The U.S. Army twelfth Fight Aviation Brigade has carried out aviation manoeuvre and sustainment coaching in Germany centered on using AH-64E Apache assault helicopters and CH-47F Chinook closely elevate helicopters for high-tempo air mobility. Germany stays the first hub by which NATO members’ fight energy, logistics, and reinforcements are anticipated to stream towards the alliance’s japanese flank, with the workouts demonstrating excessive ranges of intra-theatre mobility. The CH-47F Chinook’s sling load validation permits for heavy tools to be moved when highway infrastructure is unusable, with every in a position to transport 155 mm artillery items, engineer bridging sections, elements of lengthy vary air defence methods, and a variety of different asset varieties by air. The Apaches are anticipated to be relied on for a lot armed reconnaissance and escort roles to help Chinook operations.
Though the Apache is among the world’s oldest fight helicopter varieties nonetheless in manufacturing, the brand new AH-64E variant boasts digital connectivity, manned-unmanned teaming, and knowledge change capabilities which permit crews to obtain knowledge from a variety of floor and airborne property, making it extremely efficient in escort roles. Though the heavy lit capabilities of the Chinook are dwarfed by these of the Russian Mi-26, and the lengthy vary engagement capabilities of the Apache by these of Russia’s a lot newer Mi-28 and Ka-52 designs, NATO’s helicopter fleets far outnumber these of the Russian Armed Forces. NATO additionally advantages from considerably better strategic depth, permitting property to be flown into Germany from the USA on fastened wing transports such because the C-5 and C-17, earlier than being ahead deployed to Jap Europe utilizing rotary wing aviation as simulated within the newest workouts.
Taking part within the newest workouts alongside the U.S. Army, the Royal Netherlands Army additionally operates each the Apache and the Chinook, permitting the 2 allies to rehearse equivalent procedures, sling configurations, escort ways, and airspace coordination. That is anticipated to pave the way in which for combined U.S. and Dutch aviation components to operate as a single built-in package deal throughout wartime. This workouts have responded to adjustments in how assault helicopters are anticipated to function in Europe, as advances in drone and missile applied sciences have left ground-logistics extra weak. The rising lengthy vary air-to-air capabilities of low value unmanned plane has however raised vital questions relating to the survivability of rotary wing plane even when working deep behind pleasant strains.
Indicators relating to main militaries’ lowered funding in helicopter capabilities, significantly for fight roles, have been more and more evident because the limitations demonstrated within the Ukrainian theatre. The South Korean Defence Ministry’s determination in 2025 to chop its orders for the Apache was extensively interpreted by analysts as a response to the demonstrated vulnerability of helicopters, together with superior assault helicopters, to drone assaults specifically within the Ukrainian theatre. In January 2025 the USA Army deactivated its fifth Air Cavalry Squadron, seventeenth Cavalry Regiment, a reconnaissance and assault helicopter squadron which has been stationed in South Korea for greater than three years. This was interpreted as a probable response to the identical tendencies. Issues have at occasions additionally been raised relating to the Apache’s reliability, significantly after 4 Apaches crashed in simply 44 days in early 2024, together with two inside simply three days in March that 12 months.
