An AH-64E Apache attack helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) sustained damage while making a precautionary landing while on a training sortie in Ladakh area on April 4.
“An IAF Apache helicopter carried out a precautionary landing during an operational training sortie in Ladakh AOR on 03 April 24. During the process of this landing, it sustained damage due to undulating terrain and high altitude,” the IAF said on April 4.
Both the pilots on board are safe and have been recovered to the nearest airbase, the IAF said adding a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause.
The IAF operates 22 Apache attack helicopters procured from Boeing under a ₹13,952 crore deal in September 2015.
The Army is now preparing to induct six Apaches between May and July this year and last month raised the 451 Aviation Squadron at Jodhpur that will operate them. These six helicopters were contracted at a cost of around $800 mn in February 2020.
