Where Are Boeing's AH-64 Apache Helicopters Made?

Since its introduction in 1984, the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has been a mainstay of the US Army's attack helicopter fleet. It's also an important part of several other countries' military arsenals, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Korea, Japan, Greece, and Saudi Arabia, to name a few. Since the AH-64A first flew in the '80s, the helicopter has evolved through several variants — the latest is the AH-64E version — and there are now 1,280 Apaches in operation. The story is unlikely to stop there, either. Boeing says the AH64E Apache will remain in production until at least 2028, and it expects the fleet to remain competitive until the 2060s thanks to ongoing updates. 

Boeing claims that the latest AH64E version of the Apache helicopter is the planet's most advanced multirole helicopter. As of April 2023, Boeing had delivered more than 730 of this variant to customers globally. But just where does Boeing build this fearsome battlefield weapon?  The primary facility is Boeing's factory in Mesa, Arizona. This is where the company builds the Apache AH-64 — sometimes considered the most-feared military helicopter — and the Boeing Little Bird helicopter. However, India also has a large part to play in the Apache story. More specifically, a joint venture between Boeing and Indian conglomerate Tata called Tata Boeing Aerospace Ltd (TBAL). This partnership manufactures over 90% of the Apache's structural components, including the fuselage, in a state-of-the-art facility in India.

Boeing has a long history of manufacturing helicopters, including in Mesa – the birthplace of all completed Apache helicopters. However, the fuselages and many of the other aerostructure components are of Indian origin. Primarily, these come from TBAL's 150,695-square-foot Hyderabad facility, but this isn't the only Indian facility involved in building the Apache. Over 100 small and medium Indian enterprises are also involved in manufacturing the majority of the parts used in the Apache's aerostructure. 

The TBAL collaboration delivered its first completed fuselage to the Mesa factory in 2018, only a year after the joint venture became operational. The Hyderabad facility employs over 900 technicians and engineers in a factory that features cutting-edge robotics and advanced automation systems. As of February 2024, the facility had built and delivered over 300 Apache fuselages to the Mesa facility. 

The Apache's roots, however, are definitely in America. Boeing's Mesa factory has been involved with the Apache project since 1982. The Mesa factory is Boeing's largest facility in Arizona, but it isn't the only one. The company employs 4,800 people across the state and outsources work to 570 suppliers throughout Arizona. The factory has also diversified, with Boeing opening a classified facility for producing cutting-edge composite components in 2022. This ongoing development of the facility and the continued production of Apache helicopters bode well for Boeing's presence as a sizeable employer in Arizona.