Photo: Airbus
With one major conflict raging on the continent and another one very close by, Europe is bracing for some tough years ahead. And it does that by having its most important countries try to modernize their military as much as possible.
Germany's Bundeswehr seems to be leading this trend, with the country investing heavily in upgrading its armed forces, just to prepare for the worst. Those efforts include upgrades to all military branches, including the Deutsche Marine, which is what the natives called the unified Bundeswehr's Navy.
The Marine was at the center of attention last week after news of it flying a new version of an almost three decades old helicopter came to light.
The helicopter is called NH90, and is the product of a company called NHIndustries. It was designed as a multi-role military helo, and has grown over the years to a global fleet of 131 helicopters flying in the service of six different nations.
The family has also expanded to include several variants, the most impressive of which are the newest ones to be introduced, the Sea Lion and the Sea Tiger.
The German Navy already has in operation a number of 18 Sea Lions which it received between 2019 and 2023. These are mostly used for naval transport, but have also been part of rescue operations.
The country however needs a more potent helicopter, one that aside from transport and rescue could fight off submarines if the need for that ever arises. And this is where the Sea Tiger comes in.
As the newest variant of the NH90, the helicopter conducted its first flight at the end of last month, at the Airbus facility in Donauwörth, Germany.
Just like its other siblings, the Tiger will fly thanks to a pair of General Electric turboshaft engines that develop 2,417 horsepower each. That means it will also probably have the same capabilities as all other helos in the family: a range of 800 km (500 miles), a top speed of 300 kph (190 mph), and a maximum altitude of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet).
But the thing will be equipped with a long list of systems that will make it suitable for naval warfare, including new electro-optical gear, improved electronic support measures, a dipping sonar, and sonobuoys.
These pieces of hardware will be rounded off by a range of torpedoes and missiles, because the helicopter is not meant solely for the detection of above- or under-surface threats, but it is also intended to engage them.
As per the Germans, the Sea Tigers will replace the existing fleet of Sea Lynx helicopters, which have been on the job ever since 1981.
Back in 2020 the Marine ordered no less than 31 Sea Tigers for its fleet, but given how the first flight of such a version only occurred last month, it will have to wait at least until 2025 to get its hands on the first truly operational Sea Tiger.
Airbus, who is involved in the project, says it will now move into a stage where it will flight test the machine and its system. We are not told how long that will take.
The Marine was at the center of attention last week after news of it flying a new version of an almost three decades old helicopter came to light.
The helicopter is called NH90, and is the product of a company called NHIndustries. It was designed as a multi-role military helo, and has grown over the years to a global fleet of 131 helicopters flying in the service of six different nations.
The family has also expanded to include several variants, the most impressive of which are the newest ones to be introduced, the Sea Lion and the Sea Tiger.
The German Navy already has in operation a number of 18 Sea Lions which it received between 2019 and 2023. These are mostly used for naval transport, but have also been part of rescue operations.
The country however needs a more potent helicopter, one that aside from transport and rescue could fight off submarines if the need for that ever arises. And this is where the Sea Tiger comes in.
As the newest variant of the NH90, the helicopter conducted its first flight at the end of last month, at the Airbus facility in Donauwörth, Germany.
Just like its other siblings, the Tiger will fly thanks to a pair of General Electric turboshaft engines that develop 2,417 horsepower each. That means it will also probably have the same capabilities as all other helos in the family: a range of 800 km (500 miles), a top speed of 300 kph (190 mph), and a maximum altitude of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet).
But the thing will be equipped with a long list of systems that will make it suitable for naval warfare, including new electro-optical gear, improved electronic support measures, a dipping sonar, and sonobuoys.
These pieces of hardware will be rounded off by a range of torpedoes and missiles, because the helicopter is not meant solely for the detection of above- or under-surface threats, but it is also intended to engage them.
As per the Germans, the Sea Tigers will replace the existing fleet of Sea Lynx helicopters, which have been on the job ever since 1981.
Back in 2020 the Marine ordered no less than 31 Sea Tigers for its fleet, but given how the first flight of such a version only occurred last month, it will have to wait at least until 2025 to get its hands on the first truly operational Sea Tiger.
Airbus, who is involved in the project, says it will now move into a stage where it will flight test the machine and its system. We are not told how long that will take.
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