The Eurocopter Company manufactures the Cougar family of twin engine helicopters, of which more than 350 have been ordered. Eurocopter is a subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautics Defence and Space) company formed by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany, Aerospatiale Matra of France and CASA of Spain.
The helicopter is in service with 28 air forces, eight armies and five navies. 64 are operational with the French Army. As well as the AS 532 A2 combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter, there are two other versions of the Cougar: the AS532 Horizon surveillance system operated with a ground station, and the AS532 UB/AB utility version.
Orders include four for Slovenia which were delivered in 2003/2004 and 12 (four CSAR and eight utility) for Bulgaria, ordered in November 2004. The first AS 532 was delivered to Bulgaria in August 2006.
Deliveries for Bulgaria began in August 2006 and the final (12th) AS 532 was delivered in July 2009. The first eight helicopters delivered to Bulgaria are being used as utility helicopters for carrying troops or injured people on stretchers with other medics or passengers.
Spain ordered an additional two transport helicopters in December 2007.
Design
The helicopter has a high level of crashworthiness, including impact tolerance and redundancy in vital systems and components. The occupants of the helicopter are protected up to impact velocities of 11.4m/sec. The fuel tanks are self-sealing, with a fuel crossfeed system that provides continuity of supply if one of the fuel circuits fails.
The main rotor and the tail rotor are equipped with high-impact-tolerance Spheriflex hubs, which have unlubricated metal antifriction bearings. The rotors are tolerant to impact from rounds from 20mm cannon and 12.7mm machine guns. The gearboxes are capable of running for 30 minutes up to one hour and 30 minutes without lubrication.
The helicopter is fitted with a 272kg capacity rescue hoist and an external sling. The enlarged sponsons provide additional stowage for carrying extra fuel, life rafts, floats or other equipment. The helicopter is equipped with emergency flotation landing gear for over-water missions.
Combat search and rescue (CSAR)
Eurocopter's combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter is in service with the armed forces of France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
"The AS 532 U2/A2 Cougar helicopter has a high level of crashworthiness."
A personnel locator system (PLS) is used to locate survivors, which is based on an encrypted communications homing system.
This communicates with the Thales Avionique Nadir mk2 navigation computer, which selects the navigation mode according to the phase of the mission and controls the integrated flight display, which is presented on four flat screens.
Nadir mk2 interfaces to the positional and navigation equipment on the helicopter, the global positioning system, the inertial navigation, Doppler radar, the VHF omnidirectional radio range equipment (VOR), tactical air navigation (TACAN) and distance measuring equipment (DME).
The Cougar is equipped with observation domes to the cabin doors, searchlight, forward-looking infrared sensor (FLIR) and panoramic view detection radar with homing and personnel location system functions. The crew are equipped with third-generation night-vision goggles, and the mk2 Cougar aircraft cockpit and cabin area is night-vision goggle compatible.
In search-and-rescue missions involving pick-up from the sea, higher operating modes of the helicopter's SFIM PA 165 digital auto-pilot are used and manoeuvres in transition and hovering flight are performed automatically.
Weapons
The aircraft is equipped with two outboard 20mm cannons, pod-mounted rockets and two 12.7mm machine guns.
Countermeasures
The search-and-rescue helicopter is fitted with a radar warner and a missile launch warning system. The helicopter also has radar and infrared jammers and a chaff and flare decoy system.
Eurocopter and the French ONERA research centre worked in cooperation on the jet exhaust deflectors / diluters, low infrared reflectance paint and low radar reflectance surfaces and in reducing the acoustic, radar and infra-red signatures of the helicopter.
"The search-and-rescue helicopter has a radar warner and a missile launch warning system."
Engines
The Cougar is equipped with two Turbomeca Makila 1A2 engines. The engines provide a maximum continuous power of 1,240kW and are able to maintain their maximum take-off power of 1,380kW for five minutes.
Centrisep multipurpose air intakes are provided for operations in high-dust / particulate or desert conditions.
For extreme long-range missions, the combat search and rescue helicopter can carry auxiliary fuel tanks in the cargo hook well, sponson tanks, cabin floor tanks and up to five ferry tanks. Rescue missions of 500nm and return to base are possible without in-flight refuelling. An in-flight refuelling capability is being developed by Eurocopter.
Performance
The AS 532 U2/A2 can climb at the rate of 6.2m a second. The maximum and cruise speed of the helicopter are 278km/h and 231km/h respectively. The range and service ceiling of the helicopter are 573km and 3,450m respectively. The maximum endurance of the helicopter is four hours. The helicopter weighs around 4,560kg, and the maximum take-off weight is 9,000kg.
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he Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec single-engine helicopter is operational with the Singapore armed forces, the Royal Australian Army, the Brazilian Army and Air Force, the Danish Army, the French Army and the United Arab Emirates Army. The helicopter first entered into service in 1990.
The Fennec belongs to the Ecureuil / Fennec family of helicopters which includes: the single-engine military AS 550 Fennec and civil AS 350 Ecureuil; twin-engine naval AS 555 Fennec and civil AS 355 Ecureuil; and the civil EC 130 single-engine helicopter.
The AS550 Fennec can be fitted for anti-tank, air-to-air combat, ground support and training missions and it is also used in the utility transportation role. The combat version is called the AS 550C3.
The helicopters are in production at Eurocopter's engineering and production facilities at Marignane in France, and they are also built under licensed production agreements in Brazil and in China.
Orders and deliveries
Over 3,150 Fennec helicopters have been ordered, of which 2,500 have been delivered and are operational in over 70 countries.
The delivery of six AS 550 Fennec helicopters to the UAE Air Force was completed in 2008, while the Pakistan Army procured an additional AS 550 Fennec in early 2009.
The AS550 Fennec can be fitted for anti-tank, air-to-air combat, ground support and training missions and it is also used in the utility transportation role. The combat version is called the AS 550C3.
The helicopters are in production at Eurocopter's engineering and production facilities at Marignane in France, and they are also built under licensed production agreements in Brazil and in China.
A proposed order of 197 Fennec helicopters by India was cancelled in December 2007 due to discrepancy in the bidding process.
AS 550 Fennec design
The AS 550 is of light construction based on a reinforced high-strength glass fibre and aramid airframe. The Starflex main rotor head and blades are also of composite materials for added strength and weight reduction. The engine cowlings are armoured for protection.
The helicopter is fitted with armoured seats and can carry the pilot and up to five troops. The cabin can also be configured for medical evacuation with capacity for one stretcher patient and two doctors. For cargo carrying, the cabin can take a 3m³ load.
"The combat version of the
AS 550 Fennec is called the AS 550C3."
The military AS 550 is fitted with sliding doors on each side rather than the hinged door fitted on the civil AS 350 variant. The 1m³ baggage compartment is installed behind the main cabin and is accessed via a door on the starboard side.
A cargo sling, rated at 1,160kg, and a 204kg hoist can be used.
AS 550 cockpit systems
The cockpit is equipped with single controls and is night-vision compatible. The navigation suite includes a global positioning system (GPS), a VHF omnidirectional radio ranger and instrument landing system (VOR/ILS), an automatic direction finder (ADF), distance measuring equipment (DME) and a marker beacon transponder. The secure communications systems are fitted according to the customer country's specification.
The pilot has a vehicle and engine multifunction display which allows shows the main vehicle and engine parameters on a dual LCD screen.
Fennec weapons systems
The helicopter is fitted with a wide range of weapon systems to suit the operational requirements of the country's forces. Weapon fits include anti-tank missiles, rockets or guns. The Danish Army AS 550C2 helicopters are armed with the Systems & Electronics (formerly ESCO) HeliTOW sighting system and TOW anti-tank missiles. The HeliTOW sight is roof-mounted and contains direct view optics, day and/or night sight and laser rangefinder.
The AS 550 can be fitted with two Forges de Zeebrugge rocket launchers which carry seven 2.75in rockets each, or two Thales Brandt 68mm launchers with 12 rockets each. The helicopter has been fitted with the Giat 20mm gun type M621, and the FN Hershal twin 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine gun pod.
The surveillance and observation systems include a forward-looking infrared (FLIR), optical cameras and Spectrolab SX 16 searchlights. Thales Detexis EWR-99 radar warning receiver and Alkan ELIPS countermeasures dispenser can be fitted.
"The AS 550 construction is based on a reinforced high-strength glass fibre and aramid airframe."
Engines
The AS 550 is powered by a single Turbomeca Arril 2B engine, which provides 632kW of take-off power. The engine is fitted with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). The FADEC system reduces the work load of the pilot as well as the fuel consumption. The main gearbox has a 45-minute dry run capability.
The self-sealing plastic fuel tank has a capacity of 540l. An auxiliary fuel tank can be installed in the cabin to provide an additional 475l of fuel for extended-range operations.
Performance
The AS 550 can climb at the rate of 9.8m a second. The maximum and cruise speeds of the helicopter are 287km/h and 258km/h respectively, while the range and service ceiling of the helicopter are 666km and 7,000m respectively.
The maximum altitude of the helicopter is 7,000m and the endurance is four hours and seven minutes.
The AS 550 weighs around 1,202kg and the maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is 2,250kg.
Landing gear
The helicopter has steel tube skid-type landing gear. Emergency flotation gear is fitted for operation over water.
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