German baptism of fire!

Week, four Tiger UHT Kampfhübschrauber Regiment 36 Fritzlar are hard at work in Afghanistan. This is a double first for Germany, it is not only the first operational deployment of helicopter gunships to the black cross, but also of course the first participation in the fighting Tiger UHT version. Germany bought 80 expemplaires this helicopter primarily built for anti-tank combat, with matt sight of Osiris and missiles for long-range commitments, more than five kilometers.

The units are based at Camp Marmal, near Mazar-e-Sharif, where is concentrated the German contingent.While northern Afghanistan is significantly quieter than the south or the east, the area remains important: it is through that pass the main focus of switching between Kabul and Uzbekistan, an axis logistics of primary importance for NATO.

This deployment is the culmination of two years of planning and political hesitation. But it is not necessarily the end of the story: it will take a few weeks for the devices to actually intervene in operation.In the meantime, crews and equipment must be qualified after shooting campaigns.

The Tiger UHT is equipped with rockets and 12.7mm machine guns in pods. Unlike the French HAP present for several years in the country, it does not have the 30mm gun turret. It will be for the Germans a handicap: the French crews

explain use their gun in 90% of the openings of fire, taking advantage of the ability to shoot with great accuracy at 90 ° to the axis of advance the device. One way to do that can be strapped around the target and keep it under fire without ever taking her eyes and never come close. The Tiger UHT using his guns will shoot like a plane, advancing towards the target with the scope is more well below the 12.7 mm compared to the 30mm cannon. The Germans sometimes refer to the ability to modify their devices by equipping a turret in the nose. Paradoxically reinvent the Tiger HAD somehow ... The Afghan experience that starts will perhaps change this in one way or another ...