Germany announces phasing out of Tiger combat helicopters by 2038, introducing H145M fleet
Berlin has been consistently frustrated by the Tiger's limited operational availability due to technical issues. (Photo: Bundeswehr)
Germany plans to retire its Tiger combat helicopters by 2038, citing technical problems, and replace them with an Airbus H145M fleet to meet NATO commitments.
In an announcement made on Saturday, Germany’s defence ministry revealed its plans to gradually phase out its Tiger combat helicopters by 2038. The fleet will be replaced over time with H145M light military helicopters, manufactured by Airbus, just like the Tiger.
The decision was not unexpected, as Germany had withdrawn from a multinational helicopter modernisation programme years ago.
In contrast, France and Spain agreed to participate in 2022. Berlin has been consistently frustrated by the Tiger’s limited operational availability due to technical issues.
A spokesperson from the German MoD confirmed the phased retirement of the Tiger fleet by 2038, unless additional measures are taken. This statement aligns with a report by Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The ministry thoroughly explored various scenarios and concluded that participating in the Mk III programme to modernise the helicopters would entail excessive risk in terms of cost and timely execution. Consequently, Germany opted not to participate.
Instead, the ministry intends to procure H145M light military helicopters from Airbus to ensure future compliance with its NATO obligations.
The spokesperson did not disclose specific details regarding the number of helicopters to be acquired or the associated costs.
The spokesperson further stated that the ministry plans to present the proposed agreement to the budget committee of Parliament for approval before the end of this year.
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