AS.532 Cougar

Notes: Though mainly aimed at the civilian market, the Super Puma has been marketed to the military under the name of Cougar. Military versions have night vision and in-flight refueling capability. An optional 100-liter internal fuel tank may be fitted at the expense of cargo or passengers. No ejection seats are provided.

The AS.532 Mk 1 UC/AC is the basic military model, with a short fuselage. It is well-appointed, and though it is the short fuselage version, is still a fairly large helicopter. The rescue version, the UC, has a hoist with a capacity of 245 kg. The AS.532 Mk 1 UE is the stretched version of this helicopter. It also has upgraded avionics, including inertial navigation. The AS.532 Mk 1 UL/AL is a version of the Mk 1 UE carrying more fuel. The AS.532 Mk 2 U2 A2 is an even bigger version of the Cougar, with further upgraded avionics.

Notes: The Ecureuil (Squirrel) has remained in production since 1974, and is one of the most common helicopters around the world. The single-engined 350 were soon joined by the twin-engined 355, offering greater performance.

The first production version of the Ecureuil was AS.350BA. It has a single engine and only very basic appointments. It is primarily a civilian helicopter, but has some military applications as a liaison and observation helicopter. Military models are usually armed with a single light machinegun, in either the right or left door. The AS.350B2 is the same helicopter with a more powerful engine for more lifting capacity; the AS.350B3 has an even more powerful engine and electronically-assisted controls, as well as lighter construction. The AS.350L2 is an armed version of the B2, usually known as the Fennec (Fox). It has hardpoints for weapons and a gunsight.

Twin-engine versions began with the AS.355E Ecureuil. This is basically a 350BA with two engines instead of one. Again, this is primarily a civilian helicopter, but some military versions do exist. The AS.355N Ecureuil 2 is an improved version, with more powerful engines. The AS.355M2 Fennec is the French armed counterpart of the AS.355N, with hardpoints and a gunsight.

The AS.550 Fennec was the first major armed model; the AS.550C3 is the combat version. It is a military model of the AS.350. The helicopter may carry an auxiliary 475-liter fuel tank in the cabin instead of passengers for extended operations. If this is done, the doorguns are removed (there is no one to operate them). The AS.555AN is a twin-Engined Fennec; it has updated avionics.

The Z-11 is a Chinese version of the AS.350BA. It differs primarily in the engine used, an indigenous Chinese design that is not as powerful as the original engine. It is considered quite obsolete by the Chinese and is used mostly for training.

Notes: This is a small, light utility helicopter, useful mainly for observation and light cargo duties. Stretchers are sometimes attached to the skids with an aeroshell over them to transport wounded. The aircraft has no ejection seats, and is incapable of inflight refueling. The SA.318C is the basic helicopter; the SA.315B Lama is a version powered by the stronger engine of the Alouette III.

Notes: This helicopter is a development of the earlier, smaller, Alouette II. Over 2,200 of them were employed by 74 countries at the height of its popularity. The Alouette III flies well even at high altitude, and was even employed in the Himalayas. Various versions have been built, including observation, attack, transport, ASW, search and rescue, and armed reconnaissance. The Alouette III was one of the first helicopters sold to Third World countries. No ejection seats are provided, and the helicopter is incapable of in-flight refueling.

The SA.316A was the initial version. The SA.316B has strengthened tail and main rotors, allowing for better performance. The SA.316C has a more powerful engine, but was produced only in limited numbers. The SA.319C has an even better engine, which is more powerful and fuel efficient. The G-Car and K-Car are gunship models first produced by the former Rhodesia; the G-Car has two side-mounted heavy machineguns, while the K-Car has a single 20mm autocannon mounted on the side.

Notes: This French helicopter is primarily a naval aircraft. It is used for antisubmarine and antiship warfare, and for resupply and logistic support. There are, however, cargo and other military variants, and these will be detailed below. No ejection seats are provided, and the helicopter is not capable of inflight refueling. They can, however, carry two auxiliary fuel tanks in the cabin with a capacity of up to 1000 liters, and non-droppable fuel tanks on hardpoints with a capacity of up to 500 liters on each hardpoint.

The SA.321Ga is the basic naval cargo variant. It is normally used to transport Marines or naval special operation forces. It is a variant of the SA.321G, an antiship helicopter, and has been stripped of the equipment and armament necessary to detect and attack ships. The SA.321K was the version exported to Israel. They were modified slightly, upgraded avionics and more powerful engines. SA.321L is similar, but built for South Africa. The SA.321M is also similar; it was built for Libya as a transport and SAR helicopter, and does not have the secure radios, but does have a radio direction finder and a rescue hoist with a capacity of 275 kilograms.

The Z-8A is the Army version of the Chinese Z-8 naval helicopter, the Chinese copy of the SA.321G. It is almost identical to the SA.321Ga, except for indigenously-produced engines that give the helicopter slightly different performance. The Z-8A has a rescue hoist with a capacity of 300 kg.

Notes: This is a result of an Anglo-French helicopter program. It is an aging workhorse that has been largely succeeded by the Super Puma. No ejection seats are provided, and the helicopter is incapable of in-flight refueling.

The SA.330B is the basic transport version. The SA.330C was the export designation, but is not otherwise different. The SA.330E (Puma HC 1) is the Royal Air Force designation. The SA.330H has more powerful engines. The SA.330L is similar to the SA.330H, but uses glass-fiber rotor blades. The Romanian IAR-330L variant is perhaps the most evolved version of the Puma; it has massive upgrades in avionics, including a flight control computer, night vision, sighting systems, armament, and navigation. It is a full-fledged assault transport.

Notes: The Gazelle is a light utility helicopter, along the same vein as the US OH-6 and OH-58. It is a joint development of France and Britain, and also used by many other countries, including Bosnia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Slovenia, Syria, Yugoslavia, and several African countries. The Gazelle saw combat first in the Falklands and the Persian Gulf War, and armed versions first saw combat when a Syrian Gazelle used HOT missiles against Israeli tanks in the 1982 war in Lebanon. Versions used in Northern Ireland have extensive surveillance suites, including FLIR and close circuit television. A 200-liter fuel tank can be carried in the cabin at the expense of cargo and passengers. The Gazelle has no ejection seats, and is not capable of in-flight refueling.

The SA.341 is the basic version. The SA.341B was the first version, built for the British Army (and known as the Gazelle AH-1 to them). The doorguns listed are not a standard feature, but are sometimes seen. These aircraft are a favorite of the SAS. A variant used in Northern Ireland has been fitted with a surveillance suite including CCTV, LLTV, shotgun microphones, radio direction finders, and such gear. The SA.341F is the French Army version; they have more hardpoints, no doorguns, and different avionics. The SA.341H is an export version of the SA.341F. The SA.341M is an improved ground attack version for the French Army. It is usually armed with HOT missiles, and has updated avionics, including inertial navigation.

The SA.342K is a version with uprated engines; most were exported to the Middle East. It is normally armed with HOT ATGM. The SA.342L is similar, but comes in two versions: the SA.342L1, used for ground attack and normally armed with rocket pods and gun or cannon pods (though it may also mount missiles); and the SA.342L2, designed for export to the east and mounting Russian or Eastern European weapons. The SA.342M, also known as the Viviane, was the final production model for the French and has a roof-mounted sight to allow fire and guidance of HOT missiles while hiding behind cover.

Notes: The SA 365 is a French-built helicopter in civilian and military use. Civilian versions normally have no hardpoints. The helicopter is also used by the US Coast Guard, where it is known as the HH-65A Dolphin; in this role, the hardpoints are normally occupied by extra fuel tanks. No ejection seats are provided and the aircraft is not capable of in-flight refueling. The Dauphin has a rescue hoist with a capacity of 300 kg.

The first production version was the AS.365C (now known as the AS.365N2). The AS.365N is the same, but has retractable landing gear. The AS.365N1 has an improved tail rotor and a more powerful engine. The AS.365N3 has even more powerful engines.

The HH-65A Dolphin is a Dauphin 2 manufactured in the US and used by the Coast Guard. Since the contract required that a majority of the aircraft be built by US manufacturers, the engines were replaced by US-made Lycoming engines. The Dolphins’ primary mission is search and rescue, but the Coast Guard’s secondary mission as a quasi-military arm means that the Dolphin can be armed with a variety of weapons on 4 hardpoints, and has a decent array of defensive measures. The Dolphin also has better avionics, from radar to night vision to GPS. The Israelis also use the Dolphin.