The U.S. Army has directed an immediate, temporary pause in flight operations for AH-64E Apache helicopters equipped with Improved Drive System transmissions while required inspections and corrective actions are completed.

This action follows an ongoing Army technical and airworthiness assessments of the Improved Drive System transmission, including information developed through prior Safety of Flight actions, inspection results, maintenance reporting, and ongoing engineering analysis.

The order to ground the AH-64E Apache is likely to affect every squadron and is expected to be effective for a number of months as they conduct inspections.

The temporary suspension of flight operations currently only affects the AH-64E and is only aimed at airframes fitted with Improved Drive System transmissions, which will number over 450 of the Apaches operated by the US Army.