Posted by Skyler Frink
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, Dec. 3, 2011. A program to provide the Australian Defense Force (ADF) with armed reconnaissance helicopter capability achieved a major milestone with the delivery of the last production Tiger Helicopter.
A two-crew helicopter, many of which are now entering into service with armed forces around the world including operational use by French Army in Afghanistan Tiger ARH022 was accepted by Defence at local defence manufacturer Australian Aerospace's Final Assembly plant on Brisbane Airport.
The formal hand-over ceremony was attended by representatives of the Commonwealth, aviation and aerospace industry executives, senior officers of the Australian Defense Force, and senior management of Australian Aerospace Limited and its parent; Eurocopter.
Acquired under Project Air 87, the Tiger replaces Defense's existing rotary-wing force comprising Bell 206B-1 (Kiowa) reconnaissance and UH1-H (Iroquois) gunship helicopters. The Tigers have been deployed with the Army's 1st Aviation Regiment in Darwin, the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey in Queensland and at RAAF Edinburgh, in South Australia.
Under Project AIR 87, as well as assembly of the Tigers and delivery of ground crew training systems, Australian Aerospace is also responsible for the overall program management and Through-Life-Support (TLS) of the helicopters throughout their service life.
Equipped to carry a 30mm turreted-cannon in the nose, 70mm rockets and Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, the Tiger can detect and engage targets at long distances. The French Defence Force has operated its Tigers in Afghanistan since 2009 and in Libya in 2011 with great success.
