014 it was officially announced that Qatar was acquiring a total of 24 AH-64ES at a reported cost of $2.44bn. Boeing was awarded a contract to manufacture all 24 in June 2016 and the first example was seen flying at Mesa in January this year. Deliveries of the first batch are scheduled to be complete by the end of May next year.
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