Turbomeca, MTU-Turbomeca-Rolls-Royce GmbH (MTR) recently delivered its 100th Tiger MTR390-2C standard engine. It is the 38th MTR390 for the French services and its operational location is the French-German pilot training school at Le Luc, in the south-east of France, where the pilot training on the French HAP and German UHT helicopters is conducted.
In all, Germany and France have ordered 342 engines for a total of 160 helicopters (80 H/C for each Nation). The delivery programme for this initial standard engine will last till the year 2011.
Originally designed to meet the needs of two countries (France and Germany), the Tiger and its MTR390 engines have conquered the first export market, Australia, which ordered 22 aircraft in the year 2001. Whilst 100 engines has been delivered in Europe, an additional quantity of 25 engines was provided to Australian Aerospace, indicating that the production programme of the MTR390 2C standard engine is well advanced.
Meanwhile a third nation in the European procurement programme entered the scene in 2004 when Spain made its decision to order 24 Tiger helicopters. For this programme which is common with the French requirement, a specific version of the helicopter and the engine will be designed.
This Enhanced standard engine will be uprated with up to 14% more power. For this growth engine version, MTR will cooperate with a new partner in a new joint venture, the Spanish engine manufacturer Industria de Turbo Propulsores (ITP). After a four-year development programme the first new Enhanced production standard will be delivered by end of the year 2009.
Based on the two engine standards, and the well-advanced production programme, the engine and its partners are well positioned for further market opportunities such as Turkey.
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