The geography of Gaza and the direct confrontations between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian factions prompted the Israeli army to request Apache attack helicopters from Washington, which it has refused so far.

According to the Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth", the army recently officially requested "Apache" helicopters from the Pentagon, but no final decision was taken regarding that deal despite continued Israeli pressure to pass it. What are its most prominent uses in Israel? And the "Apache" is an aircraft. The main attack of the US Army, Israel has two squadrons with which it launches attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, according to the Maariv newspaper, which indicated that it is also bombing the northern West Bank.

According to military reports, the Air Force received AH-64 Apache fighters in 1990, and they also serve in the Israeli Air Force, as follows: within “Squadron 190,” known as the “Magic Touch Squadron,” and it is stationed at Ramon Air Base in the Negev Desert.

"Squadron 113" is based at the "Ramat David" base in Marj Ben Amer, from which the "Apache" launched to attack Hamas on October 7.

Its most prominent roles in Gaza

This fighter is considered one of Israel's most important air weapons in the Gaza War, because it gives it a great advantage, most notably:

Supporting ground forces fighting on the ground, as they use their machine guns and missiles to destroy enemy targets, which helps them advance and achieve their goals.

Destroying ground targets such as missile sites and command and training centers, it uses its armor-piercing missiles to destroy tanks and armored vehicles, in addition to its missiles with conventional warheads destroying buildings and individuals.

Defending the airspace where Gaza borders are monitored and Palestinian factions’ drones are shot down.

What are its characteristics?

The Apache, which has multiple types, the latest of which is the AH/64 Long Bow, has tremendous capabilities that make it a powerful weapon with several characteristics, including:

An anti-armor attack and reconnaissance helicopter that protects ground forces, accompanies mobile forces, and performs sweeping operations in front of invading forces.

Superior maneuverability, allowing it to move quickly and accurately around battlefields and helps the pilot locate targets quickly and accurately and avoid enemy fire.

Equipped with the latest technology, such as fire control and night vision systems, which helps the pilot see targets in all weather conditions.

Equipped with a video recorder that can record approximately 72 minutes of events for the purpose of reconnaissance and loss assessment.

It moves in the field at a speed exceeding 3 kilometers per minute.

What are her most prominent abilities?

Length: 17.73 meters.

Height: 4.64 meters.

Speed is 233 kilometers per hour.

Weight: 7270 kilograms.

Range: 482 km.

It has a twin-turbocharged engine, the T700-GI and the GI701C.

A diverse arsenal of weapons, including two 30 mm machine guns, two Hellfire missiles, and two TOW missiles.

It can carry up to 16 laser-guided Hellfire missiles for use against tanks, armored vehicles, hardened and light targets, and individuals.

Why does Israel request Apaches?

According to military reports, since the beginning of the war, these fighters have been flying in the airspace of the Gaza Strip around the clock, and because of their extensive use in the war, Israel summoned pilots aged 54 and 55, despite their departure from the reserve forces, to carry out ground operational missions in the “190” and “113” squadrons. In addition to summoning former pilots residing abroad, despite their removal from the list of reserve pilots, in recent years because they were not present inside.

After the Israeli army fought an “urban war” in Gaza, as Russian military expert Vladimir Igor told Sky News Arabia, the complex geography, which only the owners of the land know, plays a major role in guerrilla and street battles and “defense in depth” wars.

Igor adds that this geography, which is filled with a complex and large network of tunnels, has become the biggest obstacle facing the Israeli army for several reasons:

The majority of the incursion soldiers are reserve soldiers and were called up without combat experience or proper training and are not familiar with the streets and alleys to fight ground battles and direct clashes on the ground.

The high population density of Gaza hinders the advancement of Israeli army personnel and equipment.

The ruins of demolished houses left by the Israeli air strikes have become an obstacle to the movement of soldiers and heavy military equipment on the ground.

The geography of Gaza made it easy for army units to fall into ambushes by Al-Qassam soldiers and the rest of the resistance factions.

Gaza City was characterized by the construction of residential and commercial towers that exceed 5 floors in height, while the rest of the Gaza Strip maintained houses and residential buildings ranging from 3-5 floors, in addition to the usual traditional construction pattern of ground-level houses or those whose height does not exceed two floors. Complicates the geography of the sector.

Weak morale

As for the Palestinian military expert, Major General Wassef Erekat, he told the “Sky News Arabia” website that the American refusal came due to the inability of the Israeli army to achieve any military goals so far, in addition to the differences between the United States and Israel regarding the methods and method of war despite their agreement to kill the Palestinians.

The Israeli army is in dire need of the Apache because close combat and direct engagement in alleys, narrow streets, and residential areas require this type of helicopter.

The Apache offers an additional advantage over the Israeli Air Force because it is a close, fast and direct support weapon that causes heavy fire.

The ease of maneuvering and flying at low distances makes it close to the Israeli soldiers, which makes them feel safe and raises their morale, especially since direct contact battles between fighters and Palestinian factions on the ground push Israel to reduce the use of artillery and other weapons.

Source: Sky News