Aérospatiale H125M / AS550 Fennec

Summary

Category	Helicopter
Origin country	🇫🇷 France
First flight	27 June 1974
Year of introduction	1990
Number produced	531 units
Average unit price	$5 million

Description

The Eurocopter AS550 and AS555 Fennec are lightweight, multipurpose military helicopters developed by the Eurocopter Group, now known as Airbus Helicopters. These helicopters are based on the AS350 Ecureuil and AS355 Ecureuil 2 series. From 1990 onwards, military variants of the Écureuil were marketed under the Fennec designation as a result of the Vienna Treaty. The Fennec's design emphasizes a lightweight and compact structure, making it suitable for deployment on naval vessels such as destroyers or aircraft carriers, allowing for deployment from a variety of platforms.

The aircraft is available in single-engine and dual-engine variants to meet varied operational requirements. The single-engine variant is optimized for simplicity, reliability, and reduced maintenance, while the dual-engine variant offers increased power and redundancy. The armed versions of both variants are adaptable, able to be outfitted with coaxial weapons, rockets, torpedoes, and other munitions. Specifically, the AS555 AN Fennec 2 can be fitted with a 20 mm cannon, while the AS555 AR Fennec 2 is armed with cannon and rockets. The AS550 C2 and C3 are armed versions based on the AS350 B2 and AS350 B3, respectively, with the specifications for the AS550 C3 indicating a provision for armament.

The French Air Force received AS555 helicopters between February 1988 and March 1994, with 40 remaining operational as of 2018. The ALAT (French Army Light Aviation) received 17 AS555 Fennecs in January 1990, assigning them to the 6th Squadron of Utility Helicopters at the Le Luc Training School for training and liaison missions. The Royal Danish Air Force acquired twelve AS550 C2 helicopters in 1987, receiving the first deliveries in August 1990; geopolitical shifts led to their repurposing for observation and light transport. Three Danish Fennecs were deployed to Macedonia during Operation Amber Fox in 2002, and deployments to Iraq followed in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2008. The Argentine Navy acquired AS555 Fennec helicopters after the Falklands War due to restrictions on acquiring Westland Sea Lynx helicopters, with the first four AS555-SN units arriving in 1996. In 2011, a Royal Malaysian Navy Fennec helicopter supported the rescue of a hijacked chemical tanker from Somali pirates by providing reconnaissance and aerial gunfire.

Main Variants:

AS550 C2 Fennec – An armed version based on the AS350 B2.
AS550 U2 Fennec – An unarmed version based on the AS350 B2.
AS550 C3 Fennec – An armed version based on the AS350 B3.
AS555 AF Fennec 2 – An armed version based on the AS355 N.
AS555 AN Fennec 2 – An armed military version, which can be fitted with a 20 mm cannon.
AS555 AR Fennec 2 – An armed version fitted with cannon and rockets.

Technical specifications

Version: AS350 B3
Crew	2 pilots
Operational range	720 km (447 mi)
Maximum speed	260 km/h (162 mph)
Wingspan	12.9 m (42.5 ft)
Height	3.1 m (10.3 ft)
Length	10.9 m (35.9 ft)
Service ceiling	4600 m (15092 ft)
Empty weight	1174 kg (2588 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	2250 kg (4960 lbs)
Climb rate	8.5 m/s (27.9 ft/s)
Powerplant	1 × turbine Turbomeca Arriel 2B delivering 632 kW

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Brazil	126 (+12)
	France	93
	Pakistan	35
	United Arab Emirates	30
	Saudi Arabia	26
	Indonesia	23
	Chile	17 (+2)
	Mexico	15
	Algeria	14
	Denmark	11
	Ecuador	11
	Uzbekistan	11
	Botswana	10
	Kenya	9
	Thailand	8
	United Kingdom	8
	China	7
	Chad	6
	Tunisia	6
	Djibouti	5
	Malaysia	5
	Russia	5
	Burkina Faso	4
	Israel	4
	Bulgaria	3
	Colombia	3
	Egypt	3
	Lesotho	3
	Lithuania	3
	Malawi	3
	Uruguay	3
	Tanzania	2 (+1)
	Bangladesh	2
	Bolivia	2
	Hungary	2
	Madagascar	2
	Nepal	2
	Paraguay	2
	Argentina	1 (+12)
	Cambodia	1
	Central African Republic	1
	Guatemala	1
	Jordan	1
	Senegal	1
	United States	1