Saudi Arabia confrims death of Apache helicopter pilots in Asir
SANAA, Dec.1 (YPA) – Saudi Arabia has admitted the deaths of two of its pilots in what it called the “crash of their Apache helicopter in Yemen.” This coincided with broadcasting of video footage scenes by the millinery media of the Yemeni army on Saturday showing the moment when a surface-to-air missile hit the Apache helicopter in Majazah area off Asir region.
A father of one of the Saudi pilots, commented on Twitter: “My son, Captain Pilot Abdul Majid Mohammed al-Omari, was martyred while defending religion, homeland and holy places and in response to the call of duty,” he claimed.
“A Saudi Apache plane was shot down on Friday morning in a district off Asir province with a surface-to-air missile,” said Yemeni armed forces spokesman Yahya Sare’e.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Sare’e confirmed that “the Apache helicopter was downed while it was carrying out hostilities, and it was burned completely and its two polits were killed .”
The Yemeni air defense missile surprised the Saudi military helicopter, and its crew, Captain Pilot Abdul Majid al-Omari and his assistant Lieutenant Saud al-Shahri, were killed instantly.
Video footage of the operation showed the Yemeni air defense missile hitting an Apache, then burning it completely and falling into a mountain in a deserted area off Asir, but the pilots were unable to escape.
“Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that approaching the airspace of Yemen is prohibited. It will not be a place for a picnic for anyone and we will address all attempts by enemies until we reach the full protection of Yemeni airspace,” he added.
According to Al-Arabiya channel, Saudi Arabia “owns approximately 82 Apache AH-64D aircraft. Saudi pilots have been trained intensively internally and externally and have achieved advanced positions among the world’ s countries.”
“The Apache helicopter is capable of targeting more than 128 targets with high accuracy within one minute as a result of the enemy’s inability to see the aircraft during its night operations,” said Us manufacturer Boeing.
The $100 million Apache helicopter “is highly armed, equipped with more than 100 laser-powered missiles that penetrate shields with a range of more than 14 kilometers, and a 30-millimeter machine gun.”
The Apache, which is described as an “air tank”, also features sophisticated precision-identified and injury techniques, “and the execution of an attack from close range or in depth so as to destroy the enemy and weaken its forces.”
One of Apache’s most prominent technologies is the “thermal missile stealth system by reducing the thermal emission of its engine by air cooling suitable around the fuselage, and releasing infrared radiation at different frequencies to mislead tracking devices.”
In addition, the Apaches are able to “withstand extreme weather conditions throughout the day and night, and withstand casualties, becoming the most ferocious and dangerous fighter for ground forces in the war.”
But the Apache,The Apache, like other US supplied products being used against Yemen in the war, was not able to withstand the Yemeni forces.
E.M