Saudi Apache helo reportedly shot down near Yemeni border
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
23 August 2015

A Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces was shot down during combat operations over Yemen on 21 August, the Reuters news agency reported.

The helicopter came down in the Saudi border province of Jizan after reportedly being hit by Houthi ground forces. Although Saudi officials have confirmed that a helicopter was lost and its two crew members killed, they have said they are still investigating the cause of the crash.

The Apache helicopter is operated in a number of variants by three separate branches of the Saudi armed forces. According to IHS Jane's World Armies , the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) fields 12 AH-64A/D platforms, and is set to receive 36 of the latest standard AH-64Es (deliveries of which began in September 2014). The Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) is to receive 12 AH-64E-variant Apaches, with deliveries due to start this year, while the Saudi Royal Guard is looking to buy 10 AH-64Es of its own, though there have been reports that these might be rolled into the RSLF's order.

None of the reports have identified the type or operating service of the crashed helicopter. The incident's location close to the Yemeni border does not provide any clues either, as the RSLF normally stations its Apaches at King Khaled Military City in the far north, while the SANG's new aviation bases are to be located at Khashm al-An Airfield, east of Riyadh, and Dirab Airfield, southwest of Riyadh; again far from where the helicopter went down.
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