First all-weather Western chopper

Loft: The French Orchidee battlefield surveillance radar program was shelved in 1990. but was revived during Operation Desert Storm. ТІю system was carried aboard a Puma.

To fill a French army tvi|uln.*menl for an. ill weal her nicclium-lili transport hclk opier, Sud Aviation < later to ІК’СОїПС part of Лсічлраііаїс) ііемциічі the

SA 53»»

This. I’nuKv s lirst attempt to build a medium helicopter without "iitvide technical cwntri – biillotf – was а а*мнт<Ііи>» sue – cess, thouiji the all weather capability dill not «чипе until after several years of development

Till* first deliveries of s. 350И> to the French army

frxik place in 1969. the type Ixx-omin^; operational tite following year

Vleanwhlle. the last pre – prod union Puma was Ix-ing пкхІіПеїі by Westland lor the КАК After promising tests, a Joint prtHluetion agreement was reached and the Uritish linn built iK sa 33HI> (Puma lIC. Mk Is).

Aerospatiale went on to build 6K6 SA 330s (Ix’foiv switching prtxJutlion to the Super Puma in IWI> in successively impn;ive«.l versions lot numerous export etLStomers These inc luded chil

operators. esjxxrially those in the oilfield мір|хкі industry once the all-weather capability was available in the SA 33<|l and I. between 1970 and IVKl. Atfrosputtok* noIcJ 126 civil models in all

Romanian cimi|xmy ІЛК Ix-gan license prrxluction in ИГ“ and by 1991 liad Ixnlt ewer 200. Pit «duct ion ol ІІН – I Alt-3301, continues and tixte are plans for an upgraded Puma 20<xj.

ACTION DATA

Above: The U. K. Defence Research Agency at RAE Boscombc Down operated this Puma HC. Mk I (or several years.

SA330H Puma

Tho Mty оМрсіЛіісчі main rote» with four аЫи’чап ьЫсп cit the imal ivixjucikx’ SA 330s were replaced fay a now lotoi with composite lAxics in tho SA 330.1 end L

L.-ito-cnxSjCl-on Pixims rvivn л good top югїм: compared to erne» noXopler» о a sim. ur category Both tne So> *rg and JA-8 mi. howewv. signify loro*» aircruft

The SA 330H I» Known to tho Froncli air force ns tho SA ЗЗОО. і 1515 was based in tho French Caribbean with Overseas Transport Squadron No. 58 in 1983.

SA З» ІЧІМА

234 iJbtl OH in. p.S.)

ТитотосзЪ Turmo tcxtxisrmfl engmo was aiso used in tho SA321 Soper FnAxi honr^ transport tvjtceotr-r nf th»* eortr 1900s

SEA KING HC. MK 4 241 ko.1l (149 ■ p. b.) ‘

2М»пЛ(І55«мМ

though smxlc» ІПлп Itv* Sea Kmg and Mi8. the Puma has a pcoi! ia-vj« wflti тіл inn чтит toad aboard With ow 90 inire пчуо range, Pumas can Ml alirovt as much м limjw ryrwn

tls типу to lift over mine torn combned wall its reUbrtiy compact «о тамга the Pcnui «M «or Ihr lnctv. nl transoert > 4I4J also on no support нота»

Though panted m a prodemnarnty green camouflage color вОкчпг this Puna dso carries largo patches of Cay Go writ work. mdcairg n sonxlHincl-rtBcue rokr

The man cabn ol Urn Puma was designed to hold 18 passengers in tho mitary uaKfxrt rote 32G0 «41 (7.000 Bi.) can bo carried (or 2500 Цу5і00 b. on an ntrmnf hcn«! RAF Pumas hare a door тосюїікі rnncun howl wm a 575 kq ft.266 tv) carxiofy

■ BELGIAN GENOARMERIE SA 330H: Assigned to NATO In time of war aro three ciwJ-reglstered upgraded export model SA 330Hs. normally usod for VIP transport and down by army pilots

B

МІ-Г • •1000 к» 18.808 a. i