Operational history Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma

an as332 super puma of osaka prefectural police, 2009.

vh-34 brazilian air force s designation helicopter used transport president of brazil. 2 modified super pumas used main presidential helicopters, having been configured carry fifteen passengers , 3 crew members. vh-34 model progressively supplemented , later replaced vh-36, later ec725. various french presidents, such françois mitterrand, have used military super pumas official transport during diplomatic missions. in 2008, british prime minister gordon brown flown in super puma during tour of iraq.

in august 1983, french government created new reactionary taskforce, force d action rapide, support france s allies contribute france s overseas engagements in africa , middle east; 30 super pumas assigned taskforce. in june 1994, france staged military intervention in ongoing rwandan genocide, dispatching military task force neighboring zaire; super pumas provided bulk of task force s rotary lift capability, transporting french troops , equipment during advance rwanda.

by 2015, 187 super pumas had been reportedly ordered military customers; amongst others, orders included 29 argentina, 30 spain, 33 indonesia, 22 singapore , 12 greece.

during 1980s, french army interested in mounting airborne battlefield surveillance radar upon super puma. first prototype orchidée assembled @ aerospatiale s marignane factory , began testing in late 1988; french army intended procure 20 aircraft equip 2 squadrons. orchidée described having pulse-doppler radar mounted on fuselage s underside, being capable of 360-degree scanning detect low flying helicopters , ground vehicles @ ranges of 150 km; gathered data relayed in real time mobile ground stations via single-channel data link processing , analysis before being transmitted battlefield commanders. system said capable of all-weather operation, , feature protection against counteracting hostile electronic countermeasures. however, development aborted in mid-1990 during post-cold war defence spending reductions.

a swedish as332, 2004.

various nations deployed super pumas afghan theatre during war in afghanistan. between 2005 , 2011, spanish super pumas sole type providing combat search , rescue (csar) , medevac cover in afghanistan s western regions, last of these withdrawn in november 2013.

in late 1990s hellenic air force (haf) issued request acquiring more modern , capable sar helicopters in order replace ageing fleet of agusta bell ab-205 sar helicopters, in use since 1975. need all-weather, day , night, long range sar helicopter operations throughout athens fir came after imia/kardak incident of 1996 , growing tension between greece , turkey on territorial water disputes on aegean sea. greek government, signed deal eurocopter in 1998 purchasing 4 as-332 c1 super pumas. h.a.f. acquired 2 more super pumas air support operations of athens 2004 olympic games , 6 more helicopters followed in period 2007–2011 new csar role of 384 sar/csar sq. haf helicopters of c1 version, including 4-axis auto pilot, nadir type1000 navigation , mission management computer, flir turrets, rbr1500b search radar, engine anti-icing system, hydraulic , electrical hoist, spectrolab sx-16 searchlight, engine exhaust gas deflectors, bertin loudspeaker , 6 stretcher interior configuration medevac missions.

in 1990, nigeria made deal aerospatiale exchange several of pumas larger super pumas. in november 2009, additional 5 used super pumas acquired france peacekeeping , surveillance operations in niger delta. in 2015, reported number of weaponised super pumas had been procured nigerian air force anti-insurgency operations against boko haram.

the super puma has reportedly proven well-suited off-shore operations north sea oil industry, type has been used ferry personnel , equipment , oil platforms. 1 of biggest civil operators of super puma bristow helicopters, had fleet of @ least 30 super pumas in 2005; chc helicopters large civil operator, having possessed fleet of 56 super pumas in 2014. during 1990s, iran procured @ least 7 indonesian-built super pumas civil offshore oil exploration missions.

in 2014, airbus helicopters, manufacturer of type, declared super puma/cougar family had accumulated total of 890 delivered rotorcraft customers across 56 nations.

in november 2017, romania announced intention buy 16 aircraft, planning down-payment of 30% towards first 4 aircraft later year.

haf as332c1 super puma