Boozed-up soldiers caught having sex in Apache helicopter: Drunken pair's cockpit romp sparks safety review

Two boozed-up soldiers were caught having sex in the cockpit of an Apache attack helicopter.

Shocked comrades discovered the half-naked male and female mid romp after spotting the rotors of the fearsome multi-million pound gunship swaying up and down.

The pair of randy squaddies were squeezed into the rear of the two-seater AH-64 chopper, which is armed with a 30mm cannon and pods for Hellfire missiles.

Ground crew were reportedly heading to put rain covers on the Apache after a night-time servicing when unusual noises were heard from within it.

An air safety report revealed: 'It became apparent that the rear cockpit was occupied by two people engaged in sexual intercourse.

'Both parties were serving soldiers. Both showed symptoms of intoxication.'

It's reported the pair were naked from the waist down - one being a man in military uniform and the other a female in civilian clothing.

The couple were ordered out of the military helo, which belonged to the Army Air Corps' 654 Squadron.

The soldiers caught having sex in the aircraft were thought to be from a different unit, in the Royal Artillery.

'They were detained until the chain of command of 653 Squadron and their parent unit arrived,' the Military Aviation Authority report into the fiasco added.

A British Army source told the Sun the incident took place at the Otterburn range in Northumberland in 2016, and that it had just become public due to a computer error.

Air crew were later ordered to ensure the Apaches were locked down in the future, the military insider claimed.

Britain recently bagged a new fleet of 50 top-of-the-range Apache attack helicopters worth hundreds of millions from the America.

The Apache AH-64E Version 6 aircraft, that cost £412million, 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 used in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. They were also flown by Prince Harry on training missions when he served in the Army.

Boasting a Rolls Royce engine, the new Apache attack helicopters have a top speed of 186mph and can detect 256 potential targets at once up to 10 miles away and prioritise threats in seconds.

It carries a mix of weapons including a 30mm chain gun, 70mm rockets and Hellfire missiles to provide choice for the commander and flexibility during the mission.

They were built by Boeing and feature new rotor blades and drivetrain to improve flying performance as well as improved sights, sensors and communications systems to share data with other helicopters.