The Eurocopter Tiger (company designation EC 665) is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany Eurocopter is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre. The body of the Eurocopter Tiger is made from 80% carbon fiber reinforced polymer and kevlar, 11% aluminium, and 6% titanium. The rotors are made from fiber-plastic able to withstand combat damage and bird strikes. Protection against lightning and electromagnetic pulse is ensured by embedded copper/bronze grid and copper bonding foil. While the Eurocopter Tiger has a conventional helicopter gunship configuration of the two crew sitting in tandem, it is somewhat unusual in that the pilot is in the front seat and the gunner is in the back, unlike all other current attack helicopters. The seats are offset to opposite sides of the centerline to improve the view forward for the gunner in the back.Specifications (Tiger HAP)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot, 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)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb)
- Internal fuel capacity: 1,080 kg (2,380 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca/MTU MTR390 turboshafts, 873 kW (1,170 shp) each
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: 1300km)
- Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 10.7 m/s (2,105 ft/min)
Armament
- Guns:
- 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30 cannon in chin turret
On its two inner hardpoints and two outer hardpoints the Eurocopter Tiger can carry a combination of the following weapons:
- on each of its two inner hardpoints:
- 2x 20 mm (0.787 in) machine cannons in a pod, or
- 22× 68 mm (2.68 in) SNEB unguided missiles in a pod
- on each of its two outer hardpoints:
- 2× Mistral air-to-air missiles, or
- 12× 68 mm (2.68 in) SNEB unguided missiles in a pod
