An incident involving a malfunctioning Apache attack helicopter has prompted an investigation by the British Army. The incident occurred during live-fire training exercises when the Apache suffered a malfunction and was forced to land at the Sculthorpe training range in Norfolk.
According to the Sun, the crew returned to Wattisham where the helicopter was scheduled for repairs, and the “negligent discharge” took place.
The helicopter was being transported out of a hangar, where it had been stored overnight, when it accidentally fired a stray practice round, which is currently under investigation.
“We are aware of an incident at Wattisham Flying Station which is being investigated,” a British Army spokesperson told Sky News, adding that there were no reports of any injuries or damage.
Designed to hunt and destroy tanks, the Apache attack helicopter has significantly improved the British Army’s operational capability. It can operate in all weather conditions, day or night, and can detect, classify, and prioritize up to 256 potential targets in a matter of seconds. It carries a mix of weapons including rockets, Hellfire missiles, and a 30mm chain gun, as well as a state-of-the-art fully integrated defensive aid suite.
In addition to the distinctive Longbow radar located above the rotor blades, this aircraft is equipped with a day TV system, thermal imaging sight, and direct view optics.
In May, an Apache helicopter was involved in a near-miss with an air ambulance as it took off from Wattisham. The Apache reported that the air ambulance passed about 150ft (45m) above it, and both aircraft were traveling at more than 100mph when the incident occurred.
The collision risk was low “because each captain was visually aware of the other aircraft,” a report by the UK Airprox Board said.
