Tiger ARH - background

The Army has ordered 22 Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH) under Project Air 87. These will equip the 1st Aviation Regiment at Robertson Barracks, Darwin and the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey.

The Tiger ARH's weapons, sensors and tactical data links will provide a survivable airborne reconnaissance, escort and fire support capability, making it a key element of Australia's emerging Hardened and Networked Army. The Tiger will replace the Army's obsolete Bell UH-1H Iroquois gunships and unarmed Bell 206 Kiowa reconnaissance helicopters. Final delivery is currently scheduled for 30 June 2008.

Based closely on the French Army's Tiger HAP variant, Australia's ARH is armed with a 30mm gun, 70mm rockets, Lockheed Martin Hellfire air to ground missiles and infra red and electro-optic reconnaissance sensors. Built largely from carbon fibre composites with armour and Electronic Warfare Self-Protection (EWSP) systems, the Tiger ARH carries a pilot and 'battle captain' - the tactical coordinator and aircraft commander.

The total approved budget for this project is $2 billion at January 2005 prices. This includes a $1.140 billion fixed-price prime contract signed in December 2001 with Australian Aerospace Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of Eurocopter. The prime contract also includes a training system with a suite of aircrew and ground crew training devices and a contractor logistics support system.

Source: Australian Strategic Policy Institute - "The Cost of Defence: ASPI Defence Budget Brief 2006-07"

By Gregor Ferguson, Adelaide