MPs want US chopper to replace ‘disastrous’ European Tiger

Australia should dump the European-designed ARH Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter and buy American, say soldier-turned-politicans.

The Apache AH64E Boeing.

Three former soldiers now sitting in federal parliament say Australia needs to dump the European-designed ARH Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter and buy American.

The government is poised to make a decision on whether to buy 29 new attack helicopters, or upgrade the army’s 22 Tigers and purchase an extra seven second-hand airframes.

Airbus Helicopters says the Tiger, which is also flown by France, Germany and Spain, should be extended until 2040, saving $3bn and 500 jobs.

But the trouble-plagued aircraft has few friends in Defence, which has put its cost per flying hour at a staggering $34,000 — more than double that of its American rivals.

Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Phillip Thompson, and Labor’s Luke Gosling — all army veterans — told The Australian the Tiger needed to be replaced by a US-made helicopter to ensure reliability and interoperability with the nation’s closest ally.

Mr Thompson said Boeing’s Apache AH64E, which is flown by the US and 15 other countries, was “the Digger’s choice”.

The ARH Tiger MK II.

“On the battlefield, when it’s gone bad and you need air support, no one has ever closed their eyes and wished for the underperforming Tiger,” the Afghanistan veteran said.

“The battle-tested Apache is what the Diggers want and what is needed. In Afghanistan we didn’t operate our attack helicopter, the Tiger, because we couldn’t get parts and they don’t integrate with our coalition partners. Guess what was used? Apache.”

Mr Gosling, a former commando, said the Bell AH-17 Viper was the superior helicopter to replace the Tiger, because it was designed for maritime operations on naval platforms such as Australia’s Landing Helicopter Dock assault ships.

“It’s a clear standout in terms of sea transport because its airframes can weather extended exposure to salt with less risk of malfunction,” Mr Gosling said.

“The Viper is ready-made for engagements across our sprawling archipelagic region made up of thousands of islands with a lot of ocean between them.”

The Northern Territory-based MP said the Viper would be interoperable with those flown by the US Marines in Darwin, and a regional facility could be developed to maintain both nations’ helicopters.

The AH-17 Viper Bell.

Mr Hastie, a former SAS captain who also served with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, said the Tiger had been an “unmitigated disaster”, and either of the American options would be superior to the European aircraft that is no longer in production.

“Over my eight-year period with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and SASR as a tactical commander, we never once had a Tiger fly in support of training or operations.”

The Tiger flew 42 per cent fewer hours than budgeted for over the past four years.

Bell says the Viper is “the world’s only marinised attack helicopter, engineered and manufactured to withstand the harsh saltwater environment and unique requirements that come with shipboard operations”.