Latest news with #ApacheHelicopter
The Independent
26-06-2025
- The Independent
Army widow sues Boeing for husband's death in ‘uncrashworthy' Apache helicopter disaster
The widow of a U.S. Army aviator who died when his AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed on a training mission claims her husband would still be alive if Boeing had simply been honest about the chopper's purported ''enhanced' and 'unmatched' survivability features.' In a gut-wrenching product liability lawsuit obtained by The Independent, Kiara Sotelo Wayment accuses Boeing of overselling the Apache to the military as perfectly safe, when in fact it 'lack[s] adequate crashworthiness.' Specifically, Sotelo Wayment's complaint says whoever is in the forward gunner's position — where 32-year-old Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment was seated during the fateful 2023 exercise — becomes especially vulnerable in an accident. In the Apache, which is operated by a two-person crew, the pilot sits behind the gunner. '[T]he crash at issue was survivable, and the pilot in the back in fact survived,' the complaint continues. '[Wayment] perished because the Helicopter at issue and its components were defective and dangerous.' Among other things, the layout of the front cockpit is particularly dangerous in a frontal impact crash, according to Sotelo Wayment's complaint, which also places a portion of the blame for her husband's death on the Apache's seat belts and the flight helmet he was wearing. Attorney Joshua Haffner, who is representing Sotelo Wayment, said the front-seat issue came to light after a 'very elaborate process with the military to get access to the helicopter' in which Wayment went down. 'I don't think these guys know how much more dangerous it is up there for them,' Haffner told The Independent. Two years later, Wayment's family remains 'devastated,' according to Haffner. 'It changed their life completely,' Haffner said. 'Stewart was a great guy.' Boeing said on Wednesday that the company 'does not comment on pending litigation.' In an email to The Independent, a spokesperson for co-defendant BAE Systems, which supplies the Apache's seating and safety harnesses, said 'we offer our deepest sympathies to the families impacted by this tragedy' but declined to comment further, citing ongoing litigation. A spokeswoman for helmet maker Elbit Systems, which is also named as a defendant in the suit, cited a 'standing policy where we don't comment on pending litigation.' The Army, which is not named as a defendant in the suit, also declined to comment to The Independent amid an active court case. On April 27, 2023, Wayment's Apache was among a group of 14 aircraft from the 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment flying back to Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska after a two-week exercise at the Donnelly Training Area, about 80 miles away. Weather conditions that day were good and visibility was clear, the Army said. Roughly 48 minutes into the journey, near the town of Healy, Wayment's chopper and a second Apache were heading through a mountain pass, some 250 feet above the ground, when the two lost sight of each other, according to a 385-page report later released by the Army Combat Readiness Center. After one of the Apaches increased its airspeed, it hit the main rotor blades of the other, the report said. Both helicopters then slammed into the side of a mountain, killing Wayment, a father of three young boys, but not the pilot at the controls behind him. The two members of the flight crew in the second Apache, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, also died in the collision. Broadly speaking, the AH-64 Apache 'is a dangerous and defective product with respect to the gunners seated in the front cockpit in a frontal impact crash,' states Sotelo Wayment's complaint, which was filed initially in state court in Arizona, where Boeing builds the Apache, and removed to Arizona federal court on June 12. For starters, the Apache's forward cockpit contains an Electronic Display and Control system, or 'TEDAC,' positioned directly in front of the gunner, according to the complaint. However, as the TEDAC lacks any sort of padding, it 'poses a significant risk of death or injury from a frontal impact,' the complaint alleges. It says the Apache's seats and safety harnesses, from BAE Systems, do not 'adequately restrain the head, causing neck and/or head injury on frontal impact.' Additionally, the lap belts pose an 'unreasonable risk of coming into the stomach causing injury, a process known as submarining,' which can cause all manner of extremely grim outcomes. Third, according to the complaint, the Elbit Systems helmet Wayment was wearing at the time was not designed to properly mitigate the effects of a crash. In all, Boeing, BAE Systems, and Elbit were 'negligent and provided a defective aircraft and components resulting in [Wayment's] death,' the complaint argues. Wayment, a Utah native, began his military career in the National Guard but later enlisted full-time in the Army, according to a fellow servicemember who knew him. To Wayment, his family 'was absolutely everything to him,' Samuel Malachowski told a local ABC affiliate shortly after the fatal incident. 'He looked forward to getting home to see them each day and being with them, spending time with them and making good memories,' Malachowski said. 'That was everything he lived for.' In 2024, the Army reported three Apache crashes over a span of just eight weeks. Earlier this month, a gunner assigned to the Army's 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell, Kentucky was killed when the Apache he was co-piloting crashed during a routine training mission. Sotelo Wayment is seeking compensatory, general, and special damages from Boeing, BAE Systems, and Elbit over her husband's Apache crash, saying his death has deprived their family of his love, care, comfort, support, society, attention, services, consortium, companionship, assistance, protection, and affection, plus punitive damages, lawyers' fees, and court costs. GoFundMe campaign launched by a friend of Wayment's in the aftermath of his death raised a little over $42,000 of its $600,000 goal. The military, in most instances, is immune from lawsuits, according to Haffner. But, he said, 'when there is a dangerous product, there is an avenue for recovery.' 'We want our soldiers to be safe,' Haffner told The Independent. 'That's what this case is about.' The three companies have until July 3 to file their responses to Sotelo Wayment's complaint.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Soldier Killed in 'Horrific' Helicopter Training Accident Identified
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin K. Wright, 40, was killed in an Army training exercise at Fort Campbell on June 11 An Army pilot who was also training sustained minor injuries and was released from the hospital later that night The incident remains under investigationA helicopter training incident at Fort Campbell has left one soldier dead and another injured, according to the U.S. Army. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dustin K. Wright, 40, died as a result of wounds from an AH-64 Apache helicopter training accident on June 11, the 101st Airborne Division confirmed in a Facebook post on Friday, June 13. The other soldier, identified only as a pilot, sustained minor injuries. He was immediately evacuated to the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in Tennessee and was later released the night of the incident. Fort Campbell is a U.S. Army installation that extends across the Kentucky–Tennessee border. "The entire 101st Combat Aviation Brigade grieves the loss of CW2 Dustin Wright," said Col. Tyler Partridge, commander, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Div. "A former Infantryman, Dustin cherished every opportunity to be outside and support ground troops. He did so with strength and honor. We will forever cherish the memories of his service, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew him," Partridge added. 'No matter how it happens, when we lose someone who has committed to serving our country, I know it hurts that family but it should hurt us all,' Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday, June 12, the Associated Press reported. Kentucky State Sen. Craig Richardson added, 'This tragedy is a solemn reminder that the dangers our military faces are not limited to distant battlefields. The call to serve brings risks at home, in training, preparation, and quiet readiness.' Wright joined the Army in 2010 and began his career at Fort Campbell in May 2022. His awards and decorations include the Air Medal with "C" Device, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Army Aviator Badge, the Army Parachutist Badge, and the Army Pathfinder Badge. The 101st Airborne Division is the only air assault division of the U.S. Army, according to its website. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. They earned the nickname 'Screaming Eagles' by demonstrating the highest standards of military professionalism since their activation at one minute after midnight, Aug. 16, 1942. In 2023, a helicopter training left nine soldiers of the 101st Airborne dead when two HH-60 Black Hawk medical evacuation helicopters crashed into one, according to The New York Times. The cause of last week's accident is under investigation. Read the original article on People
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Why Tackling Iranian Drones Is A Job For Israel's Helicopter Gunships
An Israeli AH-64 Apache engages and shoots down an Iranian suicide drone in footage released by the ... More IDF Dramatic videos are emerging of Israeli AH-64 Apache helicopters shooting down Iranian attack drones. The advanced U.S.-supplied helicopters are pursuing and destroying propeller-driven drones with bursts from their 30mm cannon. But the encounters illustrate an interesting point: the drones are getting past Israel's world-class interceptor missiles and have to be stopped at close range. In a long war, helicopters vs drones could become a crucial factor in protecting civilians. Israel has a layered air defence missile system, comprising the long-range Arrow, the medium-range David's Sling and THAAD and the short range Iron Dome. Between them, these are capable of tackling everything from ballistic missiles launched from Iran to home-made Qassem rockets fired from Gaza. Israel's Iron Dome air defence system shooting down incoming Hezbollah rockets in August 2024 This system is supported by a complex network of radar and other sensors and has proven extremely effective at swatting down missile attacks mid-air. When Iran attacked Israel in 2024 with a barrage of over 300 missiles and drones, around 99% were successfully stopped. But this capability comes with a cost. The larger missiles cost millions apiece. Even the smaller Tamir interceptor missiles fired by Iron Dome cost around $40,000 each. While Israel has a stockpile of thousands of such missiles, supplies are not endless, and cannot be replenished quickly. As we have seen in Ukraine, Russia uses thousands of Iranian drones to wear down missile defences, running down stocks of the interceptors needed to take out ballistic missiles. Smart defenders learn to save their missiles for the important threats, and leave the smaller and less dangerous drones to lower-cost methods. Ukraine has developed a whole ecosystem of weapons to take down Shaheds, including hundreds of mobile air defence units armed with machineguns fitted with thermal imagers. They also use helicopter gunships to intercept the drones and shoot them down with automatic cannon fire – exactly the same tactic we are now seeing in Israel. Israel operates an updated version of the AH-64D Apache helicopter gunship known as Saraf ('Serpent'). This has a top speed of around 200 mph, compared to the 120 mph of the Shahed, and is armed missiles plus a with a 30mm chain gun firing 10 rounds a second. The gunner aims simply by looking at a target – the Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System automatically swivels the gun to point wherever they are looking at -- and can lock on to moving targets. The Apache features a helmet-mounted sighting system so the pilot can aim just but looking The Apache's gun was originally designed for use against ground targets such as personnel and light vehicles, but the upgraded software can tackle air-to-air targets too. Drones like the Shahed which fly in a straight line with no attempt to evade ought to be sitting ducks. Even so, some of the videos suggest that pursuits may take some time. An unconfirmed report on Twitter/X claims 'Four Israeli apache AH-64 helicopters chasing a single drone for past half hour and so far drone operator has successfully dogged [sic] them.' This may be propaganda, or a misinterpretation of helicopter patrols, or a sign that intercepts are harder in practice. Some Russian-made drones now have the auto-evade system as known as Ukhylyant ('Evader,' but also 'draft dodger') which carried out evasive maneuvers when it detects another aircraft nearby. This sort of system could make drones harder to shoot down. There is also a huge danger from friendly fire. Helicopters flying at the same speed and altitude as attacking drones can easily be hit by defensive fire from the ground. Preventing this requires a high level of co-ordination and discipline among the defenders. Needless to say, losing a $50m helicopter while pursuing $30,000 drones would be a disaster even if no lives were lost. Iran has also demonstrated a jet-powered version of the Shahed known as the Shahed-238, which at more than 300 mph is too fast for helicopters to catch. These may start to appear if the slower drones fail. There are already suggestions that this may be a prolonged campaign, in which case the attacks on cities are likely to continue. Russia has bombarded Ukraine continuous with drones, launching as many as 472 in one night in a effort to wear down defenses. Israel can deal with such numbers in the short term, but after a while the magazines will start to run down. Unlike Ukraine, Israel may be able to carry out airstrikes to destroy Iran's drone production, storage and launch sites. But until that happens, there may be significant numbers of drones flying, and it will be down to the helicopter crews to stop them. Like Ukraine, Israel may also turn to interceptor drones, though these will take months to develop and field. In the short term, expect to see more such helicopter-drone intercepts, and rapidly evolving tactics and technology on both sides.
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Wesley Hunt, Texas Congressman, Explains What Influenced His Decision To Enlist In The U.S. Army
Texas Republican Congressman Wesley Hunt joins Fox Across America host Jimmy Failla to shed light on what inspired him to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he spent eight years as an Apache helicopter pilot. The rising star in the House of Representatives also tells Jimmy about what prompted him to pursue a career in public service following his time in the military. Take a listen to the interview below: Listen to full episodes of Fox Across America below:
