Taiwan is set to take delivery of six more AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the US this or next month, the army said on Wednesday, in line with a delivery schedule announced after an Apache crashed in northern Taiwan in April.
It will be the fourth shipment in a NT$59.31 billion (US$2.01 billion) order for 30 of the newest Apache model.
“The helicopters are scheduled to arrive in Kaohsiung in late August or early September,” an army official said.
They will be flown to an Army Aviation Special Forces base in neighboring Greater Tainan after being unloaded and checked, the official said.
The latest shipment comes after an Apache crashed into a three-story residential building in Taoyuan County’s Longtan Township (龍潭) on April 25, damaging four homes, but causing no serious injuries.
On July 15, the army said in a report that the crash was caused by weather conditions and human error. Apache training operations had returned to normal before the investigation report was completed, it added.
At the time, the army said the fourth batch of Apache helicopters would arrive in Taiwan this month, with a final batch expected to be delivered in October.
The crashed chopper was one of 18 that have been delivered to Taiwan by the US since November last year.
The final two batches were previously slated for delivery in May and last month. The army official attributed the delay to shipping issues.
The model E is the latest in the Apache attack helicopter series. The US and Taiwan are the only two countries using it.
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