13. French and German Eurocopter Tigers
Producer: Airbus Helicopters, Eurocopter
Main Users: Australian Army, Spanish Army, French Army, German Army
Cost: $17.5 billion* for the program in FY 2012 or $32.36 million* for the unit in FY 2013.
The Eurocopter Tiger, a military aircraft developed through a cooperative effort between Germany and France, is an example of a European arrangement. Both armed forces, as well as the Australian and Spanish Armies, operate the Eurocopter Tiger. The Cold War marked the beginning of the tiger’s evolution.
German and French Eurocopter Tiger ©Alan Lebeda / Wikimedia.org
In the unlikely event that the Soviet Union invaded Western Europe, France and Germany concluded they required an anti-tank helicopter. While the Tiger was still being developed, the Soviet Union fell apart, far from initiating a ground invasion of the West. Nevertheless, France and Germany completed the project, and by 2008, the multi-mission assault helicopter was operational.
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