Future upgrades to the UK's fleet of AgustaWestland Apache AH.1 attack helicopters are unlikely to gather momentum until the last half of the next decade.rnWhile a GBP439 million (USD700.5 million) upgrade plan was announced on 6 October, senior UK Ministry of Defence and industry Apache programme managers have told Jane's that funding issues and the need to keep helicopters in frontline service in Afghanistan in the near future means the UK will not immediately follow the US Army in converting its 67 Apaches to the Block III standard, particularly in the incorporation of an open architecture computer systems to allow 'plug and play' integration of new weapons and systems.
展开▼
