Airbus Helicopters H215M / AS532 Cougar

Summary

Category	Helicopter
Origin country	🇩🇪 Germany 🇫🇷 France
First flight	1 September 1978
Year of introduction	1978
Number produced	408 units
Average unit price	$18 million

Description

The Eurocopter AS532 Cougar, now known as the Airbus Helicopters H215M, is a twin-engine, medium-weight, multipurpose helicopter developed as a militarized upgrade of the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma. Its foundation, the AS332 Super Puma, designed as an enhanced version to supersede the SA 330 Puma, first flew in September 1977. This initial variant featured two 1,330 kW Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turboshaft engines, composite rotor blades, improved landing gear, and a modified tailfin. To distinguish the military versions from their civilian counterparts, all military Super Puma designations were changed from "AS 332" to "AS 532 Cougar" in 1990.

Inheriting features such as composite rotor blades, enhanced landing gear, and a modified tailfin, the AS532 Cougar design utilizes two Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turboshaft engines. The utility version can be outfitted with the Horizon battlefield ground surveillance system. The AS 532 UL/AL versions are capable of lifting up to 4.5 tons by means of a sling, and the AS532 UB has a capacity for a 4,650 kg (10,251 lb) payload. Armed versions can incorporate pod-mounted 20 mm cannons, 68 mm rocket-launchers, and side-mounted rapid fire machine-guns. The naval version, the AS 532SC, is primarily used for anti-surface unit warfare (ASUW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), search and rescue, and sea patrols. It can be equipped with AM 39 Exocet missiles, a variable-depth sonar and torpedoes for ASW, and ASIST for deck landing, securing at high sea states, maneuver, and traverse.

The AS532 Cougar has seen deployment across various theaters with multiple air forces. Canada considered it as a replacement for the CH-113 Labrador but ultimately chose the CH-149 Cormorant. In 2012, France initiated a €288.8 million project to upgrade 23 Army Cougars and 3 Air Force Cougars to address obsolescence and standardize avionics with their EC225 and EC725 helicopters. In operational use, the type has experienced a number of accidents, some involving fatalities, in countries such as Turkey, France, and Mali. Operators include, or have included, countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and Brazil.

Main Variants:

AS532 UL/AL: The AS 532 UL/AL is the long version of the Cougar family and can carry up to 29 troops, also the armed AL version can be fitted with a variety of weapons, including pod-mounted 20 mm cannons.
AS532 SC: The AS 532SC is the naval version of the Cougar family mainly used for anti-surface unit warfare, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and sea patrols.
AS535: This variant was offered to cover the combat search and rescue needs of the French Army, but they chose the Eurocopter EC725 instead.
HM-3: This is the Brazilian Army designation for the AS532M1.

Technical specifications

Version: AS532 AC Cougar
Crew	2 pilots
Operational range	573 km (356 mi)
Maximum speed	250 km/h (155 mph)
Wingspan	15.6 m (51.2 ft)
Height	4.8 m (15.7 ft)
Length	18.7 m (61.4 ft)
Service ceiling	4100 m (13451 ft)
Empty weight	4330 kg (9546 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	9000 kg (19842 lbs)
Climb rate	7.0 m/s (23.0 ft/s)
Powerplant	2 × turbines Turbomeca Makila 1A2 delivering 1185 kW

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	France	61
	Romania	60 (+15)
	Turkey	48
	Pakistan	42
	Spain	39
	Saudi Arabia	35 (+2)
	Morocco	26
	Switzerland	23
	Indonesia	22
	Chile	20
	United Kingdom	16
	Uzbekistan	16
	Kenya	13
	Bulgaria	12
	Greece	12
	Netherlands	12
	Kuwait	11
	Lebanon	11
🇨🇩	Congo Democratic Republic	10
	Jordan	10
	Venezuela	10
	Brazil	8
	United Arab Emirates	8
	Bolivia	6
	Gabon	5
	Nigeria	5
	Albania	4
	Ecuador	4
	Slovenia	4
	Libya	3
	South Korea	3
	Cameroon	2
	Guinea	2
	Malawi	2
	Mali	2
	Argentina	1