Eurocopter Tiger

The Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by the Eurocopter Group. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre. It is also designated the EC 665 or PAH-2.

History

In 1984 the French and German governments issued a requirement for an advanced multi-role battlefield helicopter. A joint venture consisting of Aerospatiale and MBB was subsequently chosen as the preferred supplier.

Due to high costs, the program was canceled in 1986, but was relaunched during 1987.

Subsequently, in November 1989, Eurocopter received a contract to build 5 prototypes. Three were to be unarmed testbeds and the other two armed prototypes: one for the German anti-tank variant and the other for the French escort helicopter variant.

The first prototype first flew in April 1991. When Aerospatiale and MBB, among others, merged in 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group, the Tiger program was transferred as well.

The helicopter's first major public appearance was in the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, where the theft of a prototype was a major plot point.

Serial production of the Tiger began in March 2002 and the first flight of the first production Tiger HAP for the French Army took place in March 2003. The delivery of the first of the eighty helicopters ordered by the French took place in September 2003.

The deliveries of the 80 UHT version combat support helicopters ordered by Germany also began at the end of 2003 to the Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement.

In December 2001 Eurocopter was awarded the contract for the Australian Army’s "Air 87 Requirement", which was for 22 helicopters of the Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) version. The first Tiger ARH is scheduled to enter service in 2004. Some local assembly and production will also take place.

In September 2003, Spain selected a variant of the Tiger HAP combat support helicopter - the Tiger HAD - for its army. The 24 helicopters of this type that have been ordered will be armed with the Trigat and Mistral missile systems. They will also have an uprated Enhanced MTR390 engine and a heavier payload. Deliveries are scheduled for 2010 - 2014. France opted to upgrade most of its HAP Helicopter to HAD; so the HAC-Variant will never build.

Versions

It should be noted that, while the Tiger has a conventional helicopter gunship configuration of the two crew sitting in tandem, it is somewhat unusual in that the pilot is in the front seat and the gunner is in the back, unlike all other production attack helicopters. As a consequence, the seats are offset to opposite sides of the centerline to improve the view forward for the gunner in the back.

Tiger HAP

The Tiger HAP/HCP (i.e. Helicoptere d'Appui Protection or Helicopter for Close Protection) is a medium-weight air-to-air combat and fire support helicopter built for the French Army.

It is fitted with a 30 mm chin-mounted gun turret and 68 mm SNEB unguided rockets for the fire support role as well as Mistral air-to-air missiles.

UH Tiger

The UHT (i.e. Unterstützungshubschrauber Tiger) is a medium-weight multi-role fire support helicopter built for the German Army.
The UHT can carry Trigat "fire and forget" and/or HOT3 anti-tank missiles as well as 70 mm SNEB air-to-ground fire support rockets. 4 AIM-92 Stinger missiles (2 on each side) are mounted for air-to-air combat. Unlike the HAP/HCP version it has no integrated gun turret, but a 12.7 mm gunpod can be fitted if needed. The Bundeswehr decided against the GIAT cannon (French 30 mm cannon that is used on other Tiger versions) because of the recoil. Probably the UHT will be upgraded later with the Rheinmetall RMK30, a 30 mm recoilless autocannon (the Bundeswehr currently runs testing trials).
Another noticeable difference with the HAP version is the use of a mast-mounted sight, which has a second-generation infrared channel and a TV channel. Countermeasures include radar/laser/missile launch/missile approach warning receivers and decoy launchers.

Tiger ARH

The Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) is the version used by the Australian Army. The Tiger ARH is a modified and upgraded version of the Tiger HAP with upgraded MTR390 engines as well as a laser designator incorporated in the Strix sight for the firing of Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles. Instead of the SNEB unguided missile, the ARH use the 70 mm(2.75Inch) rockets developed in Belgium.

Tiger HAD

The Tiger HAD version is essentially identical to the HAP version, but with 14% more engine power available due to the upgraded Enhanced MTR390 engines and a better ballistic protection. It can also be equipped with the Trigat anti-tank missiles that were originally developed for the German UHT version.

The helicopter is suited for a support and fire suppression role and has been selected by the Spanish Army. The French Army Air Corps (ALAT) decided to upgrade most of their HAP helicopters to the HAD-Variant and thus the former HAC Variant (i.e. Hélicoptère Anti-Char or Helicopter Anti-Tank) was cancelled.

Users and Cost

The Tiger is used or will be used by the following countries:

Germany: 80 aircraft - all of the UHT version.
France: 80 aircraft - 40 HAP and 40 HAD
Spain: 24 aircraft of the HAD version.
Australia: 22 aircraft of the ARH version.

The system cost (helicopter, armament, support) depends on number and version: 2002 Spain was submitted an offer about 28/20 helicopters.

Tiger HAP 35/39 Mio Dollar
Tiger ARH 36 Mio Dollar
Tiger HAD 44/48 Mio Dollar
Tiger UHT 38/43 Mio Dollar
(Comparison Apache Longbow 48/52 Mio Dollar)

Specifications (Eurocopter Tiger)

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot & weapon systems officer)

Performance Armament

1x 30 mm GIAT 30 cannon in chin turret (HAP,HAD,ARH) or 1x 12.7 mm or 20 mm gun in pod (UHT)
8x Trigat and/or HOT3 (UHT,HAD) or Hellfire II (ARH) anti-tank missiles
4x Stinger air-to-air missiles (UHT,ARH) or 4x Mistral air-to-air missiles (HAP,HAD)
Pods of 19x 70 mm SNEB (UHT,HAD) or Hydra (ARH), or 22x 68 mm SNEB (HAP), or 7x 70 mm SNEB (HAD) or 70 mm or 2.75" unguided rockets.

In fiction

A prototype eurocopter appears in the James Bond Film GoldenEye

Photos

Australian Army
Australian Army