Tiger Hellfire missile tests.

[corsair67]

Found this ADF Media Release the other day, and thought it may be of interest.

The Tiger is certainly going to be quite a bit more capable than the Kiowa! ;D



Successful Hellfire missile tests on Tiger helicopter

Testing of the firepower capability of the Hellfire missile system integrated into the Australian Army’s new Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH) was successfully completed on 7 December 2005.

The aim of the Hellfire Test Campaign was to certify the weapon for service use on the ARH.

The Hellfire Test Campaign was conducted in two phases at Woomera, South Australia, as a cooperative activity between Australian Aerospace Pty Ltd (the Australian subsidiary of Eurocopter) and the Defence Materiel Organisation. Phase One was completed in May 2005 with the launch of the first practice missile. Phase Two concluded on 7 December with the successful firing of seven missiles, three of which were fitted with live warheads.

[Bruce]

What a mean looking machine........ sounds seriously capable.

[corsair67]

Yes, they certainly are mean looking. The Army had one on display at Avalon last year, so it was good to see it in the flesh.

The Army is very particular about calling the Tiger an "Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter", and they seem to get very cranky when the media/general public call them a gunship/tank busting chopper! I suppose they feel that ARH sounds much more peaceful. ;D

The Army is buying 22 Tigers; the first 4 of which were built in France, and the remaining 18 are being built in Brisbane by Australian Aerospace. Australian Aerospace is also the company that will build the MRH-90 for Australia (and NZ?).

[corsair67]

Another picture of the first Army Tiger, taken over Canberra last year. I love that 30mm cannon under the nose!

[Calum]

Still has a few problems to iron out, but it should certainily turn out to be capable. They still need get people to move to Darwin to look after them, and that could be the hardest thing

[corsair67]

Yes, Darwin could be the make or break part of the plan! ;D

Maybe they should keep them all at Oakey?

[turboNZ]

What made them choose Tigers over Apaches and the like ?
Cost?

[corsair67]

Yep, the old devil "money" came into play again, so the AH-64 Apache fell by the wayside fairly early. Plus, I think that some ADF officials considered that the Apache wasn't really what the Army needed as an armed scout chopper.

I think that Eurocopter was able to offer a much better deal to the ADF as far as Australian industry participation was concerned as well, which is always a big consideration these days.

[turboNZ]

Well, that can't be a bad thing if it means local (your local ) benefits.

[Dave Homewood]

That's one mean ugly brute. Looks like it should be in Mad Max 4.

Is this that same Tiger helicopter type that was in a James Bond film a few years back?

[turboNZ]

yup, that's the one. I think that was a Tigre (the French version) prototype

[Calum]

Apache was a bit of an over kill. After all it's not a gunship but Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

[corsair67]

I think the Tiger will prove itself in service (once they've ironed all the bugs out), and surely it's got to be better than the Kiowa!