Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH
Concern is mounting in Germany that the new government-elect of Gerhard Schröder may try to cut the costs of the Eurocopter Tiger programme, even though it insists that the procurement of the helicopter for the army remains secure.
Eurocopter says it is too early to say what will happen. "We have to wait until the new government is in place." The cabinet of Schröder, Germany's Social Democrat Party chancellor-elect, is expected to take over by the end of this month, with the party's parliamentary faction leader, Rudolf Scharping, named as the successor to outgoing defence minister Volker Rühe. A strategic defence review is expected to get under way early next year.
The politicians face a variety of options, short of cutting procurement numbers:stretching the programme and delaying entry into service, cancelling procurement of the Euromissile Trigat anti-tank missile, or dropping the German anti-tank and support helicopter configuration in favour of France's escort and fire support variant.
Eurocopter says that Bonn remains committed through the Franco-German government memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year. The memorandum commits each of the countries to buy an initial batch of 80 helicopters, and specifies an eventual purchase of 212 Tigers for Germany and 215 for France.
Until the defence review is undertaken, Eurocopter is assuming that the numbers, and Germany's 2001 in-service date remain valid, although which configuration Germany eventually buys is "a subject for debate". Some senior industry sources say, however, that entry into service could even be delayed until 2007.
The long-range, helicopter-launched version of the Trigat, plagued by delays, technical problems and the withdrawal of the UK and France from the programme, is already leading the Bonn defence ministry to consider alternative weapons, such as the Euromissile HOT 3, as an interim solution.
The new government has tried to calm defence industry fears by insisting that it will stand by commitments to defence procurement programmes. It will also maintain the defence budget at its current level for the coming year.
Industry analysts observe that it would be unwise for Schröder to start cutting programmes - such as the Eurofighter EF2000 - which provide large amounts of work to German industry, given that he has committed himself to reducing unemployment, which now stands at 4 million.
"We would be surprised if in the short term there are cuts," says one analyst. Nevertheless, fears remain about the consequences of the proposed coalition with the traditionally anti-military Green Party, which is pushing to cut armed forces personnel by one-third.
Source: Flight International
