Australia’s fleet of 22 Tiger attack helicopters, counting down the months to retirement, flew combat missions once again over Malaysia. The deployment came as debate continues over whether the fleet will be handed to Ukraine, making it perhaps the Tiger’s last major exercise outing.
The Tigers’ Test at Kota Belud
Task Unit Marlin, taking part in Exercise Keris Strike in Malaysia’s Kota Belud region, put Australia’s Tiger fleet back in the spotlight. This year’s return to Kota Belud came with a stronger infantry combat team, reinforced by attack aviation elements.
The ARH Tiger once again proved itself a versatile platform throughout the exercise, capable of both offensive air support reconnaissance and escort work. Australia’s Tiger fleet was brought to Keris Strike to slot into a larger aviation task force. That task force was led by the US Army’s 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, which arrived with UH-60M Black Hawk and HH-60M medevac helicopters — the Black Hawks carrying the bulk of personnel and equipment movement for the task force, while the Tiger attack helicopters handled the offensive support role.
The Ukraine Transfer Question Still Looms
This appearance by the Tiger helicopters carries extra weight coming months after the development we reported in December 2025. At the time, the Australian Government had taken up the possibility of transferring the retiring Tiger fleet to Ukraine, at Kyiv’s request, as the US pursued peace talks in Moscow. Australia’s 22 Tigers, in service since 2004, were then slated for full withdrawal by 2028 as part of the country’s transition to the AH-64E Apache — though officials had already flagged that timeline could move up.
Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, released in April 2026, has since settled that uncertainty: the Tiger fleet’s retirement timeline has been officially brought forward to the end of 2026. That means the ARH Tigers will leave service well ahead of the original 2027–28 target, retiring by the close of this year. The first Apache helicopter reached Australia in October 2025, with the remaining deliveries expected through 2026 and beyond. As we reported at the time, the decision to dismantle and bury 45 MRH-90 Taipan helicopters the previous year had drawn disappointment both in Australia and within its Ukrainian community, while Defence Minister Richard Marles gave assurances that support for Ukraine — including whatever follows the Tiger fleet — would continue.
The Fleet’s Future Still Hangs in the Balance
The retirement date is now settled, but where the Tigers go after Kota Belud remains unclear. Will Australia’s Tiger fleet be scrapped, or will it take on a new role in Ukrainian skies? That answer will hinge less on the Tigers’ performance in Malaysia than on the decision Canberra ultimately makes.
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Source: C4Defence–Army News
