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Ukraine Says No to Australia’s Retiring Tiger Helicopters Despite Offer to Transfer Them
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Ukraine has withdrawn its request for Australia’s retiring Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters after concluding that operating and maintaining the aircraft would create additional costs and logistical challenges for its military.
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According to Defense Express on September 29, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko confirmed that Kyiv had decided not to pursue the helicopters, which Canberra is replacing with US-made AH-64E Apache Guardians.
Avustralya Ordusu, yeni AH-64E Apache Taarruz Helikopteri kabiliyetine geçiş sürecinde önemli bir dönüm noktası teşkil edecek şekilde, Darwin'deki Tiger Silahlı Keşif Helikopteri (ARH Tiger) uçuş operasyonlarını kısa süre içinde sonlandıracak.
— kaan_fox3✈️ 🇹🇷 (@kaan_fox3) September 24, 2026
Bu kapsamda 1. Havacılık Alayı;… https://t.co/kdMGngfdbS pic.twitter.com/YBY7h7q1ud
Defense Express reported, citing its own sources, that the decision followed an assessment of several factors, including the Tiger’s flight-hour cost, availability of spare parts, technical condition, and the equipment configuration that Ukraine could expect to receive.
Although Australia had been prepared to transfer the helicopters as military assistance, Ukraine would still have needed to establish the infrastructure required to operate them, train pilots and ground crews, secure spare parts, and maintain the aircraft in combat-ready condition.
Additional details were reported by Militarnyi on September 30, also citing Myroshnychenko. According to the outlet, Ukraine originally submitted its request for the Australian Tigers in 2024 before withdrawing it in early 2026.
Militarnyi reported that another factor was US-made equipment installed aboard the Australian helicopters and subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR. Transferring such components to Ukraine would require US approval, while removing some of the equipment could reduce the helicopters’ combat capabilities.
Australia operated 22 Tiger ARH aircraft, an armed reconnaissance version derived from the French Tiger HAP. The helicopters are equipped with a 30-mm cannon, 70-mm unguided rockets, AGM-114 Hellfire II anti-tank guided missiles, and electro-optical systems for detecting and tracking targets.
However, Australia’s Tiger fleet faced persistent readiness and maintenance problems during its service.
A 2016 Australian National Audit Office review found that the helicopter reached final operational capability around seven years later than originally planned. Auditors identified 76 capability deficiencies at the time, 60 of which Australia’s Defence Department classified as critical.
Aircraft availability was also below planned levels. In 2015, an average of 3.5 helicopters out of 16 operational aircraft were serviceable at a given time, compared with a target of 12, according to the audit.
Operating costs were another concern. By June 2016, the Tiger cost approximately $22,500 per flying hour, compared with a target of about $14,800, while the long-term average was roughly $29,300.
Maintenance challenges continued into the aircraft’s final years in Australian service. Australia’s Defence Department reported for 2024–2025 that availability and sustainment remained problematic, with components from aircraft already being withdrawn used to keep other helicopters operational.
Australia formally selected the AH-64E Apache Guardian as the Tiger’s replacement in January 2021. The country is acquiring 29 Apaches and received its first aircraft in October 2025. On September 23, 2026, Australia announced the end of Tiger flight operations in Darwin.
Discussions about potentially transferring the retiring Tigers to Ukraine had continued since 2024. Defense Express reported that Australia had been considering the option while determining the future of the fleet. Instead, Ukraine is examining other options for modernizing its army aviation.
Instead, Ukraine is considering other platforms to modernize its army aviation. In July 2026, Army Aviation commander Brigadier General Pavlo Bardakov named the US-made UH-60 Black Hawk as a preferred future replacement for Ukraine’s aging Soviet-designed helicopter fleet, citing its balance of capability, operating cost, and effectiveness.
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