| SA 330 Puma | |
|---|---|
.jpg) AFrench Army Puma performing overRIAT, 2010 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Utility helicopter |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Sud Aviation Aérospatiale |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | French Army |
| Number built | 697 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1968–1987 |
| Introduction date | 1968 |
| First flight | 15 April 1965 |
| Variants | IAR 330 Atlas Oryx |
| Developed into | Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma Eurocopter AS532 Cougar Denel Rooivalk |
TheAérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utilityhelicopter designed and originally produced by the French aerospace manufacturerSud Aviation.
The Puma was developed as a new design during the mid-1960s in response to aFrench Army requirement for a medium-sized all-weather utility helicopter. Powered by a pair ofTurbomeca Turmoturboshaft engines, it was designed to transport up to 16 seated soldiers, or a maximum of sixlitters with four attendants for casualty evacuation, along with carrying up to 2,500 kg of cargo either internally or using an external sling. The design of the Puma incorporated several innovations, including an automaticblade inspection system and relatively advanced anti-vibration measures integrated into the maingearbox and main rotor blades. It was also designed to be capable of operating at night, under inhospitable flying conditions and in climates fromArctic todesert. The Puma also has an intentionally high level of reserve power to permit effective flight even at its maximum weight with only a single operational engine.
On 15 April 1965, the firstprototype performed itsmaiden flight; the first production standard Puma made its first flight during September 1968. Deliveries to the French Army commenced in early 1969; the type quickly proved itself to be a commercial success. Production of the Puma continued into the 1980s under Sud Aviation's successor companyAérospatiale. It was alsolicense-produced inRomania as theIAR 330; two unlicensed derivatives, theDenel Rooivalk attack helicopter andAtlas Oryx utility helicopter, were built inSouth Africa. Several advanced derivatives have been developed, such as theAS332 Super Puma andAS532 Cougar, and have been manufactured byEurocopter and its successor companyAirbus Helicopters since the early 1990s. These descendants of the Puma remain in production.
Significant operations include theGulf War, theSouth African Border War, thePortuguese Colonial War, theYugoslav Wars, theLebanese Civil War, theIraq War, and theFalklands War. Numerous operators have chosen to modernise their fleets, often adding more capabilities and new features, such asglass cockpits,Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, and defense measures. The type also saw popular use in the civilian field and has been operated by a number of civil operators. One of the largest civil operators of the Puma wasBristow Helicopters, which regularly used it for off shore operations over theNorth Sea.
The SA 330 Puma was originally developed bySud Aviation to meet a requirement of theFrench Army for a medium-sized all-weather helicopter capable of carrying up to 20 soldiers as well as various cargo-carrying duties. The choice was made to develop a new design for the helicopter, work began in 1963 with backing from the French government.[1] The first of two Puma prototypes flew on 15 April 1965; six further pre-production models were also built, the last of which flew on 30 July 1968. During testing, one SA 330 was fitted with a largeFenestron; however, it was concluded that there were practical limits to how large a helicopter such a configuration would be suited to, and production examples of the Puma retained a conventional tail rotor instead.[2] The first production SA 330 Puma flew in September 1968, with deliveries to the French Army starting in early 1969.[3]
In 1967, the Puma was selected by theRoyal Air Force (RAF), who were impressed by the Puma's performance. It was given thedesignationPuma HC Mk 1. A significant joint manufacturing agreement was signed between Aerospatiale andWestland Helicopters of the UK. The close collaboration between the French and British firms would lead to purchases ofAérospatiale Gazelle by the UK and theWestland Lynx by France. Under this agreement, Westland manufactured a range of components and performed the assembly of Pumas ordered by the RAF.[4][5][6]
The SA 330 was a success on the export market, numerous countries purchased military variants of the Puma to serve in their armed forces; the type was also popularly received in the civil market, finding common usage by operators for transport duties to off-shoreoil platforms.[7] Throughout most of the 1970s, the SA 330 Puma was the best selling transport helicopter being produced in Europe.[8] By July 1978, over 50 Pumas had already been delivered to civil customers, and the worldwide fleet had accumulated in excess of 500,000 operational hours.[9]
Romania entered into an arrangement with Aerospatiale to produce the Puma under license as theIAR 330, manufacturing at least 163 of the type for the Romanian armed forces, civil operators, and several export customers of their own.[10]Indonesia also undertook domestic manufacturing of the SA 330.[11][12]South Africa, a keen user of the type, performed their own major modification and production program conducted by the government-ownedAtlas Aircraft Corporation to upgrade their own Pumas, the resulting aircraft was namedOryx. In the 1990s,Denel would also develop an attack helicopter for theSouth African Air Force based on the Puma, known as theDenel Rooivalk.[10]
In 1974, Aerospatiale began development of improved Puma variants, aiming to produce a successor to the type; these efforts would cumulate in theAS332 Super Puma. The first prototype AS332 Super Puma took flight on 13 September 1978, featuring more powerful engines and a more aerodynamically efficient extended fuselage; by 1980, production of the AS332 Super Puma had overtaken that of the originating SA 330 Puma.[13] Production of the SA 330 Puma by Aérospatiale ceased in 1987,[14] by which time a total of 697 had been sold;[15] production in Romania would continue into the 21st century.[13]
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a twin-engine helicopter principally intended for personnel transport and logistic support duties. As a troop carrier, up to 16 soldiers can be accommodated on foldable seats, while in a casualty evacuation configuration, the same cabin can hold up to sixlitters and four additional personnel. The Puma can also perform cargo transport duties, either via the external carriage of underslung payloads on a dedicatedcargo hook or using the internal cabin space; up to a maximum weight of 2500 kg of cargo can be carried at a time. Civilian Pumas feature a variety of cabin layouts, typically intended for various forms of passenger transport, includingVIPs. In a search and rescue capacity, ahoist is commonly installed, often mounted on the starboard fuselage.[16]
A pair of roof-mountedTurbomeca Turmoturboshaft engines power the Puma's four-blade main rotor. The rotors are driven via a five reduction stage transmission at a typical speed of 265rpm. The design of the transmission featured several unique and uncommon innovations for the time, such as single-part manufacturing of the rotor shaft and the anti-vibration measures integrated into the maingearbox and main rotor blades.[17] The Puma also featured an automaticblade inspection system, which guarded against and alerted crews to fatigue cracking in the rotor blades. It is furnished with a pair ofhydraulic systems that intentionally operate independently of one another, one system powering only the aircraft's flight controls while the other serves theautopilot,undercarriage, and rotor brake, as well as the flight controls.[18]
In terms of flight performance, the Puma was designed to be capable of high speeds, exhibit great maneuverability, and possess favourable hot-and-high performance; the engines have an intentionally high level of reserve power to enable a Puma to fly effectively even at maximum weight with only one functioning engine and proceed with its mission if circumstances require.[19] The cockpit is provisioned with conventional dual controls for both a pilot and copilot, a third seat is provided in the cockpit for a reserve crew member or commander. The Puma features a SFIM-Newmark Type 127 electro-hydraulic autopilot; the autopilot is capable ofroll andpitch stabilization, the load hook operator can also directly perform corrective adjustments of the helicopter's position from their station via the autopilot.[20]
The Puma is readily air-transportable bytactical airlifters, such as theTransall C-160 and theLockheed C-130 Hercules; the main rotor, landing gear, and tailboom are all detachable to lower space requirements. Ease of maintenance was one of the objectives pursued in the Puma's design; many of the components and systems that would require routine inspection were positioned to be visible from ground level, use of life-limited components was minimised, and key areas of the mechanical systems were designed to be readily accessed.[16] The Puma is also capable of operating at nighttime, in inhospitable flying conditions, or in a wide range of climates fromArctic todesert environments.[21]
Although not included during the original production run, numerous operators of Pumas have installed additional features and modern equipment over the rotorcraft's service life. The RAF have equipped their Puma fleet withGlobal Positioning System (GPS) navigation equipment, along with an assortment ofself-defense measures includinginfrared countermeasures and automaticflares/chaff dispensers, andnight vision goggles for night-time flights.[21] TheFrench Army Light Aviation have modernised their Pumas to meetInternational Civil Aviation Organization standards, this involved the addition of new digital systems, including missioncommand and control systems, such as the Sitalatdata link.[22] Third-party companies such as South Africa'sThunder City have provided life extension and modernisation programmes for the Puma, some operators have opted to refurbish their fleets withglass cockpits.[23]
During theFalklands War/Guerra de Malvinas of 1982, five SA 330 Pumas of theArgentine Army and one of theArgentine Coast Guard were deployed to the theatre; these could either operate from the decks of Navy vessels as well as performing missions across the breadth of the islands; all were lost in the ensuing conflict.[24] On 3 April, while landing Argentine troops as part of thecapture of South Georgia, a Puma was badly damaged bysmall arms fire from British ground forces and crashed into terrain shortly after.[25] On 9 May, a single Puma was destroyed by aSea Dartanti-aircraft missile launched fromHMS Coventry.[26]
On 23 May, a pair ofRoyal NavySea Harriers intercepted three Argentine Pumas in the middle of a supply mission toPort Howard; during the subsequent engagement one Puma was destroyed by colliding with the terrain and a second was disabled and subsequently destroyed by cannon fire from the Sea Harriers, the third Puma escaped.[27] On 30 May, a Puma was lost in the vicinity ofMount Kent under unclear circumstances, possibly due tofriendly fire;[28] an article in the Argentine newssite MercoPress reported that, on that same day, a Puma had been brought down by aStinger missile fired by theSAS ground forces, near Mount Kent. SixNational Gendarmerie Special Forces were killed and eight more wounded in the downing.[29]
In September 1979, four Pumas were employed duringOperation Barracuda to transport a French assault team directly upon the government headquarters of theCentral African Empire; after which confiscated valuables and assorted diplomatic and political records were quickly extracted to the nearby Frenchembassy by continuous air lifts by the Pumas.[30]
One distinctive use of the Puma in French service was as a VIP transport for carrying thePresident of France both at home and during overseas diplomatic engagements; these duties were transferred to the larger AS332 Super Puma as that became available in sufficient numbers.[31][32]
During the 1991First Gulf War, France chose to dispatch several Pumas in support of coalition forces engaged in a conflict withSaddam Hussein'sIraq. Those Pumas that had been assigned to the role of performing combat search-and-rescue duties were quickly retrofitted withGPS receivers to enhance their navigational capabilities.[33]
As part of France's contribution to the 1990sNATO-led intervention in theYugoslav Wars, a number of French Pumas operated in the region alongside other Puma operators such as Britain and theUnited Arab Emirates; one frequent mission for the type was the vital provision of humanitarian aid missions to refugees escaping ongoing ethnicgenocide.[34] In April 1994, a French Puma performed a nighttime extraction of a BritishSAS squad and a downedSea Harrier pilot from deep inside hostileBosnian territory, the aircraft came under small arms fire while retreating from the area.[35][36] On 18 June 1999, a single coordinated aerial insertion of two companies of French paratroopers was performed by 20 Pumas, helping to spearhead the rapid securing ofKosovska Mitrovica by NATO ground forces.[37]
By 2010, both the French Army and French Navy have opted to procure separate variants of theNHIndustries NH90 to ultimately replace the Puma in French military service.[38] Starting in June 2014, a pair of Pumas ofEscadron d'Hélicoptères 1/67 'Pyrénées (EH 1/60) were deployed toChad andNiger from June 2014 as part ofOperation Barkhane to disrupt Islamist insurgency in theSahel region. Initially operated fromN'Djamena in Chad, the detachment later moved forwards toDirkou andMadama in Niger, supporting ground troops and interdicting supply routes for the insurgent; the detachment returned to France in September 2015 after being relieved by other French Army assets. Roughly 20 SA 330 Pumas remained inFrench Air and Space Force service by 2016.[39]
Between 1980 and 1984, theLebanese Air Force received from France ten SA 330C Pumas to equip its newly raised 9th transport squadron atBeirut Air Base, where it was initially based. In 1983, the squadron was relocated north ofBeirut and its Pumas were dispersed across small improvised helipads aroundJounieh andAdma for security reasons. On 23 August 1984, a Puma carrying theLebanese Armed Forces' Chief-of-staff and commander of theSeventh Brigade, GeneralNadim al-Hakim, and eight other senior military officers crashed in thick fog nearBeirut, killing all personnel aboard.[40] On 1 June 1987, the Lebanese Prime-MinisterRachid Karami was assassinated aboard a Puma en route to Beirut when a bomb exploded in anattaché case on his lap; the explosion also injured Interior MinisterAbdullah Rassi and three of the other twelve aides and crewmen on the Puma, which was severely damaged.[41][42][43]
During the final phase of theLebanese Civil War, the Puma fleet – now reduced to seven or six helicopters of flightworthy condition[44] – was typically being used to conduct liaison flights with neighboringCyprus on behalf of GeneralMichel Aoun's interim military government, although fuel shortages and maintenance problems forced their crews to typically ground them until the end of the war in October 1990.[45]
After the conflict, theLebanese Air Force Command made consistent efforts to rebuild its transport helicopter squadron with the help of theUnited Arab Emirates and seven IAR 330 SM helicopters formerly in service with theUnited Arab Emirates Air Force were delivered in 2010.[46]
In 2013, the Lebanese Air Force converted an IAR 330 SM into ahelicopter gunship by mounting on hardened side-swivel mounts a singleADEN Mk 4/5 30mmrevolver cannon on a modified pod and a pair ofSNEB 68mm rocket launchers taken from decommissionedHawker Hunter FGA.70 and FGA.70Afighter aircraft. Re-designated SA 330SM, the resulting Puma gunship underwent trials on October 10 that same year during aerial maneuvers held inHamat Air Base.[47] Although the trials were successful, the SA 300SM was not accepted for active service, with the Lebanese Air Force Command settling instead on an armed version of theEurocopter AS532 Cougar, of which seven helicopters were scheduled to be received over the next three years.[48]
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In 1974, Morocco made an agreement with France for the purchase of 40 Puma helicopters for their armed forces.[49] During the 1970s and 1980s, Moroccan Pumas saw combat service againstPolisario Front separatists and helped exert greater control over theWestern Sahara region; use of air power by Moroccan forces was severely curtailed after several aircraft were lost or damaged due to the presence of Soviet-provided2K12 Kub anti-aircraft missiles in rebel hands in the early 1980s.[50]
In October 2007, as part of a €2 billion deal between Morocco and France, a total of 25 Moroccan Pumas are to undergo extensive modernisation and upgrades.[51]
In 1969,Portugal emerged as an early export customer for the Puma, ordering 12 of the helicopters for thePortuguese Air Force; Portugal would also be the first country to employ the Pumas in combat operations during thePortuguese Colonial War; the type was used operationally to complement the smallerAlouette III helicopter fleet during theAngola andMozambican wars of independence, the type had the advantages of greater autonomy and transport capacity over other operated helicopters.[52]
During the 1980s, Portugal engaged in an illicit arrangement with South Africa in order to circumvent aUnited Nationsembargo being enforced upon South Africa under which France had refused to provide upgrades and spares for South Africa's own Puma fleet. In the secretive deal, Portugal ordered more powerful engines and new avionics with the public intention of employing them on its own Pumas, however many of the components were diverted via aZaire-basedfront company to South African defense firmArmscorp, where they were used to overhaul, upgrade and rebuild the existing Pumas, ultimately resulting in theAtlas Oryx; the Portuguese Pumas also received significant upgrades which were paid for under the terms of the agreement.[53]
In 2006, the Portuguese Air Force began receiving deliveries of theAgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, a larger and more capable helicopter, replacing the aging Puma fleet.[54]
Starting in 2007, Portugal has been offering to sell eight of its withdrawn Pumas, they were still on sale by 2015.[55]
From 1972 onwards, Pumas operated by the SAAF were deployed on extended operations inSouth West Africa andAngola during theBorder War. The Puma was involved in normal trooping; rapid deployment during "follow up" operations; acting asradio relays;evacuation of casualties; rescuing downed aircrew; insertion ofSpecial Forces; and large scale cross border operations such asSavannah,Uric,Protea,Super, andModular. The majority of South African Puma acquisitions, including of spare parts, were made in advance of an anticipatedUnited Nationsembargo that was applied in 1977.[56] South Africa subsequently upgraded many of its Pumas, eventually arriving at the derived indigenousAtlas Oryx; external assistance and components were obtained via secretive transactions involving Portugal during the arms embargo era.[53][57]
In December 1979, South Africa's government acknowledged the presence of its military forces operating inRhodesia; Pumas were routinely used in support of the South African Army's ground forces.[58] In June 1980, 20 Pumas accompanied a force of 8,000 troops during a South African invasion of Angola in pursuit of nationalistSWAPO fighters.[59] In 1982, the government confirmed that 15 servicemen had been killed when a South African Puma was downed by SWAPO forces, it was one of the worst losses suffered in a single incident in the conflict.[60]
During the 1990s, clandestine efforts to purchase surplus SAAF Pumas were made by then-PresidentPascal Lissouba of theRepublic of Congo, most likely intended for use in theCongolese Civil War.[61] When the cruise shipMTS Oceanos sank off theWild Coast of South Africa in 1991, as many as 13 Pumas played crucial roles in the rescue efforts, winching 225 survivors to safety during bad weather conditions.[62]
The first two Pumas for the Royal Air Force were delivered on 29 January 1971,[63][64] with the first operational squadron (33 Squadron) forming atRAF Odiham on 14 June 1971.[65] The RAF would order a total of 48 Puma HC Mk 1 for transport duties; during theFalklands War, an additional SA 330J formerly operated byArgentine Naval Prefecture was captured by British forces and shipped back to Great Britain and used as a RAF static training aid for several years. This SA 330J was later refurbished by Westland using parts from damaged RAF Puma XW215 and put into RAF service after a lengthy rebuild as ZE449.[66] The Puma became a common vehicle for British special forces, such as theSAS, and has been described as being "good for covert tasks".[67]
Between the early 1970s and the 1990s, RAF Pumas were normally based at RAF Odiham (33 Squadron and240 OCU),RAF Gutersloh (230 Squadron) andNo. 1563 Flight RAF atRAF Belize. DuringThe Troubles, it was also common for a detachment to be based atRAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland. In 1994, 230 Squadron relocated to RAF Aldergrove to provide a permanent presence to augment theWestland Wessex of72 Squadron. In 2009, 230 Squadron relocated toRAF Benson together with 33 Squadron from RAF Odiham.[68][69]
Royal Air Force Pumas have also seen active service inVenezuela, Iraq,Yugoslavia, andZaire.[70] Britain has frequently dispatched Pumas on disaster relief and humanitarian missions, such as during the2000 Mozambique flood and the1988 Jamaican flash flood;[71] and to conduct peacekeeping operations in regions such asZimbabwe and thePersian Gulf.[70]
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During the climax of the First Gulf War, a joint force of Pumas from 230 and 33 Squadrons proved decisive in rapidly mobilizing and deploying troops to prevent Iraqi troops from sabotaging theRumaila oil field.[67] From the beginning of theIraq War, between 2003 and 2009, RAF Pumas would be used to provide troop mobility across the theatre.[72] On 15 April 2007, two RAF Pumas collided during aspecial forces mission close toBaghdad, Iraq.[73] In November 2007, a Puma crashed during an anti-insurgent operation in Iraq; an inquest found the cause to be pilot error primarily, however theMinistry of Defence (MoD) was criticised for failing to equip RAF Pumas with night vision goggles and inadequate maintenance checks compromising safety, these shortcomings were addressed following the incident.[74]
In 2002, six ex-South African SA 330L were purchased by Britain to extend the type's service life.[75][76] An extensive upgrade programme saw the first Puma HC Mk2 enter service in late 2012 and completion in early 2014,[77] permitting the RAF's Pumas to stay in service until 2025. In 2008, it was planned for 30 Pumas to be upgraded,[78] this was subsequently cut to 22,[79] and was later revised upwards for a total of 24 HC Mk2 Pumas.[80] Upgrades include the adoption of twoTurbomeca Makila engines, new gearboxes and tail rotors, new engine controls, digital autopilot, a flight management system, an improved defensive aids suite, and ballistic protection for both crew and passengers. The HC Mk2 Puma can transport double the payload over three times the range of its predecessor, and has been deployed for tactical troop transport, fast contingent combat, and humanitarian missions.[81]
The RAF ceased operating Pumas on 31 March 2025, the replacement rotorcraft being procured under theNew Medium Helicopter programme.[82]
The Americanprivate military companyEP Aviation is known to have operated numerous Pumas inAfghanistan.[83]
One of the largest and prominent operators of the type wasBristow Helicopters, where the Puma was regularly used for off shore operations over theNorth Sea.[10][84] During the 1970s, Bristow had sought to begin replacing theirSikorsky S-61 helicopters, and the Puma was selected after a highly competitively-priced bid had been made by Aerospatiale; Puma G-BFSV was the first of the type to enter service with Bristow.[85] From 1979 onwards, the Puma formed the mainstay of the Bristow fleet;[86] the type took over the duties of Bristow's retiring Westland Wessex helicopters in 1981.[87] In 1982, Bristow opted to supplement their then-total fleet of 11 SA 330J Pumas via the introduction the more powerful Super Puma.[88]
The American operatorErickson Inc. has operated at least four Pumas; they have been used under contract forVertical replenishment (VERTREP) to theUnited States Fifth Fleet andUnited States Seventh Fleet.[89]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 French Army Puma during an exercise | |
| In-cockpit view of a SA 330J flight | |
| Spanish Air Force SA 330 Puma performing at an airshow in 2011 |
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Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77[138]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
