Thales to provide rockets for Spanish, German helicopters

By James LaPorta  |  Feb. 13, 2018 at 11:46 AM

Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Thales, a French-owned defense company, was awarded contracts by Spain and Germany for rockets in support of their Tiger Helicopter fleets.

The company on Tuesday announced Spain's Logistic Support Command of the Army and the German Procurement Agency tapped Thales for the procurement of 1,000 and 10,000 70mm/2.75" rockets.

The procurement of munitions is sought for the Tiger HAD-E for Spain and the UH Tiger for Germany. Spain will receive 1,000 rockets for defensive use, while Germany's 10,000-rocket order is tailored toward increasing the training for their UH Tiger units.

Originally developed by Eurocopter -- now Airbus Helicopters -- the Tiger attack helicopter is a four-blade, twin-engine aircraft that first became operational in 2003.

"The Spanish Army Aviation have to take decisive assault operations and require high mobility and firepower," Jesus Sanchez Bargos, vice president for Thales in Spain, said in a press release. "Thales is proud to continue to support their ambitions and to provide FZ90 rockets with a very high level of safety and efficiency recognised by our customers worldwide."

Original post: upi.com

10,000 Thales practice rockets for Germany

Produced by Thales in Belgium (Herstal), the 70mm/2.75” rockets offer a high level of safety and efficiency recognized by their worldwide customers on both helicopters and combat fixed wing aircraft. The aim of this contract with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support is to deliver practice rockets to meet the increased demand for training of the German Armed Forces. The rocket will feature a modified rocket motor FZ90 MOD.4 with reduced debris.

First 70mm/2.75” Rockets contract for Spain

Thales 70mm/2.75” rocket system is part of the weapon system installed on the Spanish Tiger fitted with four light weight composite rocket pods, two of 19 tubes (FZ225) combined with two of 7 tubes (FZ233), able to carry a mixed loading of practice and high explosive warhead as well as other qualified and certified warheads with sub projectiles. On their HAP configuration Tigers, FAMET have used in operation the Thales Induction Rocket System since 2009. Complementarily, with this first batch of Thales 70mm/2.75 rocket, FAMET will now operate on their HAD Tigers the best version of the 70mm NATO standard rocket, which is also in service in German and Australian armies. Source: fz.be

FZ90 MOD.4 

19 tubes (FZ225) 

7 tubes (FZ233)

EC665 TIGER HAD: Details