Tiger helos upgrade will replace verbal orders with digital ones

VERSAILLES, France ― Information technology firm Atos is in talks with Airbus Helicopters about installing its SICS battle management system on the Tiger Mk 3 attack helicopter, said Sylvain Gonnet, Atos project director.

Atos developing the Scorpion Information Communication System, which will equip the French Army with the Bull battle management system intended to give a tactical overview, linking up platoon leaders to colonels.

Atos expects to sign a contract with Airbus Helicopters this summer for a 12-month study to de-risk an installation of the Bull system on the Tiger. That study will help draw up a road map for equipping the attack helicopter with the system.

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SICS is designed to provide situation awareness, blue-force tracking and allow orders to be given by on-screen graphics rather than verbal orders, he said.

Fitting SICS will be part of a midlife upgrade of the Tiger to the Mk 3 version.

Belgium is closely tracking the SICS program. Officials there have signed a letter of intent on a €1.1 billion (U.S. $1.3 billion) acquisition of Griffon troop carriers and Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicles, which will be equipped with the battle management system.

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Atos signed in October 2016 a contract with an export client for its system. No further details were available.

There is strong interest in battle management systems, with Britain and Germany looking to upgrade capabilities. Bull pitched its system to the U.K., which is looking to upgrade with the Morpheus tactical information and communication system.

Other competitors in the market include Elbit Systems, Rheinmetall, Nexter and Danish company Systematic.

Atos gave its presentation to the press May 16 ahead of the Eurosatory trade show, which runs June 11-15.

The Tiger Mk 3 will be a midlife upgrade of the helicopter, which will be undertaken in cooperation with Germany. That modernization includes a new air-to-ground missile as well as linking up the helicopter more closely to the ground troops through the SICS.

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