NEW DELHI: A spanking new heavy-duty Apache attack helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in a village field in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab after it developed an engine snag on Friday.The IAF said the AH-64E Apache helicopter, which had taken off from its Pathankot airbase, had “indications of a critical failure after an hour of flying and carried out a safe landing” at the field in Budhawar village around mid-day.“The captain of the Apache took correct and prompt actionto recover it safely. The two pilots are safe and there was no damage to any property. The helicopter was later flown back to its base after necessary rectification,” said an officer.IAF has inducted 17 of the 22 Apaches, which are dubbed “tanks in the air” because they are armed with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns and rockets, under the Rs 13,952 crore deal inked with the US in September 2015. The last five, which had arrived at the Hindon airbase last month, are yet to be inducted due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.During US President Donald Trump ’s visit to India in February this year, India had also inked the Rs 5,691 crore deal for six additional Apaches for the Army, apart from the Rs 15,157 crore one for 24 MH-60 `Romeo’ multi-role naval helicopters.IAF is also inducting 15 heavy-lift Chinook helicopters, which are capable of transporting howitzers and troops to forward and high-altitude areas with China and Pakistan , under another Rs 8,048 crore deal inked in September 2015. The Apaches will be based at Pathankot and Jorhat, while the Chinooks at Chandigarh and Dinjan (Assam) to cater for the northern and eastern fronts.