At a time when maintenance procedures are undergoing major reforms, those for the Tigre combat helicopter are demonstrating the gains that can be achieved through the rationalisation, interoperability and cost control of equipment support, and especially that produced by several nations. This exercise casts new light on the concept of support as a prime element in the life cycle of an item of equipment that has all too often been neglected. It also offers a new opportunity to reaffirm OCCAR as a positive contributor to a new European dynamic, combining joint and a multinational approaches, which offers benefits both overall and for the client.
In-Service Support for the Tigre Helicopter: an Example of Cooperation
As soon as the European Defence Agency had been created and OCCAR(1) had taken its first steps with its new legal status, work on the in-service support(2) of the Tigre helicopter was seen as a new opportunity to consolidate the European dynamic at both industrial and operational levels.
In addition to the usual formats concentrating on manufacture, there is a need to address a field that up to now has been considered as secondary and which is increasingly assuming its rightful place in the value chain.
Without seeking to achieve the early introduction of excessively innovative schemes in terms of contractorisation, the time is ripe to create engineering that enables the achievement of an equal standard between partners and users throughout the life of the equipment to limit risk and creep in terms of cost, safety, timescales and performance, while improving availability and interoperability in both times of conflict and peace.
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