Go Ahead for the upgrade of Spanish and French Tiger Helicopters to MkIII standard

Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a development and production contract for the Tiger MkIII upgrade programme, initially covering 42 aircraft for France and 18 for Spain. Awarded by the OCCAR procurement agency, the contract, which also includes initial in-service support, will see the first prototype of the modernised attack helicotper fly in 2025, ahead of deliveries to France and Spain beginning in 2029 and 2030, respectively. 

The contract includes an option to add 25 more helicopters to the upgrade programme for Paris, which if exercised would encompass 67 of its 69-strong Tiger fleet. Germany’s Tigers are not covered by the deal, although the contract provides the possibility for Berlin to join the programme at a later date. Development and upgrade work will be conducted at Airbus Helicopters facilities in Albacete, Spain; Marignane, France; and Donauworth, Germany. 

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France Orders 7 More Tiger Attack Helicopters

On Dec. 17, France ordered a further seven Tiger attack helicopters, aimed mainly to boost support for troops deployed against insurgents in sub-Saharan Africa.
The seven helicopters will be delivered between 2017-18. The Tigers will be the attack version, or hélicoptère appui-destruction (HAD), which are equipped with a more powerful engine, improved targeting system, additional combat external fuel tanks, and certified for Hellfire and Spike air-to-ground missiles in addition to the Mistral air-to-air weapon.
The latest order brings the French fleet to 67 Tigers and follows a request last year from the French Army to send a mixed batch of some 10 attack and transport helicopters to boost the present deployment of helicopters supporting troops in the Barkhane anti-insurgency operation in the Sahel.
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France Cuts Order for Tiger Helicopters

French authorities have agreed to cut 20 Tiger combat helicopters and retrofit to simplify the two-model fleet to the more capable attack version.
The new feature is a conversion of the existing escort unit to the attack model.
The 20-strong cut stems from the 2014-19 multiyear budget law, which slashed a planned acquisition of 80 Tigers to 60.
Under the amendment, there is a firm order for 24 attack and a retrofit of 36 escort units.
That firm order of 24 new attack helicopters is effectively a cut of 16 from the previous contract for 40 units.
Airbus Helicopter is expected to deliver the first retrofit of the escort to the attack model in 2017.
The existing fleet of escort units will be upgraded with laser-guided Hellfire II missiles and a more powerful engine.
Other French helicopter programs have been affected. On the NH90 transport helicopter, deliveries have been stretched out, with the French Navy to receive three units this year and then two units per year. The Navy has ordered 27 NH90s.
The Army, which is due to receive a total 68 NH90s, will receive four per year compared to a previous target of eight.
Tiger is a French-German-Spanish program, and the attack version is a French-Spanish cooperation.
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French Army Gets Third NH90 Helicopter

NHI announced that the French Army took delivery of its third NH90 Caiman.

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