{"id":14661,"date":"2019-09-09T14:14:48","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T14:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/09\/09\/airbus-claims-2b-in-savings-if-australia-sticks-with-tiger-helo-amid-replacement-bids\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:50:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:50:39","slug":"airbus-claims-2b-in-savings-if-australia-sticks-with-tiger-helo-amid-replacement-bids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/2019\/09\/09\/airbus-claims-2b-in-savings-if-australia-sticks-with-tiger-helo-amid-replacement-bids\/","title":{"rendered":"Airbus claims $2B in savings if Australia sticks with Tiger helo amid replacement bids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2014 Australian taxpayers will save AU$3 billion (U.S. $2 billion) out to 2040 by incrementally upgrading the Australian Army\u2019s 22 Tiger helicopters, rather than replacing the fleet, according to an Airbus official.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia is seeking to replace its Airbus-made Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters<\/a> with up to 29 proven, mature, off-the-shelf armed helos under Project Land 4503 following a request for information on July 10. The country\u2019s requirement is for up to 24 helicopters to equip two operational squadrons, with five further airframes for training. The RFI specifies an initial operational capability (IOC) in the 2026 time frame and a final operational capability (FOC) to follow around 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airbus Australia Pacific Managing Director Andrew Mathewson said Aug. 30 that the company\u2019s offering will leverage technology from the European Tiger Mark III program. He added that upgrading the Tiger from the mid-2020s will save compared to acquiring a new type, which itself would need future upgrades if it is to serve until 2040, by which time he said the Australian government hopes to leverage the U.S. military\u2019s Future Vertical Lift program<\/a>, or FVL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDefense has been very plain that they\u2019re focusing on FVL. To replace Tiger in the time frame outlined, acquire a new capability in the early 2030s and have it replaced in the early 2040s I think would be a waste of money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upgrade would take place at Airbus Australia Pacific\u2019s Brisbane facility, which previously assembled 18 of the 22 Tigers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boeing on Aug. 30 also publicly announced its proposal for the helo competition. The company would combine the U.S. Defense Department\u2019s Foreign Military Sales and Direct Commercial Sales programs and the Australian Industry Capability process to provide the AH-64E Apache to Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sept. 5, Darren Edwards, the managing director of Boeing Defence Australia, said the proposal includes 29 AH-64E Version 6 Apache helicopters, which is the latest production standard delivered to the U.S. Army. The helo features the upgraded Northrop Grumman APG-78 Longbow fire Ccontrol radar with enhanced maritime and air-to-air modes.<\/p>\n\n\n\t