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Australian Defence Force leadership have laid out a three-stage plan to complete the upcoming retirement of the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter fleet.
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The two-seater Tiger attack helicopters were originally introduced into service with the ADF in 2004 and are expected to be withdrawn from service in 2027–28.
During a recent Senate estimates meeting held earlier this month on 6 November, Senator David Fawcett questioned the retirement progress and Defence’s published record of flight hours for the ADF’s Tiger helicopters.
“(Regarding the) flying hours for Tiger. The footnote says that reducing the rate of effort reflects the current drawdown of capability,” according to the Senate estimates transcript of Senator Fawcett’s questioning.
“In fact, the actual flying hours for 2023–24 was 2,997, which is an increase on the estimate for it. It appears that it’s actually been performing above your estimates.
“I’m interested to understand how the performance of that fleet is at the moment, but I also have read that there are issues with parts etc and that cannibalisation is perhaps going to be one of the coping mechanism to keep aspects of the fleet flying.
“Given what happened with Taipan and given the expressed interest of Ukraine down the track with Tiger, what measures are you taking to make sure that the fleet remains viable should government wish to include that as an option for gifting to Ukraine?”
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart confirmed there is a three-stage plan to ensure smooth transition of the Tiger into the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
“First, we need that capability operating out to 2027, one for the capability and two for the transition plan onto the AH-64 Echo.
“Second, you’re correct: there are issues and pressures in the fleet for spare parts, very similar to the underperformance of the Taipan system.
“Thirdly, yes, we are looking at stabilisation programs to ensure that we can keep that fleet operational until its withdrawal from service.
“It’s a balance of relative risk.”
Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko, speaking earlier this year to Defence Connect, confirmed there was some interest in the retiring Tiger helicopters.
“I mean on the Taipan [helicopters] it was a decision of the government not to supply them. There might be some other helicopters or some other capabilities which may become available sometime soon. And if those could be provided to Ukraine, we’ll be thankful,” the ambassador said in June this year.
“That would be the Tigers; we’d be interested in having that conversation and about something that will help.”
Ukraine has previously made a request for access to the Australian Defence Force’s now-scrapped MRH-90 Taipan helicopter fleet in late December last year but was unsuccessful.
