Boeing has secured a major long-term defense sustainment contract from the U.S. Army, reinforcing the company’s central role in maintaining one of the military’s most critical combat aviation platforms. The Army has awarded Boeing a firm fixed-price contract valued at approximately $2.7 billion to provide post-production support for the AH-64 Apache helicopter fleet through the end of the decade
The agreement underscores the Pentagon’s emphasis on readiness, reliability, and availability as it sustains legacy platforms while preparing for future modernization. For Boeing, the award represents a significant revenue stream within its defense, space, and security business and further solidifies its long-standing relationship with Army aviation.
Details of the Contract Award
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the contract is valued at $2,728,234,918 and was issued by the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Boeing was the sole bidder following an online solicitation, highlighting its position as the original manufacturer and primary sustainment provider for the Apache platform
The agreement covers post-production support activities, with specific work locations, funding levels, and tasking to be defined through individual task orders. The planned completion date of Dec. 31, 2030 aligns with the Army’s broader aviation sustainment and modernization planning cycle.
Sustaining a Core Combat Aviation Asset
The AH-64 Apache remains one of the U.S. Army’s most important attack helicopters, designed for high-intensity combat operations. The twin-engine aircraft is powered by General Electric T700 turboshaft engines and features a tandem cockpit configuration that allows either crew member to fly and employ weapons independently, enhancing survivability and mission resilience.
Later variants, including the AH-64D and AH-64E, are equipped with the AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar mounted above the main rotor. This system enables target detection and engagement in all weather conditions and through battlefield obscurants, significantly expanding combat effectiveness.
Scope of Sustainment Work
Under the contract, Boeing will provide depot-level maintenance, repair, and overhaul for Apache airframes, transmissions, and rotor systems. The scope also includes avionics sustainment, spare parts management, engineering support, and technical data services
These activities are particularly important as the Army operates increasingly advanced Apache configurations featuring composite rotor blades, improved transmissions with split torque gears, enhanced digital connectivity, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities. The latter allows Apache crews to control unmanned aerial systems during missions, expanding surveillance reach and targeting options.
Operational Relevance and Combat Record
The Apache’s weapons suite includes a 30 mm M230 chain gun, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles with ranges of up to 12 kilometers, and 70 mm rockets, including precision-guided variants. Air-to-air missiles can also be integrated for self-defense.
In 2025, live-fire testing demonstrated the AH-64E’s ability to counter unmanned aerial systems using proximity-fuzed 30 mm ammunition, reflecting the platform’s adaptation to emerging threats. Globally, the Apache fleet has accumulated more than 5.3 million flight hours, including over 1.3 million combat hours, with more than 1,300 aircraft operated by the United States and allied nations
Boeing’s Broader Apache Portfolio
The sustainment award follows another significant Army contract issued to Boeing in November 2025, valued at nearly $4.7 billion. That agreement covers new-build AH-64E helicopters, Longbow crew training systems, and equipment for foreign military customers, including Poland. Together, the production and sustainment contracts highlight the Apache’s continued strategic importance to U.S. and allied forces.
Long-Term Outlook
Large-scale sustainment agreements such as this one are critical to ensuring fleet readiness and mission effectiveness as the Army balances modernization with operational demands. Boeing’s open-systems approach to Apache upgrades allows new sensors, weapons, and mission technologies to be integrated without major redesigns, extending the aircraft’s operational relevance well into the future.
As defense budgets increasingly prioritize lifecycle management and availability, Boeing’s latest Apache contract positions the company to remain a key player in U.S. Army aviation sustainment through the end of the decade and beyond
