Eurocopter engineer General Jacques Sandeau was at Marignane on 18 March to officially deliver the first of its 80 Tiger helicopters to the French Army Air Corps (ALAT). General Sandeau heads the Service des Programmes Aéronautiques (Aeronautical Programs Department) of the Délégation Générale pour l’Armement (French General Delegation for Armaments).

This decisive step not only marks the qualitative acceptance of the helicopters in terms of performances and systems, but also the start of deliveries, which will continue without a break until 2010.

In 2005, plans call for the delivery of 10 Tigers in the HAP Combat Support configuration to France and Spain. The initial Tiger helicopters will be assigned to the Franco-German Tiger Training Academy at Le Luc in Southern France.

The weapons system of the Tiger HAP Combat Support Helicopter includes a 30 mm turret-mounted gun (GIAT) slaved to the pilot's and gunner's helmet-mounted sight, rockets (TDA), and Mistral air-to-air missiles (MBDA).

Thanks to its size and stealth, the HAP is ideally suited to the various forms of localized conflicts, where it can completely independently acquire, identify and process the targets. France and Germany have ordered an initial batch of 160 Tiger helicopters, Australia 22, and Spain 24 HAD Tigers.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com