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Eurocopter Fennec
The Eurocopter AS550 Fennec and AS555 Fennec 2 are lightweight, multipurpose military helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter Group. 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.
Contents
Operational history
In February 2007, India selected the AS550 C3 Fennec over the Bell 407 helicopter in a deal for 197 helicopters worth 500 million USD.[1] This deal was suspended in June 2007 because of concerns of alleged corruption in the bidding process, and cancelled outright on 6 December 2007.[2] The contract is now being re-competed, and the AS550 C3 is among the helicopters competing for the deal.
On January 20th 2011, Royal Malaysian Navy SEALs called PASKAL rescued a hijacked Malaysian chemical tanker and its crew from Somali pirates. A Fennec helicopter provide reconnaissance and aerial gunfire to keep the pirate’s mother ship at bay while commandos boarded the tanker.[3]
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 uility version.
- AS555 UR Fennec 2 - Utility version.
- AS555 SP Fennec 2 - Naval version of AS355 NP.
Operators
- Argentine Naval Aviation : AS555 SN as embarked helicopter
- Brazilian Army : AS555 C2
- Colombian Navy : AS555 SN as anti-surface warfare helicopter
- Royal Danish Air Force : AS550 C2 as armed scout and anti-tank helicopter
- Ecuadorian Air Force : AS555 AN as utility helicopter
- French Air Force: AS555 AN as training and liaison helicopters
- French Army: AS555 UN as training helicopter
- Royal Malaysian Navy: AS555 SN as anti-surface warfare helicopter
- Mexican Navy: AS555 AF as embarked helicopter
- Policia Federal
- Pakistan Army : AS550 as used for light transport
Specifications (AS550 C3)
See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
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References
- ↑ Eurocopter wins big Indian Army deal. Kalingatimes.com. Archived from the original on 2007-06-04. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
- ↑ India scraps 600 million dollar Eurocopter deal
- ↑ http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/RoyalMalaysianNavycommandossavetheday-1/Article/
- Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
External links
Lists relating to aviation | |
|---|---|
| General | Timeline of aviation · Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines |
| Military | Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft |
| Notable incidents and accidents | Military aviation · Airliners · General aviation · Famous aviation-related deaths |
| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
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ar:الفنك AS-555 cs:Eurocopter Fennec da:Fennec es:Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec ja:ユーロコプター フェニック sk:Eurocopter Fennec
| This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Eurocopter Fennec". |
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