Eurocopter Fennec

The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS550 Fennec (now H125M)[1] and AS555 Fennec 2 are lightweight, multipurpose military helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter Group (now Airbus Helicopters). Based on the AS350 Ecureuil and AS355 Ecureuil 2 series, they are named after the fennec fox. The armed versions of the AS550 and AS555 can be fitted with coaxial weapons, rockets, torpedoes and various other munitions.

AS550 Fennec
AS555 Fennec 2
A Twin Squirrel of the French Air and Space Force
Role Light utility military helicopter
National origin France
Manufacturer Aérospatiale
Eurocopter
Airbus Helicopters
Introduction 1990
Status In service
Primary users French Army
French Air and Space Force
Argentine Navy
Royal Malaysian Navy
Royal Danish Air Force
Produced 1990–present
Developed from Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil
Eurocopter AS355 Écureuil 2

Operational history

As a result of the Vienna Treaty, military variants of the Écureuil were marketed under a separate designation; thus from 1990 onwards the type was marketed as the Fennec.[2]

In February 2007, India selected the AS550 C3 Fennec over the Bell 407 helicopter in a deal for 197 helicopters worth US$500 million.[3] This deal was suspended in June 2007 because of concerns of alleged corruption in the bidding process, and cancelled outright on 6 December 2007.[4] The contract is now being re-competed, and the AS550 C3 is among the helicopters competing for the deal. However India chose Kamov Ka-226T over AS550 C3 in the refreshed tender.[5][6]

On 20 January 2011, Royal Malaysian Navy PASKAL commandos rescued a hijacked Malaysian chemical tanker and its crew from Somali pirates. A Fennec helicopter provided reconnaissance and aerial gunfire to keep the pirate's mother ship at bay while commandos boarded the tanker.[7]

Variants
Single engine
  • AS350 L1/L2 Ecureuil – Original military variants of AS350.
  • AS550 C2 Fennec – Armed version based on AS350 B2.
  • AS550 U2 Fennec – Unarmed version based on AS350 B2.
  • AS550 C3 Fennec – Armed version based on AS350 B3.
Twin engine
  • AS355 M/M2 Ecureuil 2 – Original military variants of AS355 F.
  • AS555 AF Fennec 2 – Armed version based on AS355 N.
  • AS555 AN Fennec 2 – Armed military version, can be fitted with a 20 mm cannon.
  • AS555 AR Fennec 2 – Armed with cannon and rockets.
  • AS555 MN Fennec 2 – Unarmed naval version.
  • AS555 MR Fennec 2 – Naval version.
  • AS555 SN Fennec 2 – Armed naval version.
  • AS555 SR Fennec 2 – Armed naval version.
  • AS555 UN Fennec 2 – Training and utility version.
  • AS555 UR Fennec 2 – Utility version.
  • AS555 SP Fennec 2 – Naval version of AS355 NP.

Operators
An Argentine Navy AS555 SN Fennec 2
 Argentina
 Brazil
 Colombia
 Denmark
 Ecuador
 France
An Armée de l'air AS555
 Indonesia
 Kenya
 Malaysia

 Mexico

 Pakistan

A Danish Air Force AS550 C2 Fennec

 Qatar

 Tanzania

 Thailand

Former operators
 Singapore

Specifications (AS550 C3)
The cockpit of an AS 555

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[15]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 4 passengers
  • Length: 10.93 m (35 ft 10 in) (fuselage length), 12.94 m (42 ft 6 in) (overall length, rotors turning)
  • Height: 3.34 m (10 ft 11 in)
  • Empty weight: 1,220 kg (2,690 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 540 L (143 US Gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Arriel 2B turboshaft, 632 kW (847 shp) (limited to 500 kW (671 shp for take-off)
  • Main rotor diameter: 10.69 m (35 ft 1 in)
  • Main rotor area: 89.75 m2 (966.1 sq ft)
    Royal Thai Army AS550 armed with .50" HMP POD

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 246 km/h (153 mph, 133 kn) (max cruise)
  • Never exceed speed: 287 km/h (178 mph, 155 kn)
  • Range: 648 km (403 mi, 350 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 5,280 m (17,320 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 10.30 m/s (2,028 ft/min)

Armament
Provision for:

  • 20 mm Giat M621 cannon
  • Fabrique Nationale de Herstal twin 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun pods
  • 7 x 70mm (2.75") Forges de Zeebrugge rocket launcher FZ220 [16] or 12 x 68 mm Thales Brandt rockets
  • BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles

[13]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

Notes
  1. "Meet the H Generation: From EC to H". www.airbushelicopters.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  2. "1974: AS350/355 Ecureuil/AStar- AS550/555 Fennec – EC130." Archived 26 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine Eurocopter, Retrieved: 25 December 2015.
  3. "Eurocopter wins big Indian Army deal". Kalingatimes.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2007.
  4. India scraps 600 million dollar Eurocopter deal Archived 11 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Karnozov, Vladimir (12 June 2015). "France-based Companies Win and Lose in Big Indian Helo Contest". www.ainonline.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  6. Pubby, Manu (14 May 2015). "Make in India: Defence ministry okays $3.4 billion deals including procurement of US-origin M777 artillery guns". India Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  7. "Paskal commandos foil hijack attempt in Gulf of Aden". The Star. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  8. "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  9. "Kenya acquires Fennec helicopters". DefenceWeb. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  10. "Helicopters Reception Ceremony" (Press release). Kenya Air Force. 14 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  11. (in French)http://www.avionslegendaires.net/2018/03/actu/des-helicopteres-nh90-et-h125m-commandes-par-le-qatar Archived 18 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. Binnie, Jeremy (11 September 2018). "Tanzania to take delivery of Super Puma helicopters". IHS Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  13. "Republic of Singapore Air Force AS 350". Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  14. "Singapore Air AS-550A Fennec". Demand media. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  15. Jackson 2003, pp. 244–255.
  16. "H125M Helicopter 70-mm rocket system". FZ. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2015.

Bibliography
  • Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
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