UK tech company tlmNexus has announced that it will be supporting the UK’s Apache AH-64E programme as part of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Apache Capability Sustainment Programme Project under the existing Airworthiness Issue Management System (AIMS) contract.

The helicopters, which will be flown by the Army Air Corps, will be the latest type to benefit from the capability of the company’s Resolve software under the existing AIMS contract.

According to a statement received by the UK Defence Journal:

“Resolve helps the MoD’s platform management teams to track and manage airworthiness-related issues in a way that is compliant with the UK Military Aviation Authority’s engineering regulations. The principal benefit of Resolve is that it provides a single source of reference for the areas it covers with a transparent, auditable view of all actions and tasks relating to key issues.  

The advantages of the system are numerous, including the management and mitigation of key risks, the provision of easily accessible management information and presentation of a complete audit trail from the front line all the way through to the Joint Helicopter Command Headquarters.  A particularly valuable feature is the ability for remote workers to use the system to maintain the continuity of fleet airworthiness management and data integrity.”

The company say that it provides through-life acquisition and support management solutions for the Defence sector, specialising in the delivery of innovative defence-focused software services.

tlmNexus Ltd is a UK technology company with a headquarters located in Brighton, a city rapidly building a reputation as a leading tech hub, with team members stationed across the country. Two of its three founders served together as military engineers.

The idea of through-life management was emerging as a force for good but was frequently paper-based and disjointed; they both recognised that to improve the availability of front line fleets the management of various processes needed to change dramatically to ensure the efficient delivery of defence capability. Upon completion of their service, they set out on a new journey determined to maximise the benefits from through-life thinking.”

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Rob Collinson
Rob Collinson
3 years ago

Are these AH-64Es new aircraft? Or they upgraded current aircraft? How many in total now and then after up programme finishes?

RobW
RobW
3 years ago
Reply to  Rob Collinson

Total 50. 38 new, 12 re-engineered from our existing air frames.

Rob Collinson
Rob Collinson
3 years ago
Reply to  RobW

Fab!!! Thanks. All of the different announcements muddy the waters on that. I understand we have 50 now. What will happen to the 38 we do not upgrade? May they be upgraded in the future? Or, are they going to be frankensteined to help they upgrade of the 12? Or are they just going to go the way of the 17 we have already disposed of?

RobW
RobW
3 years ago
Reply to  Rob Collinson

I don’t know for sure but I believe they have been run hard over their lifetimes so mostly scrapped, with some equipment and a few air frames kept in storage. That is my cousin’s best guess at the moment. He is an air corps engineer at Odiham so mostly works on Chinooks but has had a stint on the Apache, at Wattisham I assume.

Rob Collinson
Rob Collinson
3 years ago
Reply to  RobW

Thanks for those great details! Stay safe!

julian1
julian1
3 years ago
Reply to  RobW

its interesting that they were worn out so quickly. I know they fought hard in Afghanistan, the height, heat and sand being a real challenge but most of them were barely 20 years old – and some substantially younger, so would have thought that with care they could have had a greater degree of re-use. Does anybody know what specific/typical problems they encountered and why many didn’t last longer?

RobW
RobW
3 years ago
Reply to  julian1

I think all options were considered to keep them airworthy and relevant out to 2040. It might have to do with the new build cost we were quoted, pretty good I recall.

Paul T
Paul T
3 years ago
Reply to  julian1

I think its also the case that Boeing have a cut-off date for support of the ‘D’ so going to the ‘E’ was the only option.

Bill
Bill
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul T

Not all new aircraftnew orders confirmed as yet. I think the question was raised in the house pre lockdown although the govt of course remain committed! The upshot is that frontline Apaches are reduced from 48 to 32 or less. To be fair this is not recent, they were cut when the armoured and artillery regiments were cut as well losing 30% plus of our ‘teeth’. No replacement in sight for CR2 or AS90. The strike brigades look absolutely useless with the firepower they are due to bear. 4 CR2 regiments to be upgraded. Full anti-armour and air capability to… Read more »

Cam
Cam
3 years ago
Reply to  Bill

And boxer will only be armed with general purpose and heavy machine guns! No large gun or artillery type system to give them a better punch, and there’s a large gun For boxer vehicles but we aren’t getting that type….. What a joke.

Joe16
Joe16
3 years ago
Reply to  RobW

I think that it’s the other way round, if not all remanufactured, according to Janes’s…
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/uk-now-has-all-50-ah-64e-apaches-under-contract

RobW
RobW
3 years ago
Reply to  Joe16

Interesting thanks. I thought at the time we ordered the 38 it was reported this was new build, I stand corrected.

Joe16
Joe16
3 years ago
Reply to  RobW

It took me ages to find out myself! Someone who is familiar with Boeing in the US linked me to it on The War Zone, so I can’t claim to have done all the research myself.
As long as they’re properly remanufacured, with a decent amount of flying hours, I don’t think it’s too much of a problem. Always nice to have them shiny and new though!

Cam
Cam
3 years ago
Reply to  Joe16

Would also be nice to keep a couple dozen of our old Apaches just incase we need them, even for training or emergency’s! we will lose Apaches if we went to war with a half decent country! We don’t or won’t have any reserves. Just like the lynx aircraft we scrapped! We could have kept a couple dozen for lots of other duties even just to increase our depth and numbers.

Joe16
Joe16
3 years ago
Reply to  Cam

Yeah, I am generally concerned about how much spare anything we have to be honest… From what I understand, we can’t replace many losses on any of our major weapons systems across ground sea and air.

Bill
Bill
3 years ago
Reply to  Joe16

Air and sea assets no. What you see is what we’ve got. Plenty of tanks, AS90’s and GMLRS in grease should they be needed unless they were melted down for scrap. Nothing would surprise me. Get a new OPV, bin the one it replaced. That just seems to be the mentality.

Joe16
Joe16
3 years ago
Reply to  Bill

Well, I’m glad we’ve got something…!