Iberia's big cats

摘要

Spain has played a leading role in the development of the Tigre HAD variant - in Spanish, Helicoptero de Ataque y Destruccion (attack and destruction helicopter). When the Fuerzas Aeromoviles del Ejercito de Tierra (FAMET, Army Airmobile Forces) reviewed options for a new combat helicopter it determined that the basic EC665 Tigre would require modifications for Spanish service. When fully loaded, the helicopter lacked power for operations in the Iberian peninsula's harsh conditions and heat, especially in southern Spain, initially, it seemed the FAMET preferred the rival AH-64 Apache.