Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.
Development
The SA 330 Puma was originally developed by Sud Aviation to meet a requirement of the French Army for a medium-sized all-weather helicopter. The helicopter also had to be capable of operating by day and night as well as in a wide variety of climates.
In 1967, the Puma was also selected by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and given the designation Puma HC Mk 1. As a result of this decision, the SA 330 was included in a joint production agreement between Aerospatiale and Westland Helicopters of the UK, which also resulted in the purchase of Aérospatiale Gazelle by the United Kingdom and the Westland Lynx by France. This resulted in Westland building components for the Puma, and assembling the RAF's Pumas.[1][2]
The first of two Puma prototypes flew on 15 April 1965. Six pre-production models were also built, the last of which flew on 30 July 1968. The first production SA 330 Puma flew in September 1968, with deliveries to the French Army starting in early 1969.[3]
Production of the SA 330 Puma by Aérospatiale ceased in 1987,[4] by which time a total of 697 had been sold.[5] The Puma was then replaced by an upgraded and improved version, the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma.[4]
Variants
Aérospatiale versions
- SA 330A
- Prototypes, originally called "Alouette IV".
- SA 330B
- Initial production version for the French Army Aviation. Powered by 884 kW (1,185 hp) Turbomeca Turmo IIIC4 engines. 132 purchased by France.[6]
- SA 330 Orchidée
- SA 330 modified to carry an Orchidée battlefiled surveillance radar system with a rotating underfuselage antenna, for the French Army. One demonstrator was built, flying in 1986. The Orchidée programme was cancelled in 1990, but the prototype rushed back into service in 1991 to serve in the Gulf War, leading to production of a similar system based on the Eurocopter Cougar.[7]
- SA 330C
- Initial export production version. Powered by 1,044 kW (1,400 hp) Turmo IVB engines.[8]
- SA 330E
- Version produced by Westland Helicopters for the RAF under the designation Puma HC Mk. 1.
- SA 330F
- Initial civilian export production version with Turbomeca Turmo IIIC4 turboshaft engines.[9]
- SA 330G
- Upgraded civilian version with 1175 kW (1,575 hp) Turbomeca Turmo IVC engines.[9]
- SA 330H
- Upgraded French Army and export version with Turbomeca IVC engines and composite main rotor blades. Designated SA 330Ba by the French Air Force. All surviving French Army SA 330Bs converted to this standard.[9]
- SA 330J
- Upgraded civil transport version with composite rotor blades and with higher maximum takeoff weight.[10]
- SA 330L
- Upgraded version for so-called "hot and high" conditions. Military equivalent to civil SA 330J.[10]
- SA 330S
- Upgraded SA 330L (themselves converted from SA 330C) version for the Portuguese Air Force.Powered by Turbomeca Makila engines.[10]
- SA 330Z
- Prototype with "fenestron" tail rotor.[11]
Versions by other manufacturers
- Atlas Aircraft Corporation Oryx
- This is a remanufactured and upgraded SA 330 Puma built for the South African Air Force.
- IPTN NAS 330J
- This is a version that was assembled by IPTN of Indonesia under the local designation NAS 330J and the Aerospatiale designation of SA 330J. Eleven units were produced.
- IAR 330
- This is a licence-built version of the SA 330 Puma manufactured by Industria Aeronautică Română of Romania. Designated as the SA 330L by Aerospatiale.
- IAR-330 Puma SOCAT
- 24 modified for antitank warfare.
- IAR-330 Puma Naval
- 3 modified for the Romanian Navy, using the SOCAT avionics.
- Westland Puma HC Mk 1
- This is the SA 330E version assembled by Westland Helicopters for the RAF and first flown on 25 November 1970. This is basically similar to the SA 330B used by France. The RAF placed an initial order for 40 Pumas in 1967, with a further eight attrition replacement aircraft in 1979.[12] 30 of these are planned to be upgraded to Puma HC Mk 2 standard, with new Turbomeca Makila engines, revised cockpit displays and new communications, navigation and defensive systems.[13][14]
Operators
Military operators
- Argentina
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Chile
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Ethiopia
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Germany
- Greece
- Guinea
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Lebanese Air Force – 7 active, 3 ex-UAE TBD.[16] Additionally 7 SA330L are currently in storage.
- Malawi
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Portugal
- Romania
- Senegal
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South African Air Force:
- On the 31 January 1972 the SAAF Puma became involved with operations in Namibia and Angola, remaining involved until 1988. This first deployment to the Eastern Caprivi led to the first member of the SAAF to be awarded the Honoris Crux, one of several to be awarded to Puma crews. The Puma was to be involved in normal trooping, rapid deployment during “follow up” operations, radio relay, evacuation of casualties, rescuing downed aircrew, insertion of Special Forces (Ops Backlash and Kodak etc.) and large scale cross border operations such as Savannah, Uric, Protea, Super, Moduler etc. The Puma also saw action in Rhodesia, Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique.
- 13 Pumas were deployed and played a critical roles in the rescue efforts during the sinking of the MTS Oceanos
- Spain
- Sudan
- Switzerland
- Togo
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
- Zaire
Civil operators
- Germany
Helog KG – SA 330J
- South Africa
Starlite Aviation – SA 330J
- United States
Presidential Airways – SA 330J
- Evergreen Aviation – SA 330J
Specifications (SA 330H Puma)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77 [19]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Capacity: 16 passengers
- Length: 18.15 m (59 ft 6½ in)
- Rotor diameter: 15.00 m (49 ft 2½ in)
- Height: 5.14 m (16 ft 10½ in)
- Disc area: 177.0 m² (1,905 ft²)
- Empty weight: 3,536 kg (7,795 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 7,000 kg (15,430 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× Turboméca Turmo IVC turboshafts, 1,175 kW (1,575 hp) each
Performance
Armament
Popular culture
In Red Dawn (1984) and most notably Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Rambo III (1988), an SA 330 Puma was equipped with stub wings and a gun turret to mimic a Soviet Mil Mi-24 Hind.[20]
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- ^ Lake 2001, pp. 97–98.
- ^ James 1991, pp. 485–486.
- ^ Taylor 1976, p. 41.
- ^ a b Lake 2001, p. 100.
- ^ Taylor 1988, p. 57.
- ^ Lake 2001, p. 101.
- ^ Lake 2001, p. 104.
- ^ Lake 2001, p. 102.
- ^ a b c Lake 2001, p. 103.
- ^ a b c Lake 2001, p. 105.
- ^ Lake 2001, p. 106.
- ^ a b Lake 2001, pp. 102—103.
- ^ "Eurocopter leads Homeland Security Market in the United Kingdom and strongly supports the British Armed Forces." Helicopter Association International - Rotor.com, 11 July 2008. Retrieved: 23 December 2008.
- ^ "RAF gets funds for more Reaper UAVs, Puma upgrade." Flightglobal, 5 September 2008. Retrieved: 23 December 2008.
- ^ MilAviaPress: "Kenya." Order of Battle, updated May 2009. Retrieved: 18 January 2011.
- ^ تمنح لبنان عشر طائرات مروحية "بوما" جاهزة للتسليم" فورا." (in Arabic) El-Nashra|, 10 February 2009. Retrieved: 18 January 2011.
- ^ ""World's Air Forces." Flight International, 5–11 December 1990, p. 76.
- ^ They operated in Northern Ireland, Gulf war, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. Abstracts:Ex-SAAF Pumas for UK Royal Air Force. Internet FAQ Archives. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ Taylor 1976, pp. 41—42.
- ^ "Mi-24." Rotary Action. Retrieved: 18 January 2011.
- Bibliography
- James, Derek N. Westland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-847-X.
- Lake, Jon. "Variant File: Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma". International Air Power Review, Volume 2 Autumn/Fall 2001. Norwalk, CT, USA: AIRtime Publishing. ISBN 1-880588-34-X. ISSN 1473-9917. pp. 96–107.
- Taylor, John W. R., ed. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976-77. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1976. ISBN 0-354-000538-3.
- Taylor, John W. R., ed. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 07106-0867-5.
External links
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