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TIGER CHOOSEN BY AUSTRALIA

Earlier than expected, Australia has decided the winner of the "Air 87" competition. On 10 August Minister for Defence, Peter Reith, announced that Eurocopter International Pacific had been selected as the bidder to advance to the tender development stage. Assuming that no problems emerge, a contract to supply 22 Tigers, worth around AU $1.3 billion (DM 1.4 billion), should be signed before the end of the year.

The Tiger "offers good value for money," said Reith. "That is very important for the taxpayer. But it is also important that the helicopter should offer a lot of capability, which is very good for the Army. It will transform the Army's ability to conduct tactical reconnaissance by day or night and provide a vital capability to escort and protect our Black Hawk helicopters." Entry into service of the first helicopters is scheduled for the end of 2004. They will be stationed in Townsville and Darwin.

The "Aussie Tiger" is based on the French HAP version with nose cannon and roof-mounted sight. However, it will have an enhanced performance MRT390 engine. In addition, a laser target designator is to be integrated to enable use of the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire guided missile.

As well as the military aspects, naturally industrial policy considerations played a prominent role in selection of the winner. According to Gilbert Dangleterre of Eurocopter, some 80% of the contract value will be matched by industrial offsets in Australia. This includes final assembly of the aircraft between 2002 and 2006 in Queensland. "EADS has purchased the military arm of Hawker Pacific, which has a hanger at Brisbane airport. That is one of the possibilities," says Dangleterre.

In addition cable harnesses and the tail boom for all the Tigers are to be built by Australian industry. As a special inducement, Eurocopter has suggested setting up a final assembly line to produce EC120 civilian helicopters. "We would build 30 to 50 helicopters a year for re-export into the entire region," says Dangleterre. This would generate sales worth AU $50 million and employ about 30 people. Other Australian companies involved in the "Air 87" programme include partners ADI and Brown and Root Services.

For Eurocopter the significance of winning the competition in Australia can scarcely be overestimated, given that the AH-64 Apache, Bell AH-1Z and AgustaWestland A129I Scorpion were all lined up against it. Following the publication of a new White Paper on defence plans for the next ten years, the government in Canberra had on 18 December 2000 invited the four companies to submit their tenders by 30 April. But in fact the Australians have been in search of a new armed reconnaissance helicopter for more like half a decade.

The next objective for the Tiger is now Spain, where once again it will find itself up against the Apache. Eurocopter has offered to promote Spanish industry "into a third, full partner in the Tiger programme with a final assembly line in the country". A modified version of the HAP variant is to be offered, with more powerful engines and special equipment.

This configuration is evidently also of interest to the French army aviation corps, which is deliberating whether to forego the dedicated anti-tank HAC variant and procure a standard Hélicoptère Appui Destruction (HAD) instead.

From FLUG REVUE 10/2001, page 63