An upgrade of Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack rotorcraft to the MkIII standard could go ahead even without German participation, the manufacturer has revealed.
Last year Tiger operators France and Spain gave their budgetary approval for the enhancement programme, but Berlin delayed its decision until later this year due to national elections in the country.
Detailing the airframerâs 2021 performance on 26 January, Bruno Even, chief executive of Airbus Helicopters, said he expected the approval of the two countries to be âtranslated into the signature of a contract with [NATO procurement body] OCCARâ in the first quarter of this year.
Even says Airbus Helicopters is âleaving the door openâ until the middle of 2022 for Germany to opt into the programme and would âsupportâ such a move.
But if Berlin chooses not to participate then the programme will proceed regardless, he says. âAs long as we sign with France and Spain we are ready to launch and execute [Tiger MkIII] based on this initial scope.â
When it approved the budget for the upgrade last December, Madrid said 85 Tigers would be covered by the modernisation: 67 French army Tiger HADs and 18 Spanish army HAD/Es, from respective totals of 69 and 23.
Costs and industrial participation were to be allocated on that basis, Spain indicated, noting these would reduce if Germany came on board. Work is to be conducted at Airbus Helicoptersâ plant in Albacete, Spain.
Even says it would âmake sense to have Germany joining the programmeâ as the Tiger MkIII would be the âmost competitiveâ helicopter in its class in the âhorizon of 2040â.
It is the âright answer for our home nationsâ, he says, and is âemblematic of European co-operationâ.
Upgrades under the MkIII programme will include new sensors, crew helmets, weapons â including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles â communications and avionics systems.