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 , and continued to be produced by Aérospatiale . The Puma was also license - built in Romania as the IAR 330 ; unlicensed manufacture of an advanced derivative , the Atlas Oryx , was also conducted by South Africa . The Puma was a commercial success and was quickly developed into more advanced models such as the AS332 Super Puma and AS532 Cougar , manufactured by Eurocopter since the early 1990s ; in this manner descendants of the Puma remain in production into the 21st century . The Puma has seen combat in a range of theatres by a number of different operators ; significant operations include the Gulf War , the South African Border War , the Portuguese Colonial War , the Yugoslav Wars , the Iraq War , and the Falklands War . The type also saw popular use in the civilian field and has been operated by a number of civil operators . 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 capable of carrying up to 20 soldiers as well as various carry - carrying duties . The choice was made to develop a completely new design for the helicopter , work began in 1963 with backing from the French government . 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 . The first production SA 330 Puma flew in September 1968 , with deliveries to the French Army starting in early 1969 . In 1967 , the Puma was selected by the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) , having been impressed by the Puma ' s performance , it was given the designation " Puma HC Mk 1 " . A significant joint manufacturing agreement was between Aerospatiale and Westland Helicopters of the UK ; the close collaboration between the French and British firms would also result in subsequent purchases of Aérospatiale Gazelle by the United Kingdom and the Westland Lynx by France . Under this agreement , Westland manufactured a range of components for the Puma ; additionally it also performed the assembly of Pumas ordered by the RAF . 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 - shore oil platform s . Throughout most of the 1970s , the SA 330 Puma was the best selling transport helicopter being produced in Europe . 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 . Romania entered into an arrangement with Aerospatiale to produce the Puma under license as the IAR 330 , manufacturing roughly 90 of the type for the Romanian armed forces , civil operators , and several export customers of their own . Indonesia also undertook domestic manufacturing of the SA 330 . South Africa , a keen user of the type , performed their own major modification and production program conducted by the government - owned Atlas Aircraft to upgrade their own Pumas , the resulting aircraft was named Oryx . In the 1990s , Denel would also develop an attack helicopter for the South African Air Force based on the Puma , known as the Denel Rooivalk . In 1974 , Aerospatiale began development of improved Puma variants , aiming to produce a successor to the type ; these efforts would cumulate in the AS332 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 AS323 Super Puma had overtaken that of the originating SA 330 Puma . Production of the SA 330 Puma by Aérospatiale ceased in 1987 , by which time a total of 697 had been sold ; production in Romania would continue into the 21st Century . Design . The SA 330 Puma is a twin - engine helicopter intended for personnel transport and logistic support duties . As a troop carrier , up to 16 soldiers can be seated on foldable seats , in a casualty evacuation configuration , the cabin can hold six litters and four additional personnel ; the Puma can also perform cargo transport duties , using alternatively an external sling or the internal cabin , with a maximum weight of 2500 kg . Civilian Pumas feature a variety of passenger cabin layouts , including those intended for VIP services . In a search and rescue capacity , a hoist is commonly installed , often mounted on the starboard fuselage . A pair of roof - mounted Turbomeca Turmo turboshaft engines power the Puma ' s four - blade main rotor . The helicopter ' s rotors are driven at a speed of roughly 265 rpm via a five reduction stage transmission . 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 main gearbox and main rotor blades . The Puma also featured an automatic blade inspection system , which guarded against and alerted crews to fatigue cracking in the rotor blades . There are two hydraulic systems on board , these operate entirely independent of one another , one system powers only the aircraft ' s flight controls while the other serves the autopilot , undercarriage , rotor brake , and the flight controls . In flight , the Puma was designed to be capable of high speeds , exhibit great maneuverability , and have good hot - and - high performance ; the engines have an intentionally high level of reserve power to enable a Puma to effectively fly at maximum weight with only one functioning engine and proceed with its mission if circumstances require . The cockpit has conventional dual controls for 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 of roll and pitch stabilization , the load hook operator can also enter corrective adjustments of the helicopter ' s position from his station through the autopilot . The Puma is readily air - transportable by tactical airlift aircraft such as the Transall C - 160 and the Lockheed 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 . The Puma is also capable of operating at nighttime , in inhospitable flying conditions , or in a wide range of climates from Arctic to desert environments . Although not included during the original production run , numerous operators of Pumas have installed additional features and modern equipment over the aircraft ' s service life ; Pumas used by the RAF have been equipped with Global Positioning System ( GPS ) navigation equipment , a range of self - defense measures including infrared jammers and automatic flares / chaff dispensers , and night vision goggle s . Third party aviation companies such as South Africa ' s Thunder City have ran life extension and modernisation programmes for the Puma with some choosing to refurbish the aircraft with glass cockpits . Operational history . Argentina . During the Falklands War in 1982 , five SA 330 Pumas of the Argentine Army and one of the Argentine 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 . On 3 April , while landing Argentine troops as part of the capture of South Georgia , a Puma was badly damaged by small arms fire from British ground forces and crashed into terrain shortly after . On 9 May , a single Puma was destroyed by a Sea Dart anti - aircraft missile launched from HMS " Coventry " . On 23 May , a pair of Royal Navy Sea Harriers intercepted three Argentine Pumas in the middle of a supply mission to Port 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 . On 30 May , a Puma was lost in the vicinity of Mount Kent under unknown circumstances , possibly due to friendly fire . France . In September 1974 , four Pumas were employed during Operation Barracuda to transport a French assault team directly upon the government head quarters of the Central African Empire ; after which confiscated valuables and assorted diplomatic and political records were quickly extracted to the nearby French embassy by continuous air lifts by the Pumas . One distinctive use of the Puma in French service was as a VIP transport for carrying the President 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 . During the 1991 First Gulf War , France chose to dispatch several Pumas in support of coalition forces engaged in a conflict with Saddam Hussein ' s Iraq . Those Pumas that had been assigned to the role of performing combat search - and - rescue duties were quickly retrofitted with GPS receivers to enhance their navigational capabilities . As part of France ' s contribution to the 1990s NATO - led intervention in the Yugoslav Wars , a number of French Pumas operated in the region alongside other Puma operators such as Britain and the United Arab Emirates ; one frequent mission for the type was the vital provision of humanitarian aid missions to refugees escaping ongoing ethnic genocide . In April 1994 , a French Puma performed a nighttime extraction of a British SAS squad and a downed Sea Harrier pilot from deep inside hostile Bosnian territory , the aircraft came under small arms fire while retreating from the area . On the 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 of Kosovska Mitrovica by NATO ground forces . As of 2010 , both the French Army and French Navy have opted to procure separate variants of the NHIndustries NH90 to ultimately replace the Puma in French military service . Morocco . In 1974 , Morocco made an agreement with France for the purchase of 40 Puma helicopters for their armed forces . During the 1970s and 1980s , Moroccan Pumas saw combat service against Polisario Front separatists and helped exert greater control over the Western 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 - provided 2K12 Kub anti - aircraft missiles in rebel hands in the early 1980s . 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 . Portugal . In 1969 , Portugal emerged as an early export customer for the Puma , ordering 12 of the helicopters for the Portuguese Air Force ; Portugal would also be the first country to employ the Pumas in combat operations during the Portuguese Colonial War ; the type was used operationally to complement the smaller Alouette III helicopter fleet during the Angola and Mozambican wars of independence , the type had the advantages of greater autonomy and transport capacity over other operated helicopters . During the 1980s , Portugal engaged in an illicit arrangement with South Africa in order to circumvent a United Nations embargo 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 a Zaire - based front company to South African defense firm Armscorp , where they were used to overhaul , upgrade and rebuild the existing Pumas , ultimately resulting in the Atlas Oryx ; the Portuguese Pumas also received significant upgrades which were paid for under the terms of the agreement . In 2006 , the Portuguese Air Force began receiving deliveries of the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin , a larger and more capable helicopter , replacing the aging Puma fleet . South Africa . From 1972 onwards , Pumas operated by the SAAF were deployed on extended operations in neighboring Namibia and Angola during the Border War . During the first deployment to the Eastern Caprivi , one Puma crewmember became the first member of the SAAF to be awarded the Honoris Crux . 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 , and large scale cross border operations such as Savannah , Uric , Protea , Super , and Moduler . The majority of South African Puma purchases , including spare parts , were made in advance of an anticipated United Nations embargo which was applied in 1977 . South Africa would subsequently upgrade many of its Pumas , eventually arriving at the derived indigenous Atlas Oryx ; external assistance and components were obtained via secretive transactions involving Portugal during the arms embargo era . In December 1979 , South Africa ' s government acknowledged the presence of their military forces operating in Zimbabwe ; Pumas were routinely used in support of the South African Army ' s ground forces . In June 1980 , 20 Pumas accompanied a force of 8000 troops during a South African invasion of Angola in pursuit of nationalist SWAPO fighters . In 1982 , the government confirmed that 15 service men had been killed when South African Puma was downed by SWAPO forces , it was one of the worst losses suffered in a single instance in the conflict . During the 1990s , concealed efforts to purchase surplus SAAF Pumas were made by then - President Pascal Lissouba of the Republic of Congo , most likely intended for use in the Congolese Civil War . When the MTS Oceanos sank off the coast of South Africa in 1991 , as many as 13 Pumas played crucial roles in the rescue efforts , winching 219 survivors to safety during bad weather conditions . United Kingdom . The first two Pumas for the Royal Air Force were delivered on 29 January 1971 , with the first operational squadron ( 33 Squadron ) forming at RAF Odiham on 14 June 1971 . The RAF would order a total of 48 Puma HC Mk 1 for transport duties ; during the Falklands War , an additional SA 330J formerly operated by Argentine Naval Prefecture was captured by British forces . The Puma became a common vehicle for British special forces , such as the SAS , and has been described as being " good for covert tasks " . RAF Pumas have been based at early on at RAF Odiham , and later at RAF Benson ; during The Troubles it was also common for a detachment to be based in Northern Ireland as well . In British service , the Puma has seen active duty in Belize , Venezuela , Iraq , Yugoslavia , and Zaire . Britain has frequently dispatched Pumas on disaster relief and humanitarian missions , such as during the 2000 Mozambique flood and the 1988 Jamaican flash flood ; and to conduct peacekeeping operations in regions such as Zimbabwe and the Persian Gulf . During the climax of the First Gulf War , the Puma proved decisive in rapidly mobilizing and deploying troops to prevent Iraqi troops intending to sabotage the Rumaila oil field . From the beginning of the Iraq War , between 2003 and 2009 , RAF Pumas would be used to provide troop mobility across the theatre . On 15 April 2007 , two RAF Pumas collided during a special forces mission close to Baghdad , Iraq . In November 2007 , a Puma crashed during an anti - insurgent operation in Iraq ; an inquest found the cause to be pilot error primarily , however the Ministry of Defense ( MoD ) was criticised for failing to equip RAF Pumas with night vision goggle s and inadequate maintenance checks compromising safety , these shortcomings were addressed following the incident . In order to extend the type ' s service , six ex - South African SA 330L were purchased by Britain in 2002 . An extensive upgrade of the RAF ' s Pumas , the Puma HC Mk2 , began deliveries in late 2012 ; this programme of upgrading the aging Puma fleet is expected to enable the aircraft to remain in operational service until 2025 . In 2008 , the original intention was to upgrade 30 aircraft , this was subsequently cut to 22 , and has been revised upwards for a total of 24 HC Mk2 Pumas to be produced . Civil . One of the largest and prominent operators of the type was Bristow Helicopters , where the Puma was regularly used for off shore operations over the North Sea . during the 1970s , Bristow had sought to begin replacing their Sikorsky S - 61 helicopters , 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 . From 1979 onwards , the Puma formed the mainstay of the Bristow fleet ; the type took over the duties of Bristow ' s retiring Westland Wessex helicopters in 1981 . In 1982 , Bristow introduced the more powerful Super Puma into service , supplementing their then - total fleet of 11 SA 330J Pumas .