US approves $3.95bn sale of AH-64E Apache Gunships & AW119Kx Koala training helicopters to Israel
February 4, 2026
The US State Department has cleared two Foreign Military Sales to Israel, covering 30 AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters and an unspecified number of AW119Kx Koala trainers, in deals worth a combined £3.95bn including equipment and support.
Approval of these prospective FMSs was announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) after it had notified US Congress about the two separate export sales on 30 January.
As part of these proposed deals, Israel has requested the purchase of 30 Boeing-produced AH-64E Apache Guardian gunships for $3.8bn, along with an undisclosed number of Leonardo Helicopters-built AW119Kx Koala training helicopters for $150m.
Commenting on both of these prospective deals, the DSCA said: “The proposed sale will enhance Israel’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel’s borders, vital infrastructure, and population centres. This proposed sale will increase interoperability with US forces and conveys US commitment to Israel’s security and armed forces modernisation.”
Israel moves to recapitalise its ageing Apache helicopter fleet
Israel’s move to acquire 30 new-build AH-64Es through the US FMS programme reflects the nation’s plan to modernise its now-ageing fleet of legacy Apache gunships.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has operated the type since September 1990, when the air arm welcomed its initial batch of AH-64A Peten attack helicopters to Ramon Air Base in southern Israel. At the time, the IAF’s decision was to purchase the Apache instead of upgrading its existing fleet of Bell AH-1G/S Tzefa gunships.
By 2000, the IAF had more than 40 AH-64As in operational service. In the early 2000s, Jerusalem opted to acquire the more advanced AH-64D-I Apache Longbow – known in IAF service as the Saraf – through the US FMS programme.
The first of these new attack helicopters were delivered to the IAF in April 2005. The type has been at the frontline of Israel’s military engagements since it was first introduced in 1990 and continues to serve as a key air-to-ground strike asset for the IAF, despite its age.
Available information suggests that Israel currently maintains a 48-strong Apache fleet, which – according to Cirium – is split between 26 AH-64As and 22 AH-64Ds. The aviation analytics provider notes that the age of the service’s remaining A-model Petens ranges between 35 and 39 years, while the newer D-model Sarafs are between 13 and 20 years old.
Notably, Israel has faced several issues in its pursuit of upgrading its legacy Apache fleets over the past 30 years. Such issues have been attributed either to funding constraints or to a lack of US cooperation at the time, with Washington having been critical of Israel’s use of the gunship in several engagements across its 36-year career with the IAF.
What’s included in Israel’s AH-64E deal?
However, that has not been the case this time, as the DSCA confirmed on 30 January. While Israel has requested the possible FMS of 30 AH-64Es from the US, the proposed sale also includes the provision of various systems, sensors and hardware/software, such as:
- 70 GE Aviation T700-GE-701D turboshaft engines (60 installed with 10 spares);
- 30 AN/ASQ-170 Modernised Target Acquisition and Designation Sights (M-TADS) and AN/AAR-11 Modernised Pilot Night Vision Sensors (PNVS), along with one M-TADS/PNVS to support Special Repair Activity (SRA);
- 30 AN/APG-78 Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) Mast Mounted Assemblies (MMA) and one FCR MMA to support SRA;
- 30 AN/APG-78 Longbow FCR Radar Electronic Units (REUs) and one FCR REU to support SRA;
- 30 AN/APR-48B Modernised Radar Frequency Interferometers (MRFIs) and six MRFI maintenance floats;
- 30 AN/AAR-57 with fifth sensor Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS), along with four CMWS maintenance floats;
- 30 AN/ARC-231A Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (VHF/UHF) radios and six AN/ARC-231A maintenance floats;
- 60 M36E8 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs);
- 72 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems with M-code (EAGLE-M) and Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR), and
- 36 Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) systems.
The proposed deal also covers a range of additional systems and equipment. These include an unspecified number of AN/APX-123A Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) transponders; receivers and air-to-air ground kits to support manned-unmanned teaming operations with unmanned aerial systems (UAS); M299 missile launchers; M261 2.75in rocket launchers; and the Small Tactical Terminal KOR-24A for Link-16 datalink compatibility.
The FMS further includes training equipment and support services, along with spare and repair parts, technical data and publications, and broader logistical support.
“The US is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defence capability,” the DSCA added. The principal contractors for this proposed sale will be Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
AW119Kx: Israel’s revamped rotary-wing pilot training system
Israel recently acquired the AW119Kx Koala as part of its broader effort to modernise its military pilot training infrastructure. In 2021, Jerusalem finalised its order for an initial batch of 12 Koalas to replace its ageing fleet of Bell 206 Saifan training helicopters, which have been used to train IAF rotary-wing crews since the 1970s.
Known as the Ofer in Israeli service, the AW119Kx will be primarily used for flight training, with the fleet being used to teach students the principles of basic and advanced rotary-wing flight manoeuvres.
The platform has also been designed to better simulate complex operational environments – such as search-and-rescue (SAR) and other mission sets – allowing students to gain better experience under realistic conditions.
The IAF welcomed its first Ofer – which was built by Leonardo Helicopters at its Philadelphia facility in Pennsylvania – to Hatzor Air Base in central Israel in November 2024.
According to Cirium, the service has inducted 11 of the 12 helicopters ordered into Israeli military service as of 3 February 2026. The platform is similar to the US Navy’s newly acquired fleet of TH-73A Thrasher training helicopters, which are also based on the AW119Kx.
What’s included in Israel’s AW119Kx Koala deal?
With deliveries of its initial batch of Ofers nearly complete, Jerusalem is keen to keep expanding its new fleet of training helicopters. However, as per the DSCA release on 30 January, it is yet to fully outline how many more examples of the type it seeks to acquire.
Despite this, the proposed FMS also includes the provision of Aviation Ground Support Equipment (AGSE), as well as technical data and publications; support equipment; spare and repair parts; logistics support services; training equipment; and personnel training services.
According to the DSCA, these additional items and services are to be added to a “previously implemented case whose value was under the congressional notification threshold. The original [FMS] case, valued at $78.2m, included the following [non-Major Defense Equipment (MDE)] items: AW119Kx light utility helicopters, spares, and support. The estimated total cost is $150m.”
The principal contractor for this prospective FMS will be Leonardo Helicopters. “This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner that has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the DSCA concluded.
Featured image: US Army/Specialist John Farmer
