Aérospatiale Gazelle

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This article is about the Gazelle helicopter.. For other uses, see Gazelle (disambiguation).
Aérospatiale Gazelle
Armée de Terre Gazelle at Radom Air Show 2005.
Type Utility/Attack helicopter
Manufacturers Aérospatiale
Westland Aircraft
Maiden flight 1967-04-07
Status Active
Primary users French Army
British Army, Serbian Air Force
Number built 1775?
Developed from Aérospatiale Alouette III

The Gazelle is a French-designed helicopter, created by the company Sud Aviation, that later became Aérospatiale, and later still Eurocopter.

Contents

[edit] Development

The Aérospatiale Gazelle originated in a French Army requirement for a lightweight utility helicopter. The design quickly attracted British interest, leading to a development and production shareout agreement with British company Westland Helicopters (later AgustaWestland). The deal, signed in February 1967, allowed the production in Britain of 292 Gazelles and 48 Aérospatiale Pumas ordered by the British armed forces, in return Aérospatiale were given a workshare in the manufacturing programme for the 40 Westland Lynx naval helicopters for the French Navy.

Though the general layout resembles that of the Alouette series, the Gazelle featured several important innovations. This was the first helicopter to carry a fenestron or fantail, which allows considerable noise reduction. Also, the rotor blades were made of composite materials, a feature now widely used in modern helicopters.

In service with the French Army Light Aviation, the ALAT, the Gazelle is used primarily as an anti-tank gunship (SA 342M) armed with HOT missiles. A light support version equipped with a 20 mm cannon is used (SA 341F) as well as anti-air variants carrying the Mistral air-to-air missile (Gazelle Celtic based on the SA 341F, Gazelle Mistral based on the SA 342M). The latest anti-tank and reconnaissance versions carry the Viviane thermal imagery system and so are called Gazelle Viviane. The Gazelle is being replaced in frontline duties by the Eurocopter Tiger but will continue to be used for light transport and liaison roles.

It also served with all branches of the British armed forces—the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines) and the British Army in a variety of roles. Four versions of the Gazelle were used by the British Forces. The SA341D became the Gazelle HT.3 in RAF service, equipped as a helicopter pilot trainer (hence HT). The SA 341E was used for communications duties and VIP transport and as the Gazelle HCC.4. The SA 341C was purchased as the Gazelle HT.2 pilot trainer for the Royal Navy. The training variants have now been replaced by the Squirrel HT1. The SA 341B was equipped to a specification for the Army Air Corps as the Gazelle AH.1 (from Army Helicopter Mark 1). It was used as an Air Observation Post (AOP) for directing artillery fire, Airborne Forward Air Controller (ABFAC) directing ground-attack aircraft, casualty evacuation, liaison, and command and control, and communications relay.

Gazelles were also manufactured in Egypt by ABHCO and in Yugoslavia by SOKO.

[edit] Operational history

British Army Westland Gazelle AH1.
British Army Westland Gazelle AH1.
  • United Kingdom:

The Gazelle was used in combat in the Falkland Islands, Kuwait, Iraq and Kosovo and with 8 Flight Army Air Corps in support of 22 Special Air Service Regiment. It was also used for air patrols in Northern Ireland. British Gazelles were never armed, except in the Falklands, where they were fitted with machine guns and rocket pods, but these were not used.

  • France:

The French army deployed the Gazelle on many occasions, especially during interventions in Africa and peacekeeping operations. This includes Tchad (1980's), the former Yugoslavia (1990's), Djibouti (1991-1992), Somalia (1993) and Cote d'Ivoire (2002-Present). During Operation Desert Storm, HOT-carrying Gazelles were used against Iraqi armour.

  • Syria:

Syrian Gazelles were used during 1982 Lebanon War. They had some success against Israeli armour, but suffered heavy losses.

  • Iraq:

Iraq received an important number of Gazelles and HOT missiles in the 70's and 80's. They were used intensively in the Iran-Iraq War. During the Gulf War they saw little use, because of allied air supremacy.

  • Ex-Yugoslavia:

SA.341/342 Gazelle GAMA (Yugoslav version) was used by Republika Srpska Air Force and Republika Srpska Krajna Air Force druing the Yugoslav Wars (1991-1992).

Serbian SA.341/342 Gazelle GAMA.
Serbian SA.341/342 Gazelle GAMA.
Aerospatiale Gazelle "Gama" of the V i PVO VRS Flying over Zalužani Air Base (LQBZ).
Aerospatiale Gazelle "Gama" of the V i PVO VRS Flying over Zalužani Air Base (LQBZ).

[edit] Variants

Aerospatiale SA-341G Gazelle
Aerospatiale SA-341G Gazelle
  • SA-341.001: Prototype.
  • SA-341.1001: First French production machine.
  • SA-341B Westland Gazelle AH1: British Army
  • SA-341C Westland Gazelle HT2: British Fleet Air Arm; training helicopter
  • SA-341D Westland Gazelle HT3: British Royal Air Force; training helicopter
  • SA-341E Westland Gazelle HCC4: British Royal Air Force; liaison helicopter
  • SA-341F: French Army version.
  • SA-341G: Civil variant, powered by one Astazou IIIA turboshaft engine.
  • SA-341H: Military export variant, powered by one Astazou IIIB turboshaft engine.
  • SA-341M: French Army version fitted with the more powerful 649-kW (870-shp) Astazou XIV turboshaft engine.
  • SA-342J: Civil variant, fitted with the more powerful 649-kW (870-shp) Astazou XIV turboshaft engine.
  • SA-342K: Military export version, fitted with the more powerful 649-kW (870-shp) Astazou XIV turboshaft engine.
  • SA-342L: French Army: Military version of the SA 342J civil model, fitted with the more powerful 649-kW (870-shp) Astazou XIV turboshaft engine.
  • SA-342M: French Army: Anti-tank helicopter, it can be armed with four HOT anti-tank missiles.
  • SA-342M1: standard SA-342M retrofitted with three Ecureuil main blades and received some minor modifications concerning its weight balance, in order to integrate a night sighting unit.
  • Soko H-42: Yugoslav-built version of SA-341H
  • Soko H-45: Yugoslav-built version of SA-342L

[edit] Operators

[edit] Specifications (SA 341)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 9.53 m (31 ft 3 in)
  • Rotor diameter: 10.50 m (34 ft 5 in)
  • Height: 3.18 m (10 ft 5 in)
  • Disc area: 87 m² (932 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 998 kg (2,196 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,800 kg (3,960 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1× Turboméca Astazou IIIB turboshaft, 590 shp (440 kW)

Performance

[edit] References

    [edit] External links

    [edit] Related content

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

    Related development

    Designation sequence

    SA 341 - SA 342

    Related lists

    See also

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