Eurosatory 2022, the International Defense Exhibition in Paris, France, will see a star showcased in its air section: the Eurocopter Tiger, a twin-engine attack helicopter that first entered service in 2003. It is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter). Following their languages, in Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain, it is called the Tigre.
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Discover at Eurosatory 2022, International Defense Exhibition, the Tiger one of the most modern attack helicopters in the world. (Picture source Screen Shot Video Coges)
Development of the Tiger started during the Cold War, and it was initially intended as an anti-tank helicopter platform. France and Germany chose to proceed with the Tiger, developing it as a multi-role attack helicopter. It achieved operational readiness in 2008.
The Tiger has the distinction of being the first all-composite helicopter developed in Europe; even the earliest models also incorporate other advanced features such as a glass cockpit, stealth technology, and high agility to increase its survivability. Improved variants have since entered service, outfitted with more powerful engines and compatible with a wider range of weapons. Since the type's introduction to service,
On 18 June 1999, Germany and France publicly placed orders for an initial batch of 160 Tiger helicopters, 80 for each nation, valued at €3.3 billion. On 22 March 2002, the first production Tiger was rolled out in a large ceremony held at Eurocopter's Donauwörth factory; although production models began initial acceptance trials in 2003, the first official delivery to the French Army took place on 18 March 2005; the first official Tiger delivery to Germany followed on 6 April 2005. Germany reduced its order to 57 in March 2013. In 2008, OCCAR estimated the project cost at €7,300,000,000. France's FY2013 budget put their share of the project at €6.4bn (~US$8.7bn), implying a program cost of €14.7bn (~US$20.1bn) to the three main partners. The 2013 French White Paper changed the mix to 60 HAP and 20 of the more expensive HAD; at FY2013 prices, their HAP cost €27.4m/unit (~US$37m) and their HAD €36.1m/unit (~US$49m), including development costs the French Tigers cost €80m (~US$109m) each. In December 2015, France placed an additional order for 7 HAD helicopters, with the plan to upgrade the entire fleet to the HAD standard by 2025 for a total of 67 helicopters.
Since the type's introduction to service, Tigers have been used in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, and Mali.
