This is a wise step for Australia in terms of deterrence as much as I don't trust Boeing or my government, it is has been pretty strange seeing some countries look at the Apache like it is outdated when it is probably one of the most successfully forward thinking weapon systems from the Cold War especially with the longbow radars and it has only become more relevant as an integrated central node to coordinate air defense against things such as mass drone waves.
If you are Australian and are looking at the Ukraine war nervously and thinking about what kinds of military deterrence are actually effective, resilient and adaptable, this is it. This replaces the Tiger gunship helicopter in Australia's inventory and it is difficult to understate how much more capable of a system the Apache is then the Tiger, the stats show a major difference but it is much bigger than that, it is about an entire approach to combined arms military operations.
The US Army’s AH-64E Apache has also integrated the Spike missile system, in addition to the existing joint air-to-ground missiles, which feature laser and radar seekers. These missiles will eventually replace the Hellfire in US operations. The Apache’s advanced sensors and systems, such as the Longbow fire-control radar, enable it to acquire targets at more than double the range of the ARH Tiger. Its capability is further enhanced by data-sharing links like Link 16, which allows for seamless communication with other helicopters and ground units.
While exact sensor capabilities remain classified, it is known that the Apache can detect targets at distances beyond its firing range. The US Army utilises a formation-based approach to manage the vast amount of data generated during missions. A typical formation involves four Apaches, with mixed configurations of Longbow radars and upper-receivers. “Longbow radar aircraft can share their targets, then the troop leader can assign them between the flight to attack,” one Australian Army is quoted as saying to the MoD. “It’s an adrenaline rush to be in a four-ship formation with four aircraft firing simultaneously.”