page_title: Aérospatiale Gazelle
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: Aérospatiale Gazelle / Variants
caption_attribution_description: English: Westland SA-341E Gazelle fenestron
context_page_description: The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a French five-seat helicopter, commonly used for light transport, scouting and light attack duties. It is powered by a single Turbomeca Astazou turbine engine and was the first helicopter to feature a fenestron tail instead of a conventional tail rotor. It was designed by Sud Aviation, later Aérospatiale, and manufactured in France and the United Kingdom through a joint production agreement with Westland Aircraft. Further manufacturing under license was performed by SOKO in Yugoslavia and the Arab British Helicopter Company in Egypt.
  Since being introduced to service in 1973, the Gazelle has been procured and operated by a number of export customers. It has also participated in numerous conflicts around the world, including by Syria during the 1982 Lebanon War, by Rwanda during the Rwandan Civil War in the 1990s, and by numerous participants on both sides of the 1991 Gulf War. In French service, the Gazelle has been supplemented as an attack helicopter by the larger Eurocopter Tiger, but remains in use primarily as a scout helicopter.
context_section_description: SA 340
  First prototype, first flown on 7 April 1967 with a conventional Alouette type tail rotor.
  SA 341
  Four pre-production machines. First flown on 2 August 1968. The third was equipped to British Army requirements and assembled in France as the prototype Gazelle AH.1. This was first flown on 28 April 1970.
  SA 341.1001
  First French production machine. Initial test flight 6 August 1971. Featured a longer cabin, an enlarged tail unit and an uprated Turbomeca Astazou IIIA engine.
  SA 341B (Westland Gazelle AH.1)
  Version built for the British Army; Featured the Astazou IIIN2 engine, capable of operating a nightsun searchlight, later fitted with radio location via ARC 340 radio and modified to fire 68mm SNEB rockets. First Westland-assembled version flown on 31 January 1972, this variant entered service on 6 July 1974. A total of 158 were produced. A small number were also operated by the Fleet Air Arm in support of the Royal Marines.
  SA 341C (Westland Gazelle HT.2)
  Training helicopter version built for British Fleet Air Arm; Features included the Astazou IIIN2 engine, a stability augmentation system and a hoist. First flown on 6 July 1972, this variant entered operational service on 10 December 1974. A total of 30 were produced.
  SA 341D (Westland Gazelle HT.3)
  Training helicopter version built for British Royal Air Force; Featuring the same engine and stability system as the 341C, this version was first delivered on 16 July 1973. A total of 14 were produced.
  SA 341E (Westland Gazelle HCC.4)
  Communications helicopter version built for British Royal Air Force; Only one example of this variant was produced.
  SA 341F
  Version built for the French Army; Featuring the Astazou IIIC engine, 166 of these were produced. Some of these were fitted with an M621 20-mm cannon.
  SA 341G
  Civil variant, powered by an Astazou IIIA engine. Officially certificated on 7 June 1972; subsequently became first helicopter to obtain single-pilot IFR Cat 1 approval in the US. Also developed into "Stretched Gazelle" with the cabin modified to allow an additional 8 inches (20cm) legroom for the rear passengers.
  SA 341H
  Military export variant, powered by an Astazou IIIB engine. Built under licence agreement signed on 1 October 1971 by SOKO in Yugoslavia.
  SOKO HO-42
  Yugoslav-built version of SA 341H.
  SOKO HI-42 Hera
  Yugoslav-built scout version of SA 341H.
  SOKO HS-42
  Yugoslav-built medic version of SA 341H.
  SOKO HN-42M Gama.
  Yugoslav-built attack version of SA 341H. The name is derived from the abbreviation of Gazelle and Malyutka anti-tank missile, Soviet-designed, but locally produced variant of the missile.
  SOKO HN-45M Gama 2
  Yugoslav-built attack version of SA 342L.
  SA 342J
  Civil version of SA 342L. This was fitted with the more powerful 649 kW (870 shp) Astazou XIV engine and an improved Fenestron tail rotor. With an increased take-off weight, this variant was approved on 24 April 1976, and entered service in 1977.
  SA 342K
  Military export version for "hot and dry areas". Fitted with the more powerful 649-kW (870-shp) Astazou XIV engine and shrouds over the air intakes. First flown on 11 May 1973; initially sold to Kuwait.
  SA 342L
  Military companion of the SA 342J. fitted with the Astazou XIV engine. Adaptable for many armaments and equipment, including six Euromissile HOT anti-tank missiles.
  SA 342M
  French Army anti-tank version fitted with the Astazou XIV engine. Armed with four Euromissile HOT missiles and a SFIM APX M397 stabilised sight.
  SA 342M1
  SA 342M retrofitted with three Ecureuil main blades to improve performance.
  SA 349
  Experimental aircraft, outfitted with stub wings.
caption: Fenestron tail rotor of a Gazelle helicopter
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "96", "Image YResolution": "96", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows", "Image DateTime": "2018:12:25 20:51:48", "Image Padding": "[]", "Image ExifOffset": "2236", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "4446", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "3961", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "296", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "255", "EXIF ImageUniqueID": "15C02CB43DAF45ADA75C712D62EA4CC4", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}