Boozed-up soldiers caught having sex in Apache helicopter: Drunken pair’s cockpit romp sparks safety review
Two drunken soldiers were caught having sex in the cockpit of an Apache attack helicopter.
Shocked comrades discovered the half-naked male and female romp after seeing the rotors of the terrifying multi-million pound gun swinging up and down.
The pair of lecherous squaddies were squeezed into the back of the two-seat AH-64 helicopter, which is armed with a 30mm cannon and pods for Hellfire missiles.
Ground crews were reportedly on their way to put rain covers on the Apache after an overnight maintenance job when unusual noises were heard from inside.
An air safety report found: ‘It became apparent that the rear cockpit was occupied by two people engaged in sexual intercourse.
“Both sides served soldiers. Both showed symptoms of intoxication.’
It is reported that the pair were naked from the waist down – one was a man in military uniform and the other a woman in civilian clothes.
The couple was ejected from the military helicopter, which belonged to the Army Air Corps’ 654 Squadron.
Two soldiers were caught having sex in the back of an Apache attack helicopter (file image)
The photo shows the entrance to the Ministry of Defense Otterburn camp in Northumberland, where the incident is believed to have taken place
The soldiers caught having sex on the plane were thought to be from another unit, the Royal Artillery.
“They were detained until the arrival of the chain of command of 653 Squadron and their parent unit,” the Military Aviation Authority report on the fiasco added.
A British army source told the newspaper Sun the incident took place in the Otterburn Range in Northumberland in 2016 and had just become public due to a computer error.
Aircrew were later instructed to ensure the Apaches were locked up in the future, the military insider claimed.
Britain recently secured a new fleet of 50 top-of-the-line Apache attack helicopters from America worth hundreds of millions.
The Apache AH-64E version 6 aircraft, which cost £412 million, replaced the Apache Mk.1, which entered service in 2001.
The British Army has been using the Apache capability since 2005, with the attack helicopters deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
They were also flown by Prince Harry on training missions when he served in the army.
The two soldiers captured in the middle of the romp were believed to be serving in the Royal Artillery (file image from an Apache helicopter)
Prince Harry served as an Apache helicopter gunner with the 662 Sqd Army Air Corps from September 2012 to January 2013. (Pictured at Camp Bastion, southern Afghanistan, in 2012, where Prince Harry served)
The new Apache attack helicopters are equipped with a Rolls Royce engine and have a top speed of 300 km/h. They can simultaneously detect 256 potential targets up to 10 miles away and prioritize threats in seconds.
It features a mix of weapons including a 30mm chain gun, 70mm rockets and Hellfire missiles to provide the commander with choice and flexibility during the mission.
Built by Boeing, they feature new rotor blades and powertrain to improve flight performance, as well as improved sights, sensors and communications systems to share data with other helicopters.
The helicopters have seen combat action in Iraq and Afghanistan.