ORLANDO, Fla., June 12 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has successfully test-fired the Hellfire II missile on Australia's new Tiger ARH (armed reconnaissance helicopter).
The Eurocopter-built Tiger marks the "first international launch platform" for the Hellfire system, which is already in use by the United States and 16 other nations but only aboard U.S.-built aircraft.
The tests, which were conducted in South Australia, spanned six months and involved a variety of launch scenarios, attack attitudes and day-and-night conditions.
"We met all of our objectives to qualify Hellfire on the Tiger," said Lockheed's Andy Marshall. "These tests represent the capstone event of a four-year integration program by Lockheed Martin and Australian Aerospace to qualify Hellfire for firing from Eurocopter's ARH Tiger."
Marshall said in Florida Monday that the air-to-ground missile scored "100-percent performance" with seven hits in seven launches against armored-vehicle targets and buildings.
The capability to handle the Hellfire and its M299 smart launcher is good news for the Tiger, which has taken its lumps in Australia for performance shortcomings despite brisk adoption by European armed forces.
The Tiger is a heavily armed aircraft designed for a similar role of reconnaissance and air-to-ground attack as that of the U.S. Apache and Cobra choppers.
