The US-origin Apache helicopters are seeing a proliferation in the Indo-Pacific region amid rising threats from China. As India awaits the delivery of its Apache helicopters, which are due to arrive soon, Taiwan conducted hot-pit refueling and rearming drills with the choppers as part of the Han Kuang exercise.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) Army tested the rapid deployment capability of its military helicopters by conducting hot-pit refueling and rearming maneuvers in Taichung and New Taipei on July 16, the ninth day of the expansive Han Kuang military drills, which are held annually to test the country’s combat readiness against a potential Chinese invasion.
China considers Taiwan a part of the Chinese mainland and has made no bones about its intention to occupy the self-ruled island state of 24 million people using military force.
Military pundits and analysts believe that an invasion of Taiwan could be launched as early as 2027. In response, the Taiwanese forces have intensified their counter-offensive efforts to thwart such an invasion attempt.
The hot-pit refuelling drills included four military choppers—two AH-64E Apaches and two UH-60M Black Hawks—both acquired by Taiwan from the United States. The choppers, which were assigned to the Army 601 Aviation Brigade, flew along the Dahan River before stopping at a riverside park in New Taipei’s Shulin District.
A video of the choppers parked at a park, rather than on runways, was published on social media. The ROC Army simulated a scenario in which the runways are attacked by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces during an invasion.
No runways? Taiwan’s military says no problem. They’re using riverside parks to re-arm and refuel helicopters as part of day 9 of Han Kuang.@TaiwanMonitor pic.twitter.com/aaS4uW0pRL
— Jaime Ocon 歐海美 (@JaimeOcon1) July 17, 2025
Hot pit refuelling refers to the process wherein an aircraft is refuelled and rearmed with new munitions while the engines are still running. This allows for the faster redeployment of the aircraft by drastically reducing the time it must spend on the ground for refueling and rearming during active combat.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) states that military aircraft must finish hot-pit refuelling and rearming in 30 minutes. However, the drill involving Taiwan’s military choppers finished in just 20 minutes.
Chieh Chung, a researcher at the Association of Strategic Foresight, a Taipei-based think tank cited by Channel News Asia, said the drill was intended to simulate the Taoyuan-based Army 601 Aviation Brigade being attacked by invading People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces.
These Army helicopters had to travel to other locations for emergency refueling and rearming to maintain their combat readiness, as their base was under attack.
Put succinctly, the drills focused on assessing how combat troops would defend and resist an invading force while also repairing damaged equipment.
As previously explained by the EurAsian Times, the Han Kuang drills are Taiwan’s largest military exercises, and each year, they emphasize a new area of military operations. The involvement of AH-64E Apache helicopters in these drills reinforces the combat utility of these combat-hardened choppers in a conflict with China.
Taiwan currently operates 29 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, acquired through a $1.91 billion deal with the US in 2011. These choppers are equipped with AN/APG-78 Longbow radar, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles, and Hydra 70 rocket pods, enhancing Taiwan’s anti-armor and air-to-air capabilities.
The primary responsibility of Taiwan’s Apache fleets is to protect Taipei, the capital, and the rest of northern Taiwan from possible Chinese amphibious incursions. The Apaches are a key component of the country’s anti-landing strategy, leveraging the island’s mountainous terrain for cover and rapid response.
While Taiwan operates a relatively small number of helicopters, it has consistently invested in their upkeep. It secured a $47.1 million maintenance parts deal in 2023 to ensure operational readiness until 2028, addressing concerns about supply in a potential blockade scenario that China has allegedly been preparing for.
There is concern that these choppers could be susceptible to Chinese air and missile strikes without air superiority. However, analysts say they would still be crucial in situations like a decapitation attack or a special forces attack. Thus, making them a very useful weapon system in Taiwan’s inventory.
The Apache, along with the Black Hawk and other platforms like F-16 Vipers, M1A2 Abrams, HIMARS, etc, are all American weapons acquired by Taiwan to build deterrence against the superior Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces.
The US continues to sell arms to Taipei despite adhering to the ‘One China’ principle, a move that is fiercely criticised by the Chinese leadership.
In addition to Taiwan, the US has sold the AH-64 Apache to several other countries in the Indo-Pacific, including India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Indian Army Is Finally Receiving Apaches
The Indian Army is set to receive the first batch of long-awaited Apache attack helicopters from the United States on July 21, marking a significant boost to its combat capabilities. These ‘tanks in the air’ choppers are expected to land at the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Hindon Air Force Station, according to the latest reports.
The delivery would be made after an excruciatingly long wait time. The Indian Army had inked a $600 million deal for six Apache AH-64E helicopters with the US in 2020. The first batch of Apaches was initially scheduled to arrive in India by May-June 2024 — a timeline that was pushed back repeatedly due to disruptions in the supply chain.
The choppers will be stationed at the first Apache rotary wing aircraft squadron, raised by the Indian Army in March 2024 in Jodhpur.
The choppers are tailored for high-altitude operations, critical for India’s western border with Pakistan and potential Himalayan deployments along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) near China, featuring Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) for drone integration. These choppers will complement the already inducted Apaches in the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) inventory.
They enhance India’s ability to counter armored threats and provide close air support, especially in desert and semi-arid terrains. However, their role against the PLA, particularly in high-altitude regions like Ladakh, is also believed to be significant by the Army.
The Apaches are designed as “tank killers,” with Hellfire missiles capable of precision strikes against PLA armored units, such as Type 99A tanks deployed in western China. They can effectively engage 16 targets simultaneously with their Longbow radar, which can identify and prioritize up to 128 targets in under a minute, making them useful in situations requiring a quick reaction against PLA ground forces.
The AH-64E’s sophisticated sensors and targeting systems allow for day/night and all-weather missions, which are essential given the unpredictability of the LAC. The IAF had deployed its Apaches in Ladakh during the 2020 tensions along the contested border, flying night sorties and demonstrating their utility.
There are, however, limitations associated with their deployment. Some experts and veterans have questioned the feasibility of purchasing new attack helicopters at a prohibitive cost, given that advanced militaries are currently focusing their attention on unmanned systems. Moreover, it is also believed that India’s indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) fares much better than the Apache in high-altitude conditions.
In 2024, an IAF helicopter was stranded at a high altitude for several months due to difficulties in bringing the rotary-wing aircraft down.
Nonetheless, IAF veteran Air Marshal Anil Chopra contends that attack helicopters are here to stay. “But the main reason attack helicopters will not disappear is that they fill a niche that very few platforms can fill. They are the only 350 KMPH missile carriers that can hide behind trees, pop up, and shoot and scoot,” he wrote in an article in the EurAsian Times.
Moreover, EurAsian Times understands that for India, the Apache deal strengthens India’s strategic partnership with the US, ensuring access to advanced technology and support. And, it comes as a headache for China, despite a thaw in ties between the two countries.
