Tiger Serial Production gains Momentum: Eurocopter ramps up
Farnborough, 22 July 2002
Series production of the Franco-German Tiger combat helicopter - one of Europe's most important helicopter programmes - is in full swing at Eurocopter's Marignane and Donauwörth plants. Following the successful roll-out of the first production Tiger, UHT S-01 (Unterstützungshubschrauber Tiger, i.e. Combat Support Helicopter Tiger of the German Army), at the company's Donauwörth plant on March 22 this year, the aircraft is now being readied for its first flight. Delivery to the German Army Air Corps is scheduled for the end of 2002.
Ground tests have started in Donauwörth for the second production helicopter, UHT S-02, while S-03, S-04 and S-05 are in final assembly. At Eurocopter's Marignane facility, the first HAP for the French Army Air Corps is in final assembly, with HAP S-02 being prepared for final assembly. The first HAP Tiger for the French Army will be delivered in June 2003.
The Tiger programme has a total volume of 3.9 billion Euro (development, industrialisation, production), this being the Eurocopter share and excluding engines which are contracted separately. It is split on a 50:50 basis between Germany and France. Over the next ten years, it secures more than 2,000 highly-qualified jobs in the European helicopter and equipment industry. The production contract and the order for an initial batch of 160 Tiger helicopters - 80 for Germany and 80 for France - were signed by the German and French governments in June 1999.
Since the first flight in April 1991, five Tiger prototypes and the pre-production aircraft PS-01 have logged more than 3,050 flight hours, and taken part in intensive systems and weapons testing campaigns. Tiger prototypes PT3 and PT5 were used to qualify the UHT that will equip the German Army Air Corps. The multi-role UHT is capable of performing armed reconnaissance, tank strikes, ground combat support, and air combat/escort. For these missions, the UHT can be equipped with anti-tank HOT or fire-and-forget Trigat LR missiles, Stinger air-to-air missiles, rockets and a gun pod. All these systems have undergone extensive firing trials, demonstrating the specified functions and performance of the weapons systems and the helicopter platform.
The modular design concept of the Tiger enables it to be a multi-mission platform from the outset. The basic helicopter can be equipped with different operational systems, providing in-depth flexibility and multi-functionality. The Tiger has all-weather, day-and-night operational capability.
Over 80 percent of the airframe is made of composites, which means less weight, better crash protection and a low electromagnetic signature. The Tiger benefits from new generation engines and rotors, and a glass cockpit with optimised man-machine interfacing that decreases crew workload. An integrated helmet system (IHS) and a Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) visionics piloting system facilitate missions by night and in adverse weather conditions. The Tiger's equipment also includes a third-generation, opto-electronic target identification and acquisition system.
On the UH-Tiger, the detectors for the gunner are located in the mast-mounted sight, and for the pilot, on the nose-mounted sight. The mast-mounted sight is used to detect and identify the target. The IR signature is reduced by directing the exhaust gases upward after mixing with cold air. The rotor's quiet-design airfoil section also reduces the noise footprint of the helicopter. Its narrow fuselage minimizes visual detectability, and the airframe structure eliminates reflections of radar and infrared waves thanks to an anti-radar absorbent skin. The Tiger is also fitted with nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) protection. And no other combat helicopter can match the Tiger by offering such a comprehensive and effective solution for the conflicts of the future.
The German and French armed forces will put the Tiger's inherent multi-role capabilities to full use. Typical missions will be tank strikes, neutralizing ground targets, combat support and escort, surveillance and reconnaissance, and protection of unarmed helicopters taking part in humanitarian aid operations. Both countries will use varying mission equipment packages.
The Tiger is a major contribution to the standardisation of weapons systems between Germany and France and the enhancement of interoperability between the armed forces. As a third customer, Australia has ordered 22 Tiger as an Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter for its armed forces.
Eurocopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). With revenues amounting to 30.8 billion Euro in 2001 and a workforce of 100,000, EADS is the largest European aerospace company and No. 2 worldwide. It is active in the sectors of commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft as well as defence technology and services.
For more detailed information, please contact:
Jean-Louis ESPES
Tel: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 55
Fax: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
13725 Marignane Cedex - France -
Christina GOTZHEIN
Tel: +49(0) 89 60 00 64 88
Fax: +49(0) 89 60 00 44 37
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-81663 Munich - Germany
Chantal LINARES
Tel: +33(0) 4 42 85 60 51
Fax: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
13725 Marignane Cedex - France
Christoph MÜLLER
Tel: +49(0) 906 71 45 65
Fax: +49(0) 906 71 46 74
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-86607 Donauwörth - Germany
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