The Eurocopter Tiger is a four-bladed, twin-engined attack helicopter which first entered service in 2003. It is manufactured by Eurocopter, which designate it as the EC 665. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.
- Role: Attack helicopter
- National origin: France/Germany/Spain
- Manufacturer: Eurocopter, now Airbus Helicopters
- First flight: 27 April 1991
- Introduction: 2003
- Status: Active
- Produced: 1991–present
- Number built: 206 planned as of 2013
Military Operators
- Australian Army
- French Army
- German Army
- Spanish Army
Specifications (Tiger HAP)
General characteristics
- Crew: Two: pilot and weapon systems officer
- Length: 14.08 m fuselage (46 ft 2 in)
- Rotor diameter: 13.00 m (42 ft 8 in)
- Height: 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
- Disc area: 133 m² (1,430 ft²)
- Empty weight: 3,060 kg (6,750 lb)
- Loaded weight: 5,090 kg (11,311 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb))
- Powerplant: 2 × MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce MTR390 turboshafts, 958 kW (1.303 shp) each
- Internal fuel capacity: 1,080 kg (2,380 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 290 km/h with mast, 315 km/h without mast (157 knots, 181 mph with mast, 170 knots or 196 mph without mast)
- Range: 800 km (430 nm, 500 mi) combat (with external tanks in the inboard stations: 1,300km)
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 10.7 m/s (2,105 ft/min)
- Power/mass: 0.23 hp/lb (0.38 kw/kg)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30 cannon in chin turret, with up to 450 rounds.
On each of its two inner hardpoints and two outer hardpoints the Eurocopter Tiger can carry a combination of the following weapons:
- Inner hardpoints:
- 1x 20 mm (0.787 in) autocannon pods, or
- 22x 68 mm (2.68 in) SNEB unguided rockets in a pod, or
- 19x 70 mm (2.75 in) Hydra 70 unguided rockets in a pod or
- 4x AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (Australia/France) or
- 4x Spike-ER missiles (Spain) or
- 4x PARS 3 LR missiles (Germany) or
- 4x HOT3 missiles (Germany)
- Outer hardpoints:
- 2x Mistral air-to-air missiles, or
- 12x 68 mm (2.68 in) SNEB unguided rockets in a pod or
- 7x 70 mm (2.75 in) Hydra 70 unguided rockets in a pod