Germany Orders 82 Airbus H145M Helicopters for Military Modernization and to Phase Out Highly Troubled Tiger Combat Helicopters

 

Germany Orders 82 Airbus H145M Helicopters for Military Modernization and to Phase Out Tiger Combat Helicopters

Germany has initiated a significant overhaul of its military helicopter fleet with the procurement of up to 82 light-attack versions of Airbus Helicopters' H145 twin-engine aircraft. This acquisition, announced as the largest order for the armed H145M model, is designed to temporarily replace the German Army's Tiger attack helicopters, which have encountered operational challenges.

The decision, confirmed by the German Parliament's budget committee on December 13, led to an immediate commissioning of Airbus to supply the helicopters by Germany's defense materiel agency—the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support.

The €100 billion ($109 billion) special fund allocated for military modernization in Germany will finance this procurement. Alongside the aircraft, the purchase includes spare parts, eight simulators, training for both flight and technical personnel, and operational services over a seven-year period.

Of the 82 helicopters, the German Army will receive 57 units, while the Luftwaffe's special forces will acquire five, supplementing the 15 H145Ms already in service. There is an option for an additional 20 helicopters, bringing the total potential procurement to 82.

The strategic shift towards H145M helicopters, recognized as a "lightweight attack helicopter" (LKH) by the German defense materiel agency, underscores a reevaluation prompted by geopolitical events such as Russia's actions in Ukraine. These new helicopters are expected to serve a multi-role purpose for both the army and the air force.

Notably, the H145M, with its adaptable mission capabilities, is poised to fill various roles, including light attack, training, and liaison tasks. Germany's choice of an available helicopter type, already in use by special forces and in rescue missions, aligns with the immediate operational requirements and negates the need for costly type transfers.

Airbus Helicopters' CEO Bruno Even expressed pride in securing the order, emphasizing the H145M's operational versatility and Airbus's commitment to a prompt delivery schedule. The first batch of helicopters is slated for delivery in 2024, less than a year after the contract signing.

These helicopters will be equipped with HForce, a weapon management system developed by Airbus, enabling training consistency for pilots and operational personnel. The H145M, a variant of the H145 family, known for its reliability, will play a pivotal role in enhancing Germany's military capabilities.

This procurement marks a substantial advancement in Germany's military modernization efforts and signals a strategic transition to advanced and adaptable helicopter technology, ensuring heightened defense readiness in response to evolving security challenges.

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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Australian Tigers operate overseas for first time

Australia has deployed its Airbus Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) overseas for the first time, with a detachment participating in joint training exercises with Malaysia.
Four Australian Army Tiger ARHs were airlifted to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) air base at Subang on a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlifter on 21 April, before embarking for training exercises aboard the HMAS Canberra landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship.
Australia operates 22 Tiger ARH helicopters, with deliveries running from December 2004 through to December 2011. The ARH is a hybrid variant of the Tiger that is based on the French HAP (Hélicoptère d'Appui et de Protection), with an undernose Giat 30-781 30 mm cannon, roof-mounted sight, and provision for underwing 70 mm rocket pods, but with added anti-tank capability.
Apart from being the first overseas deployment of the Tiger, the exercises aboard HMAS Canberra mark a major milestone for the helicopter given that until very recently Australian auditors were recommending that it not be operated aboard ships due to performance limitations.
Gareth Jennings- Jane's 360

Germany lifts Tiger helicopter grounding

Germany has lifted a flight ban on the fleet of Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack rotorcraft operated by its army, but has yet to restart operations with the type.
Berlin grounded the Tiger, except for operational emergencies, following a late-July fatal crash near Gao in Mali in which two servicemen were killed.
Although the investigation into the accident has yet to reach any conclusions, the German defence ministry believes the helicopter is safe to fly again, with certain restrictions in place.
These relate mainly to speed and weight limits, as well as use of the autopilot. It says the constraints on the helicopter's use are "low and acceptable".
"[The inquiry] has cleared a lot of factors," it says. "It is clear to fly again under certain circumstances but we do not know yet the exact reason for the accident."
It says a series of tests will be performed on its 51-strong Tiger fleet, prior to the restart of operational flights.
Little detail has emerged from the crash investigation, but the Tiger appears to have lost its main rotor blades after entering into a sudden steep descent.
It hit the ground around 10s later, and the wreckage was consumed by a post-impact fire.
The defence ministry says the inquiry is looking at the ill-fated Tiger's flight control system as a potential cause of the accident, as its operation appears to have differed from that recorded on similar aircraft.
flightglobal

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.
defensenews

Spanish Army helicopters conduct first trials on board French amphibious ship

Spanish Army helicopters carried out the first onboard compatibility tests with the French Navy on 4 December.
The trials involved a Boeing Chinook, a Eurocopter Cougar, and a Eurocopter Tigre from the army's Air-mobile Force (FAMET), with the helicopters conducting deck landings and take-offs from the Mistral-class amphibious assault (LHD) vessel BPC Dixmude .
janes

Poland Selects Patriot, Caracal Helos

Poland has selected the US Patriot system and the Airbus Caracal helicopter as the European nation faces an increasingly aggressive Russia.
A spokesman at the Polish Embassy in Washington confirmed that the nation has chosen the Patriot over the Aster 30, a system offered by a European consortium of MBDA and the Thales Group.
Developed by Raytheon, the Patriot is used by the US Army along with fifteen partner nations. That includes Poland's NATO partners Spain, the Netherlands, Greece and Germany.
That NATO relationship appears to have given Patriot as boost in the competition.
Poland also has chosen the Caracal from Airbus Helicopters, beating competition from the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk and AgustaWestland AW149, the Airbus unit said on Tuesday.
The pre-selection of the Caracal is for 60 military multirole helicopters under.
Poland also has a requirement for some 30 combat helicopters, for which Airbus will pitch its Tiger.
defensenews

Germany Signs Deal for 18 NFH90 To Replace Navy Sea King

Germany has finally confirmed a deal that will see it order 18 new NH Industries NH90 NFH helicopters for its navy, while at the same time trimming commitments for the troop transport variant and Airbus Helicopters Tigers.
However, the German army will now receive 80 instead of 122 NH90s, with two further airframes for training and 22 more covered by options. In addition, its order for the Tiger will fall to a total of 68 attack helicopters. However, 11 early-build examples will be immediately retired from service, with the army targeting a future frontline fleet of just 40.
Deliveries of the Sea Lion model are due to commence in 2018, as the German navy retires its fleet of Westland Sea King 41s.
Germany has a difficult relationship with the NH90, having recently temporarily grounded the 10.6t troop transport variant over safety concerns.
flightglobal

AH-1Z Propossed as Maritime Attack Platform for Australian Navy Assault Ships

Bell is pitching its AH-1Z Viper helicopter to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to be utilised as a maritime attack platform aboard its two landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships.
However there is no formal Australian requirement, Bell is briefing the ADF on the Viper's capabilities ahead of an expected decision on whether to upgrade its Airbus Helicopters Tigers to a maritime configuration.
The AH-1Z is already doing all of the missions that the ADF is doing [with the Tiger], and more. It can carry 16 Hellfire [air-to-surface missiles] plus two Sidewinder [air-to-air missiles], and has the cost-per-flight-hour figures that the ADF has been looking for.
While the Australian Army does currently field 22 Tiger helicopters, a decision is expected to be made under Phase 3 of the Project AIR 87 Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) procurement programme on whether to upgrade these helicopters to be able to operate from the decks of the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) two Canberra-class LHDs (HMAS Canberra was recently commissioned, while the future HMAS Adelaide is currently under construction in Spain).
The AH-1Z has been built to be resistant to corrosion; its engines are the same as those fitted to the MH-60R maritime helicopter as already selected by the RAN; it has folding [main rotor] blades; there are heavy-duty tie-down points; and its systems are shielded so as to be 'ship-safe'." .
As well as being physically better-suited to the maritime domain, the AH-1Z has the benefit of being in operational service with the US Marine Corps (USMC). With the USMC now regularly rotating through Darwin, the ADF is going to be operating alongside the AH-1Z more and more, and so there are obvious advantages of interoperability and support to be had should Australia choose to also procure the helicopter.
The discussions with the ADF is still in a very informal stage.
janes

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.
defensenews

Malaysia to upgrade and arm S-61 "Nuri" fleet

Malaysia is to boost its ability to combat future militant incursions by arming its AgustaWestland AW109s and transferring upgraded Sikorsky S-61 “Nuri” utility helicopters to army aviation control.
Prompted by an incursion made by Sulu rebels in Sabah in 2013, Kuala Lumpur has already outfitted three of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s S-61s with 12.7mm door guns.
The army plans to arm the AW109 helicopters with 7.62mm gatling guns.
Malaysia had previously planned to remove its aged Nuri fleet from use by 2012. However, with the nation having ordered only 12 of a planned 28 Airbus Helicopters EC725s as replacements, this has forced the service to prolong the life of its Sikorskys.
If proven viable through a pilot project involving one aircraft, up to 26 S-61s will receive upgrades to their main and tail rotor blades and gearboxes, and be equipped with a digital datalink, self-protection equipment, armoured protection and a pintle-mounted machine gun at the cargo door.
Malaysia’s interest in acquiring a dedicated attack helicopter capability has failed to advance due to budget pressures. Its army has previously evaluated types including the Airbus Helicopters Tiger, Bell AH-1Z, Boeing AH-64 Apache and Denel Rooivalk.
flightglobal

Airbus Helicopters delivers the first NH90 and the first two HAD-E Tigers to the Spain

Airbus has completed official delivery of the first two Tiger helicopters in the new HAD-E version and the first NH90 GSPA tactical transport helicopter destined for the Spanish Army Airmobile Force (FAMET).
These three helicopters were assembled in the Spanish plant in Albacete, which successfully carried out the industrial phase, airworthiness certification and technical acceptance.
Airbus Helicopters España will supply a total of 22 NH90 helicopters to the Spanish Armed Forces under a delivery schedule that continues through to 2021. The Spanish plant is responsible for assembly of all the NH90 helicopters for the Spanish Armed Forces, along with manufacture of the front fuselage section both for the Spanish helicopters and for those destined for export.
As for the combat helicopters, Tiger deliveries belong to the new HAD-E version, which offers numerous advantages compared to the HAP-E Tigers currently in service: a new MTR-E turboshaft with 14% more power, an improved optronic vision system, Spike air-to-ground missiles, an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system coupled with an interrogator and a new electronic warfare and countermeasure system.
The Spanish Army purchased a total of 24 of these helicopters. To date, six HAP-E Tiger helicopters have been delivered to the Attack Helicopter Battalion. Their satisfactory deployment in Afghanistan during 2013 represents an important milestone for this helicopter.
airbushelicopters

First Tiger HAD Block 2 Attack Helicopter Delivered to the French Army

The French Army’s Tiger combat helicopter fleet expanded yesterday with delivery of the first two attack helicopters in the HAD Block 2 version. These two Tigers will join those already in service for the military, which have proven their capabilities during operational deployments in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Somalia, Libya and Mali.
The “Block 2” version brings additional enhancements that now offer the full capacity of the HAD version, including improved targeting accuracy for rockets, the addition of combat external fuel tanks that provide longer flight times while still enabling the full complement of armament to be used, an extension of the flight domain in which Spike and Hellfire anti-tank missiles can be fired, and the integration of digital communications for operations in today’s digital battlefield. The HAD block 2 helicopters are also “navalized,” allowing their use from ships and in sea environments.
airbushelicopters

German Tigers Leave Afghanistan

The Bundeswehr's Tiger mission ended June 30 with none of the four combat helicopters firing a shot.
Since the mission began January 30, 2013, the Tigers flew 260 missions, clocking around 1,860 hours supporting NATO ground troops and Afghan seccurity forces. Shows of force by the Tigers sufficed to overcome threats, according to the Bundeswehr.
The helicopters are scheduled to return to Germany in August.
aviationweek

Airbus delivers the German Army’s final upgraded Tiger support helicopter for deployment in Afghanistan

The Germany Army received the last of 12 Tiger UHT support helicopters upgraded by Airbus Helicopters for Afghanistan missions to support ground troops, protect convoys and perform reconnaissance operations.
It completed the three batches of four Tiger UHT support helicopters modified to the ASGARD (Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment) configuration through a program launched in late 2011 by Airbus Helicopters and the German Federal Ministry of Defense. The ASGARD conversion includes installation of engine sand filters and additional ballistic protection, along with the incorporation of a mission data recorder and enhanced communication equipment for multinational missions.
The German Armed Forces began deploying its initial Tiger UHTs modified to the ASGARD configuration in December 2012, with operations beginning a month later in Mazar-e-Scharif.
To date, these ASGARD-upgraded Tigers have accumulated well over 1,000 flight hours in German military service.

Australian Tiger ARH fires Hellfire

A Tiger ARH from the Australian Army fires a Hellfire missile during exercise Talisman Saber 13.

The initial HAD/E Tiger assembled in Eurocopter Spain performs its first flight

Eurocopter’s Tiger combat helicopter program has reached an important new milestone with the maiden flight of the initial Tiger HAD/E variant assembled at Eurocopter's Spanish facilities in Albacete, Spain.
eads

Eurocopter delivers the first Tiger HAD version to the French DGA

Eurocopter’s first production Tiger helicopter in the HAD attack configuration was delivered to France’s DGA armament procurement agency today for operation by French Army Aviation units, providing a highly capable combat weapon system that is tailored to the world’s evolving battlefield conditions.
This milestone followed DGA qualification of the Tiger HAD version on April 10, and marked the delivery startup for Eurocopter’s latest variant of a rotorcraft product line which has already been combat proven during military operations in Afghanistan, Libya and today in Mali.
eads

Spanish Tigers Deployed to Afghanistan

Three Spanish Tiger combat helicopters arrived in Herat, Afghanistan, on board an Antonov An-124 transport aircraft.

The Tigers from the Spanish army's Attack Helicopter Battalion nº 1 (BHELA 1), whose home base is Almagro, will provide protection and security for troops withdrawing from Afghanistan. They will do so as part of a tactical group of multirole helicopters including Cougars and Chinooks, which will conduct reconnaissance and security missions and convoy escort of withdrawing forces.


Nicholas Fiorenza-aviationweek

Germany cuts Tiger and NH90 TTH orders, adds more NFHs

Eurocopter SAS, the world’s largest helicopter maker, had a German government order for attack and transport rotorcraft curtailed after more than a year of discussions over how to restructure the deal.
An agreement signed today cuts Germany’s Tiger attack helicopter program to 57 units from 80 and the number of NH90 troop transports to 82 units from 122, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Germany will add 18 NFH90 maritime helicopters under the terms of the agreement, it said.
The German government has sought to amend the deal with Eurocopter, the helicopter arm of Toulouse, France-based European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. (EAD), to cut spending and bring the number of rotorcraft in line with a smaller military. The company, on the other hand, had been trying to assure its production capacities would not be undermined.
“The outcome is a clear win-win situation for both parties, and provides those involved with a resilient and sustainable solution for the future,” Eurocopter spokesman Christoph Mueller said by e-mail. “We took a tough stance in our negotiations, but our discussions were most constructive.”
Eurocopter has agreed to buy back 11 Tiger attack helicopters already handed over, the ministry said. The contract change, which still needs to be finalized, will free up significant budget, it said.

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