Video credit: Ed Macy

Flying at speeds in excess of Mach 3.3, rockets pour off the Apache at an inconceivable rate. The rockets are spaced out so they don’t collide with each other in flight.

The Apache has four launchers: a rocket comes out of the outer left launcher; just after it leaves the tube another comes out of the outer right launcher; followed by the inner left; then inner right launcher. There is about a half rocket spacing between each. The weapons computer allows a slight pause before the next four come off, then the next four, and so on. This can continue until 76 rockets are screaming off the aircraft in what looks like one long continuous 120m jet of smoke and fire.

To see it is awe-inspiring, but the sheer velocity and noise is difficult to grasp unless you have fired rockets from an Apache cockpit. We have slowed down this video of 16 rockets to show you the speed and accuracy once they are aligned carefully.