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France Airbus Helicopters
Tiger HAD
A Franco-German twin-engine attack helicopter jointly developed by France and Germany and built by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter). The HAD (Helicoptere d'Appui Destruction) variant adds anti-armor and combat-support armament for French Army operations, including deployments in Africa and Ukraine-support training.
In service since 2009 · 4 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
315
km/h
800
km range
4,000
m ceiling
1,500
kg payload
💲 ≈ $44,000,000, Approximate program unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Established · 4 operators
In service since 2009. Status: active · ~180 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$110M – $154M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Tiger HAD can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 315 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 269 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 800 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 4,000 m |
| Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat. | 11 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm GIAT AM-30781 cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 4 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 1,500 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Armored crew capsule protected against 23 mm rounds |
|---|---|
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | MILDS missile warning system, chaff, flares, laser warning receivers |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 14.08 m |
|---|---|
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 3.83 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3,060 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 6,100 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x MTR390 turboshaft, 1303 hp each |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,303 hp |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turboshaft |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | Strix roof-mounted sighting system, helmet-mounted display |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $44,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 180 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 4 |
Specifications compiled from public Airbus Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD has a maximum speed of 315 km/h.
What is the range of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD has a maximum range of 800 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD can carry up to 1,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD weigh? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD has a combat weight of 6,100 kg.
How many crew does the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD require? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD's primary weapon is the 30 mm GIAT AM-30781 cannon.
What engine does the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD use? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD is powered by the 2x MTR390 turboshaft, 1303 hp each.
What is the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD used for? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD is operated by 4 countries.
How much does the Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD cost? +
The Airbus Helicopters Tiger HAD has an approximate unit cost of 44,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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