Germany confirms earlier 2032 retirement date for Tiger attack helicop…

Having previously reported that its Tiger attack helicopters would be retired in 2038, the Bundeswehr has now said this will happen in 2032. (German Army)

Germany is to retire its Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack fleet in 2032, six years earlier than the 2038 date previously reported.

The Bundeswehr confirmed the retirement date for the Tiger combat helicopter (Kampfhubschrauber: KH) in its Annual Armaments Report published on 31 January. In May 2023 Reuters cited a Bundeswehr spokesperson as saying this would happen in 2038.

“The Tiger KH will be taken out of operational use in 2032. By this point, the fleet will [have been] gradually reduced to 33 [helicopters] by 2028, of which at least 24 aircraft will be in the Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment (ASGARD) configuration until 2032.”

The German Army has 51 Tigers in service. With 13 of these upgraded to the ASGARD standard between 2011 and 2014, a further 11 are to be retrofitted with the same enhancements to see them out to the type's retirement date. These ASGARD enhancements include up-rated engines for improved ‘hot and high' performance, sand filters, additional defence weaponry, a mission data recorder, and enhanced communications equipment for multinational missions.