Aérospatiale Alouette III The Aérospatiale Alouette III ( , " Lark " ) is a single - engine , light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation . It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France , and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania . The Alouette III is the successor to the Alouette II , being larger and having more seating Development . The first version of the Alouette III , the SE 3160 prototype , first flew on 28 February 1959 . Production of the SA 316A ( SE 3160 ) began in 1961 and remained in production until 1968 , when it was replaced by the SA 316B . The last and 1437th Alouette III left the Marignane assembly lines in 1979 , when the main production line in France was closed down . The last Alouette III from Aérospatiale was delivered in 1985 . Over 500 units were manufactured under licence in Romania , India and Switzerland . Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ( HAL ) obtained a licence to build Alouette IIIs as the HAL Chetak in India . Over 300 units were produced by HAL as it continued to independently update and indigenize the helicopter over the years , and a variant is still in production though in diminishing volumes . Versions of the Alouette III were also either licence - built or assembled by IAR in Romania ( as the IAR 316 ) , F + W Emmen in Switzerland , and by Fokker and Lichtwerk in the Netherlands . Production numbers are as follows : Operational history . Argentina . The Argentine Naval Aviation purchased 14 helicopters . One SA316B was on board the " ARA General Belgrano " when she was sunk by the " HMS Conqueror ' s " torpedoes during the Falklands War with Great Britain in 1982 and a second one played an important role during the Invasion of South Georgia . On 2 December 2010 , the last example was retired at a ceremony held at BAN Comandante Espora , Bahía Blanca . Australia . From April 1964 to 1967 , three machines were delivered from France for local assembly in Australia , and were used by Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) at the Woomera Rocket Range for light passenger transport and recovery of missile parts after test launches at the Range . Denmark . Eight machines were delivered to the Royal Danish Navy from 1962 to 1967 . They were primarily tasked with SAR and reconnaissance in support of the navy ' s Arctic patrol ships . In 1982 they were replaced by the Westland Lynx France . The Alouette III entered in service with the French Armed forces in 1960 , the French Army ordered 50 Alouette IIIs in June 1961 . In June 1960 , an Alouette III carrying seven people made take - offs and landings on Mont Blanc in the French Alps at an altitude of 4 , 810 meters ( 15 , 780 feet ) , an unprecedented altitude for such activities by a helicopter . The same helicopter again demonstrated the types extraordinary performance in November 1960 by making take - offs and landings with a crew of two and a payload of 250 kg ( 551 lbs ) in the Himalayas at an altitude of 6 , 004 meters ( 19 , 698 feet ) . In June 2004 , the Alouette III was retired from the French Air Force after 32 years of successful service , being replaced by the Eurocopter EC 355 Ecureuil 2 . The French Navy still uses the Alouette III for Search and Rescue and Logistics missions . Ireland . At Baldonnel on 21 September 2007 the Alouette III was retired from the Irish Air Corps . During 44 years of successful service , the Irish Alouette III fleet amassed over 77 , 000 flying hours . As well as routine military missions , the aircraft undertook some 1 , 717 search - and - rescue missions , saving 542 lives and flew a further 2 , 882 air ambulance flights . The oldest of the Alouettes , 195 , is kept in ' rotors running ' condition for the Air Corps Museum . India . Hindustan Aeronautics Limited built over 300 units of the helicopter under licence as the HAL Chetak . They were primarily in service with the Indian Armed Forces in training , transport , CASEVAC ( Casualty Evacuation ) , communications and liaison roles . The Chetak is being replaced by HAL Dhruv in the armed forces . An option to re - engine the HAL Chetak with the Turbomeca TM 333 - 2B engine for high - altitude operations in the Himalayas was considered , but not pursued . In 1986 the Government constituted the Army ' s Aviation Corps and most Chetak operating in AOP Squadrons were transferred from the Air Force on 1 November 1986 . The Air Force continues to fly armed Chetaks in the anti - tank role as well as for CASEVAC and general duties . HAL also exported Chetak helicopters to Namibia and Suriname . India has also donated used Chetak helicopters to other countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal . Pakistan . Pakistan purchased 35 Alouette III helicopters and used them in the Indo - Pakistani War of 1971 , mainly for liaison and VIP - transport . Two Alouette IIIs of the Pakistan Air Force ( PAF ) were shot down during the war . Portugal . Portugal was the third largest user of the Alouette III , with a total of 142 units acquired for the Portuguese Air Force . Starting in 1963 , Portugal was the first country to use the Alouette III in combat , during the Overseas Wars in Angola , Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea , where it proved its qualities . The Portuguese Alouette III were mainly used for air assault and medevac operations . Besides the basic transport version ( code named " canibal " , plural " canibais " ) , Portugal used a special version of the Alouette III with a MG 151 20 mm autocannon mounted in the rear in order to fire from the left side door . This version was designated " helicanhão " ( heli - cannon ) and code named " lobo mau " ( big bad wolf ) . In the Overseas Wars , the Portuguese usually launched air assaults with groups of six or seven Alouette III : five or six " canibais " - each carrying usually five paratropers or commandos - and a " lobo mau " heli - cannon . The Portuguese practice was the " canibais " approaching the ground , but not landing , instead staying hovering in the air , launching the troops to the ground from there . The famous images of Portuguese paratroopers or commandos jumping from Alouette III helicopters , from an height of two or three meters from the ground , became some of the most characteristics of the War . The landing of the troops from the " canibais " was covered by the " lobo mau " . While the troops performed the ground assault , the " canibais " moved away from the combat zone , staying the " lobo mau " in the support of ground forces , destroying the enemy resistance and concentration points with the fire of its 20 mm autocannon . Finished the ground combat , the " canibais " returning , in a first wave collecting the wounded and subsequently collecting the troops . Presently , the Portuguese Air Force still maintains a number of Alouette III in service , mainly used for training and SAR . They also equip the aerobatic team Rotores de Portugal . South Africa . The Alouette III helicopter served for 44 years and flew more than 346 , 000 hours in the South African Air Force ( SAAF ) . The official withdrawal of Alouette III in SAAF took place on 30 June 2006 at Swartkop in Pretoria . The SAAF received 118 Alouette III helicopters between 1962 and the late 1970s . They were used extensively throughout the Bush War . Switzerland . In 2004 , the Swiss Armed Forces announced the retirement of the Alouette III from front - line service by 2006 and entirely by 2010 . Venezuela . The Venezuelan Air Force retired its Alouette IIIs in the late 1990s . Variants . When used as an aerial ambulance , the Alouette III can accommodate a pilot , two medical attendants and two stretcher patients .