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The Aérospatiale Alouette III (, ''Lark''; company designations SA 316 and SA 319) is a single-engine, light
utility helicopter A utility helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter capable of fulfilling many different roles. Civil Many civilian helicopters are made for utility work such as agricultural aircraft. Many police and fire departments maintain and operate util ...
developed by
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
aircraft company
Sud Aviation Sud Aviation (, ''Southern Aviation'') was a French state-owned aircraft manufacturer, originating from the merger of Sud-Est (SNCASE, or ''Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-est'') and Sud-Ouest ( SNCASO or ''Société ...
. During its production life, it proved to be a relatively popular rotorcraft; including multiple licensed manufacturers, more than 2,000 units were built. The Alouette III was developed as an enlarged derivative of the earlier and highly successful
Alouette II Alouette or alouettes may refer to: Music and literature * "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song * Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar'' Aerospace * SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...
. Sharing many elements with its predecessor while offering an extra pair of seats and other refinements, it quickly became a commercial success amongst both civil and military customers. Further variants were also developed; amongst these was a high-altitude derivative, designated as the SA 315B Lama, which entered operational service during July 1971. The Alouette III was principally manufactured by
Aérospatiale Aérospatiale (), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale ...
; the type was also built under licence by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bangalore, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the worl ...
(HAL) in India as the
HAL Chetak HAL may refer to: Aviation * Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia * Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL) * HAL Airport, Bangalore, India * Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fight ...
, by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) in Romania as the
IAR 316 The IAR 316 is a Romanian license-built Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III manufactured by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR). Design and development IAR 316 IAR began manufacturing the IAR 316 in 1971 at its plant near Brașov, Romania. P ...
and
F+W Emmen ''Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte'' English: "Federal Constructions Works", short K+W, was a Swiss state-owned enterprise, with the aim of making the Swiss military independent of foreign sources for its equipment needs. It was establishe ...
in Switzerland. Similar to the Alouette II, in military service, it was used to perform missions such as aerial observation, photography,
air-sea rescue Air-sea rescue (ASR or A/SR, also known as sea-air rescue), and aeronautical and maritime search and rescue (AMSAR) by the ICAO and IMO, is the coordinated search and rescue (SAR) of the survivors of emergency water landings as well as people w ...
, liaison, transport and training; it could also be armed with anti-tank missiles, anti-shipping torpedoes, and a fixed cannon. In a civilian capacity, the Alouette III was commonly used for casualty evacuation (often fitted with a pair of external stretcher panniers), crop-spraying, personnel transportation, and for carrying external loads. By the 2010s, many operators were in the process of drawing down their fleets and replacing them with more modern types; the French military intend to replace their Alouette IIIs with the newly developed
Airbus Helicopters H160 The Airbus Helicopters H160 (formerly X4) is a medium utility helicopter being developed by Airbus Helicopters. Formally launched at Heli-Expo in Orlando, Florida on 3 March 2015, it is intended to replace the AS365 and EC155 models in the fir ...
.


Development


Origins

The Alouette III has its origins with an earlier helicopter design by French aircraft manufacturer Sud-Est, the SE 3120 Alouette, which, while breaking several helicopter speed and distance records in July 1953, was deemed to have been too complex to be realistic commercial product.Boyne 2011, p. 101. Having received financial backing from the French government, which had taken an official interest in the venture, the earlier design was used as a starting point for a new rotorcraft that would harness the newly developed turboshaft engine; only a few years prior,
Joseph Szydlowski Joseph Szydlowski (originally Józef Szydłowski; November 21, 1896, Skryhiczyn (in Chełm County, Poland), – July 16, 1988 in Israel), was a Polish- Israeli aircraft engine designer who founded Turbomeca in France. Biography and career At ...
, the founder of Turbomeca, had successfully managed to develop the Artouste, a single shaft turbine engine derived from his Orédon turbine engine. An improved version of this engine was combined with the revised design to quickly produce a new helicopter, initially known as the SE 3130 Alouette II."1955: SE3130 "Alouette II"."
''Eurocopter'', Retrieved: 20 December 2015.
Boyne 2011, p. 271.McGownen 2005, p. 226. During April 1956, the first production Alouette II was completed, becoming the first production turbine-powered helicopter in the world. The innovative light helicopter soon broke several world records and became a commercial success.FAI Record ID #9874 – Altitude without payload. Class E-1 (Helicopters), turbine
" '' Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).'' Retrieved: 21 September 2014.
Taylor 1966, p. 2. As a result of the huge demand for the Alouette II, manufacturer Sud Aviation took a great interest in the development of derivatives, as well as the more general ambition of embarking on further advancement in the field of rotorcraft. In accordance with these goals, the company decided to commit itself to a new development programme with the aim of developing a more powerful helicopter that would be capable of accommodating up to 7 seats or a pair of stretchers. The design team was managed by French
aerospace engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
René Mouille René Mouille (30 October 1924 – 10 January 2019) was a French engineer, and designer of many of France's most well-known and important helicopters, widely flown by many air forces around the world. Education Mouille studied at the École sp ...
. The design produced, designated as the SE 3160, featured several improvements over the Alouette II; efforts were made to provide for a higher level of external visibility for the pilot as well as for greater aerodynamic efficiency via the adoption of a highly
streamlined Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines are field lines in a fluid flow. They differ only when the flow changes with time, that is, when the flow is not steady. Considering a velocity vector field in three-dimensional space in the framework of ...
exterior.


Into flight

On 28 February 1959, the first prototype SE 3160 performed its maiden flight, piloted by French aviator Jean Boulet.McGownen 2005, p. 75. Shortly thereafter, the SE 3160 would become more commonly known as the Alouette III. During its flight test programme, the prototype demonstrated its high altitude capabilities on several occasions; in June 1959, it landed at an altitude of over 4,000 metres in the
Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and it ...
mountain range and, during October 1960, it was able to achieve the same feat at an altitude more than 6,000 metres in the Himalayas. During these attempts, it was flown by Jean Boulet, who was accompanied by a pair of passengers and 250 kg of equipment. During 1961, the initial SE 3160 model of the type entered serial production. On 15 December 1961, the Alouette III received its
airworthiness certificate A standard certificate of airworthiness is a permit for commercial passenger or cargo operation, issued for an aircraft by the civil aviation authority in the state/nation in which the aircraft is registered. For other aircraft such as crop-spraye ...
, clearing it to enter operational service. Despite an order placed by the French Army for an initial batch of 50 Alouette IIIs during June 1961, the first two customers of the rotorcraft were in fact export sales, having been sold outside of France. The Alouette III was specifically designed to fly at high altitudes, as such, it quickly earned a reputation for its favourable characteristics during rescue operations. According to its manufacturer, it was the first helicopter to present an effective multi-mission capability and performance to match with its diverse mission range in both civil or military circles. The SE 3160 model continued to be produced until 1968, when it was replaced by the refined SA 316B model. (After its production ended, the SE 3160 has sometimes been retroactively redesignated "SA 316A", but its original SE 3160 designation is more commonly used, especially in older sources.) Both the SE 3160 and the SA 316B were powered by a more powerful version of the Artouste engine, the Artouste IIIB, whose turbine was rated to produce , though because of the limits of the engine's reduction gearbox, the Artouste IIIB was de-rated to generate in service. The later SA 319B model adopted the more fuel-efficient Turbomeca Astazou XIVB engine, extending its range and endurance; on 10 July 1967, the Astazou-powered Alouette III performed its first flight. During 1979, the last and 1,437th Alouette III departed from the company's assembly line in
Marignane Marignane (; oc, Marinhana) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. Geography It is a component of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, and the largest suburb of the ...
, France, after which the main production line was closed down as a consequence of diminishing demand for the type. During 1985, the final Alouette III was delivered.


Overseas production

Despite the closure of Aérospatiale 's own production line, the event was not the end of the type's manufacturing activity. Over 500 Alouette IIIs are recorded as having been manufactured under licence abroad in several countries, such as Romania, India, and Switzerland.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bangalore, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the worl ...
(HAL) obtained a licence to construct the Alouette III, which was known locally as the HAL Chetak, at their own production facilities in India. More than 300 units were built by HAL; the company has continued to independently update and indigenise the helicopter over the decades. A modernised variant of the Chetak has remained production, though at a diminished volume, into the 21st century. Various versions of the Alouette III were also either licence-built or otherwise assembled by IAR in Romania (as the
IAR 316 The IAR 316 is a Romanian license-built Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III manufactured by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR). Design and development IAR 316 IAR began manufacturing the IAR 316 in 1971 at its plant near Brașov, Romania. P ...
), F+W Emmen ( de) in Switzerland, and by Fokker and Lichtwerk in the Netherlands.McGownen 2005, p. 227. By the 2010s, the majority of Alouette III operators were in the process of winding down or entirely retiring their fleets. During 2017, the French Navy observed that it was costing the service around 13,000 Euros per flight hour to operate a single Alouette III, which it claims was more than double the equivalent costs of a modern-day rotorcraft in its class; it attributed this high running cost as being a natural side effect of their fleet's advanced age and an overall shortage of spare parts for the type, which has in turn been caused by the mass production of the Alouette III having been terminated three decades earlier. Furthermore, retirement has also been motived by a lack of modern features that would be present upon contemporary helicopters, which is a natural consequence of the Alouette III having been originally developed during the 1950s.Trevithick, Joseph
"The French Navy Is Finally Retiring These Antique Helicopters After 55 Years of Service."
''thedrive.com'', 22 January 2018.


Operational history


Argentina

The
Argentine Naval Aviation ) Gulf War , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = President , commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief , commander2 ...
operated a total of 14 Alouette III helicopters. A single SA316B was on board the when she was sunk by torpedoes fired by during the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. A second Alouette III played an important role during the Argentine
Invasion of South Georgia The invasion of South Georgia, also known as the Battle of Grytviken or Operation Georgias, took place on 3 April 1982, when Argentine Navy forces seized control of the east coast of South Georgia after overpowering a small group of Royal Ma ...
. On 2 December 2010, the last example was retired at a ceremony held at BAN Comandante Espora,
Bahía Blanca Bahía Blanca (; English: White Bay) is a city in the southwest of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the seat of government of the Bahía Blanca Partido. It had 301,572 inhabitants according to the . It is th ...
.


Australia

Between April 1964 and 1967, a small batch of Alouette IIIs were delivered from France in a disassembled state to Australia. Following their assembly, these were used by the
Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) at the Woomera Rocket Range for light passenger transport purpose and to assist in the recovery of missile parts in the aftermath of test launches conducted at the Range.


Austria

Between 1967 and 1969 Austria acquired 12 SE3160 Alouette IIIs which were upgraded to version SE316B. They are used for liaison and transport purposes and still play a vital role in rescue missions in the high mountains of Austria with their side-mounted hook.
They are stationed in
Aigen im Ennstal Aigen im Ennstal is a municipality in the district of Liezen in Styria, Austria. Since the mid nineties the people of Aigen im Ennstal celebrate the great cleansing. Every 19th of February the villagers recreate the chasing off of an invading Dutc ...
, Klagenfurt and
Schwaz Schwaz () is a city in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is the administrative center of the Schwaz district. Schwaz is located in the lower Inn valley. Location Schwaz lies in the middle of the Lower Inn Valley at the foot of the Kellerjoch ...
in Tirol. Austria plans to decommission them beginning in 2023.


Bangladesh

Indian civilian authorities and the IAF donated 1
DC-3 Dakota The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper versi ...
(gifted by the Maharaja of Jodhpor), 1
Twin Otter The de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, which produced the aircraft from 1965 to 1988; Viking Air purchased the type certificate, then restar ...
plane, and 1
Alouette III Alouette or alouettes may refer to: Music and literature * "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song * Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar'' Aerospace * SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...
helicopter for the newborn
Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of B ...
, which was to take advantage of the lack of night-fighting capability of the PAF to launch hit-and-run attacks on sensitive targets inside Bangladesh from the air. The
Alouette III Alouette or alouettes may refer to: Music and literature * "Alouette" (song), a French-language children's song * Alouette, a character in ''The King of Braves GaoGaiGar'' Aerospace * SNCASE Alouette, a utility helicopter developed in France i ...
helicopter was rigged to fire 14 rockets from pylons attached to its side and had .303 Browning machine guns installed, in addition to having 1-inch (25 mm) steel plate welded to its floor for extra protection. Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmood, Flight Lieutenant Bodiul Alam, and Captain Shahabuddin, all of whom later won the
Bir Uttam Bir Uttom ( bn, বীর উত্তম, lit=Great Valiant Hero) is the second highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh after the Bir Sreshtho and the highest gallantry award for a living individual. Since the independence of Bang ...
gallantry award, operated the helicopter.


Chile

During 1977, the
Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso. History Origins and the W ...
ordered a batch of ten SA-319Bs. These rotorcraft, which were delivered by the middle of 1978, were only made operational just before the peak of the
Beagle conflict The Beagle conflict was a border dispute between Chile and Argentina over the possession of Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and the scope of the maritime jurisdiction associated with those islands that brought the countries to the brink of war ...
between Chile and neighbouring Argentina. The Alouette III was the first real organic maritime ship borne tactical helicopter to be operated by Chile's naval forces; for this role, they were equipped with a radar and armed with rockets, guns, depth charges and a single light anti-submarine torpedo. During the frantic training period in 1978 to meet wartime needs, a sole SA-319B was accidentally damaged, leading to it being placed in storage and subsequently repaired back to an airworthy condition years later. All ten Chilean Navy SA-319Bs were operational and in excellent conditions by the end of the 1980s, shortly after which they were replaced by larger SA532 Super Puma helicopters, and were bought by civilian operators.


Denmark

Between 1962 and 1967, a total of 8 Alouette IIIs were delivered to the
Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy ( da, Søværnet) is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Islands and Greenland). Ot ...
. They were primarily tasked with SAR and reconnaissance in support of the navy's Arctic patrol ships. During 1982, they were replaced by a batch of British Westland Lynx.Schrøder, Hans (1991). "Royal Danish Airforce". Ed. Kay S. Nielsen. Tøjhusmuseet, 1991, p. 1–64. .


France

During early 1960, the Alouette III officially entered squadron service with the French armed forces. In June 1971, having been suitably impressed by the type's performance so far, the French Army elected to order a force of 50 Alouette IIIs for their own purposes. Amongst the most noteworthy uses that France applied the type to was the first use of helicopter-based
anti-tank missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder- ...
s in the form of the
SS.11 The SS.11, or AS.11, known as AGM-22 in American service, is a French manual command to line of sight wire-guided anti-tank missile manufactured by Nord Aviation. The missile entered service with the French Army in 1956. Production of the SS ...
MCLOS
wire-guided missile A wire-guided missile is a missile that is guided by signals sent to it via thin wires connected between the missile and its guidance mechanism, which is located somewhere near the launch site. As the missile flies, the wires are reeled out behi ...
.Boyne 2011, p. 74. During June 1960, an Alouette III carrying seven people successfully performed both take-offs and landings on
Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and it ...
in the French Alps at an altitude of 4,810 metres (15,780 feet), an unprecedented altitude for such activities by a helicopter at the time.Donald 1997, p. 22. The same helicopter again demonstrated the types extraordinary performance in November 1960 by making take-offs and landings with a crew of two and a
payload Payload is the object or the entity which is being carried by an aircraft or launch vehicle. Sometimes payload also refers to the carrying capacity of an aircraft or launch vehicle, usually measured in terms of weight. Depending on the nature of ...
of 250 kg (551 lbs) in the Himalayas at an altitude of 6,004 metres (19,698 feet). During June 2004, the Alouette III was retired from the French Air Force after 32 years of successful service, having been entirely replaced by the newer twin-engined Eurocopter EC 355 Ecureuil 2. The French Army also withdrew the last of their examples during 2013 in favour of more modern rotorcraft. By 2017, the French Navy were still using the Alouette III in a reduced capacity, nonetheless being used to routinely conduct both Search and Rescue and logistics missions. Since the 1970s, the type has gradually been supplanted by the larger Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, and later on, by the specialised
Eurocopter AS565 Panther The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS565 Panther is the military version of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin medium-weight multi-purpose twin-engine helicopter. The Panther is used for a wide range of military roles, including combat assault, f ...
as an anti-submarine warfare platform. The use of twin-engined rotorcraft in the maritime environment has become somewhat of an expected standard, one which the single-engined Alouette III cannot satisfy, putting the type at an obvious disadvantage. During January 2018, it was announced that the French Navy would be replacing its remaining Alouette IIIs with rented
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter that was designed and originally produced by the French aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation. It is capable of carrying up to 20 passengers as well as ...
s as a stop-gap measure; this decision was reportedly taken due to its increasing unreliability, rapidly inflating operating costs, and the sheer age of the fleet. However, as of 2021 the Alouette III was still reported to be in service. The aircraft was finally withdrawn from French Navy service in June 2022.


Ireland

During 1963, the first pair of Alouette IIIs were delivered to the
Irish Air Corps "Watchful and Loyal" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = ''see list of wars'' , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , fl ...
; a third rotorcraft arrived in 1964 and a batch of five further aircraft were delivered between 1972 and 1974. The service ultimately operated a total of eight Alouette IIIs between 1963 and 2007; throughout much of this period, they were the only helicopters operated by the Corps. On 21 September 2007, the Alouette III was formally retired from the Irish Air Corps during a ceremony held at
Baldonnel Aerodrome Casement Aerodrome ( ga, Aeradróm Mhic Easmainn) or Baldonnel Aerodrome is a military airbase to the southwest of Dublin, Ireland situated off the N7 main road route to the south and south west. It is the headquarters and the sole airfield of ...
. During 44 years of successful service, the Irish Alouette III fleet amassed over 77,000 flying hours. As well as routine military missions, the aircraft undertook some 1,717 search-and-rescue missions, saving 542 lives and flew a further 2,882
air ambulance Air medical services is a comprehensive term covering the use of air transportation, aeroplane or helicopter, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes. Personnel provide comprehensive prehospital and emergency and cri ...
flights. The oldest of the Alouettes, 195, is kept in 'rotors running' condition for the Air Corps Museum.


India

Under a licensing arrangement between Aérospatiale and Indian aircraft manufacturer
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bangalore, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the worl ...
(HAL), the Alouette III has been built under licence by HAL in India. Known locally under the designation HAL Chetak, more than 300 rotorcraft have been manufactured to date; the majority of these were acquired for military purposes with the
Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by t ...
, who have used them to perform various mission roles, including training, transport, CASEVAC (
casualty evacuation Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" is ...
), communications and liaison roles. By 2017, the Chetak was reportedly serving as the most widely used IAF helicopter for training, light utility and light attack roles. During 1986, the Indian Government constituted the Army's Aviation Corps; consequently, the majority of Chetaks previously operated by AOP Squadrons were transferred from the Indian Air Force to the Indian Army on 1 November 1986. The Air Force has continued to fly a force of armed Chetaks in the anti-tank role as well as for CASEVAC missions and general duties. During the 2010s, the Chetak is being gradually replaced by the newer
HAL Dhruv The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in November 1984. The helicopter first flew in 1992; however, its development was prolonged due to multiple factors including the Indian Army's ...
in the armed forces. An option to re-engine the HAL Chetak with the Turbomeca TM 333-2B engine, which would better facilitate high-altitude operations in the Himalayas was considered, but ultimately not pursued. In addition to producing the type for Indian customers, HAL has also achieved some export sales of Chetak helicopters to several nations, including Namibia and Suriname. India has also opted to donate several secondhand Chetak helicopters to other countries, such as neighbouring Nepal. As of 2017, the Indian Navy has reportedly recognised the necessity of procuring a replacement for the type. HAL Chetak was used in
Operation Khukri Operation Khukri was a multinational operation launched in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), involving India, Ghana, Britain and Nigeria. The aim of the operation was to break the two-month-long siege laid by arme ...
which was a multinational operation launched in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), involving India, Ghana, Britain and Nigeria . Beginning in the 1970s, during Republic Day parades, Chetak helicopters have been decorated to look like animals such as dodo birds, fish, and, most notably, elephants. The helicopters decorated like elephants have become iconic in India, and known as names such as "dancing elephant helicopters" and "flying elephants".


Pakistan

During the 1960s, Pakistan purchased a fleet of 35 Alouette III helicopters to equip the
Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...
(PAF). These saw active combat during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decemb ...
, in which the type was mainly used for liaison and VIP-transport missions. In 2010, it was announced that Switzerland had come to an agreement with Pakistan for a number of ex-Swiss Alouette IIIs to be donated to the PAF; however, the terms of this agreement restricts their usage to performing search and rescue and disaster relief operations.


Portugal

Portugal was the first country to use the Alouette III in combat. In 1963, during the Overseas Wars in
Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...
, Mozambique and
Portuguese Guinea Portuguese Guinea ( pt, Guiné), called the Overseas Province of Guinea from 1951 until 1972 and then State of Guinea from 1972 until 1974, was a West African colony of Portugal from 1588 until 10 September 1974, when it gained independence as G ...
, Portugal began using Alouette IIIs in combat, mainly in
air assault Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...
and
medevac Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...
operations, where it proved its qualities. Besides the basic transport version (code named ''
canibal Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, bo ...
'', plural '' canibais''), Portugal used a special version of the Alouette III with a MG 151 20 mm
autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary shells, as opposed to the smaller-caliber kinetic projectiles (bul ...
mounted in the rear in order to fire from the left side door; it was designated ''helicanhão'' (heli-cannon) and code named ''lobo mau'' (
big bad wolf The Big Bad Wolf is a fictional wolf appearing in several cautionary tales that include some of ''Grimms' Fairy Tales.'' Versions of this character have appeared in numerous works, and it has become a generic archetype of a menacing predatory a ...
). In the Overseas Wars, the Portuguese usually launched air assaults with groups of six or seven Alouette III: five or six ''canibais'' – each usually carrying five
paratroopers A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
or
commandos Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...
– and a ''lobo mau'' heli-cannon. The Portuguese practice was for the troops to jump from the ''canibais'' when the helicopters were hovering two-three metres above the ground – famous images of these disembarking troops became an iconic image of the war. The landing of the troops was covered by the ''lobo mau''. While the troops performed the ground assault, the ''canibais'' moved away from the combat zone, while the ''lobo mau'' stayed to provide fire support, destroying enemy resistance and concentration points with the fire from its 20 mm autocannon. Once the ground combat had finished, the ''canibais'' returned; firstly to collect the wounded, then the rest of the troops. The last SE3160 Alouette III light utility helicopters of Portugal were withdrawn from service in April 2020, being replaced by five
AgustaWestland AW119 Koala The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala, produced by Leonardo since 2016, is an eight-seat utility helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine produced for the civil market. Introduced as the Agusta A119 Koala prior to the Agusta-Westland merger, ...
.


Republic of Korea

In 1977,
Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ko, 대한민국 해군), also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy in ...
started operating 12 Alouette IIIs into service. It was dispatched in several destroyers as antisubmarine helicopters. On August 13, 1983,
Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ko, 대한민국 해군), also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy in ...
discovered a spy naval ship from Korean People's Army entering their sea. Alouette III engaged spy ship, and finally destroyed the ship with
AS.12 The SS.12 and AS.12 are two variants of the same missile: SS for surface-to-surface and AS for air-to-surface. It was designed in 1955-1957 by Nord Aviation, later Aérospatiale. It was a derivative of the NORD SS-10 and SS-11 missiles which w ...
missile. As a result, that specific helicopter received
victory marking A victory marking (also called a victory mark, kill marking, or kill mark) is a symbol applied in stencil or decal to the side of a military aircraft to denote an aerial victory achieved by the aircraft's pilot or crew. The use of victory markings ...
, which was the only aircraft received in the entire Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Alouette III also served as a rescue helicopter in 1993 when Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crashed in Mokpo, Republic of Korea. All Alouette III were relieved of its use in 2019.


Rhodesia

The nation of
Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' Succession of states, successor state to th ...
emerged as a prolific user of both the Alouette II and its enlarged sibling, the Alouette III.Cocks 2015, p. 18. Early operations were flown with an emphasis on its use by the Rhodesian Army and
British South Africa Police The British South Africa Police (BSAP) was, for most of its existence, the police force of Rhodesia (renamed Zimbabwe in 1980). It was formed as a paramilitary force of mounted infantrymen in 1889 by Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company, fr ...
, including paramilitary and aerial reconnaissance operations. Throughout the 1960s, the type progressively spread into additional roles, including aerial supply,
casualty evacuation Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" is ...
, communications relays, and troop-transports.Cocks 2015, p. 20. Rhodesian aerial operations would typically involve flying under relatively high and hot conditions, which reduced the efficiency of aircraft in general; however, the Alouette II proved to be both hardy and relatively resistant to battle damage.Cocks 2015, p. 19. In order to extend the inadequate range of the type, fuel caches were strategically deployed across the country to be used for refuelling purposes. At its peak, No. 7 Squadron of the Rhodesian Air Force operated a force of 34 Allouette IIIs, which would normally operate in conjunction with a smaller number of Allouette IIs. They played a major part in the Rhodesian Forces'
Fireforce Fire Force or Fireforce is a variant of the military tactic of vertical envelopment of a target by helicopter-borne and parachute infantry developed by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. Regiments involved included t ...
doctrine, in which they would rapidly deploy ground troops, function as aerial observation and command posts, and provide mobile fire support as armed gunships. In order to improve performance, Rhodesia's Alouette fleet was subject to extensive modifications during its service life, including changes to their refueling apparatus, gun sights, and cabin fittings, along with the installation of additional armouring and armaments.Cocks 2015, pp. 20–22. Over time, the Rhodesian Security Forces developed an innovative deployment tactic of rapidly encircling and enveloping enemies, known as the
Fireforce Fire Force or Fireforce is a variant of the military tactic of vertical envelopment of a target by helicopter-borne and parachute infantry developed by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. Regiments involved included t ...
, for which the Alouette II was a core component. The quick-reaction Fireforce battalions were typically centred at
Centenary {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...
and Mount Darwin; however, an deliberate emphasis was placed on locating both rotorcraft and troops as close to a current or anticipated theatre of operations as would be feasibly possible.Cocks 2015, pp. 21–22.


South Africa

The Alouette III served for over 44 years in the
South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
(SAAF); it is believed that 121 examples were acquired between 1962 and 1975 for the service from France.Wessels, André
"The South African Air Force, 1920–2012: A Review of its History and an Indication of its Cultural Heritage."
''Scientia Militaria'', vol 40, no 3, 2012, pp. 222–249.
During 1966, by which point the SAAF had built up a fleet of around 50 Alouette IIIs already, it was decided to dispatch several of the type to support ground troops stationed in South West Africa attempting to contain the emerging
South West African People's Organisation The South West Africa People's Organisation (, SWAPO; af, Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; german: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former ind ...
(SWAPO); this would be the beginnings of what would become the lengthy South African Border War. The type saw considerable action during the conflict; while initially used for more passive operations such as
aerial reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imager ...
, from July 1967 onwards, Alouette III participated in active combat missions as well. It was frequently employed as a support platform for performing South African counterstrike operations inside neighbouring Namibia and
Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...
. Reportedly, a total of eight Alouette IIIs had been listed as having been lost over the conflict zone by the end of the war. By 1990, there were a total of 70 Alouette III helicopters remaining in active service. Throughout the course of its service life with the SAAF, the Alouette III fleet was recorded as having accumulated more than 346,000 flight hours. During June 2006, the last Alouette III was officially withdrawn from SAAF service at a ceremony held at
AFB Swartkop Air Force Base Swartkop is South Africa's oldest air force base and houses the South African Air Force Museum. It is managed as part of AFB Waterkloof and houses one of the three branches of the South African Air Force Museum. The name of the ...
, near Pretoria. During January 2013, reports emerged that South African defense officials were in the process of planning to transfer some of the retired fleet, along with spare parts and associated support equipment, to the Zimbabwean Air Force; South African newspaper
Mail & Guardian The ''Mail & Guardian'' is a South African weekly newspaper and website, published by M&G Media in Johannesburg, South Africa. It focuses on political analysis, investigative reporting, Southern African news, local arts, music and popular cult ...
claimed that the rotorcraft could be used to sway politics in the nation in favour of the incumbent
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
,
Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the ...
. However, during February 2013, an interim
court order A court order is an official proclamation by a judge (or panel of judges) that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying out of ...
was issued which blocked the proposed sale of South African Alouette IIIs to Zimbabwe. In February 2014, reports emerged that South Africa now intended to sell part of the ex-SAAF fleet to Namibia instead.


Suriname

During 1986, the South American country of Suriname purchased a pair of secondhand Alouette III helicopters from Portugal. During 1999, the Surinam Air Force opted to retire and sell off its Alouette III helicopters. In their place, three newly built HAL Chetaks (an Indian version of the Alouette IIIs) were delivered to the Suriname Air Force on 13 March 2015, while the pilots and technicians of the Surinam Air Force underwent training on the type in Bangalore, India for some time.


Switzerland

During 1964, the
Swiss Air Force The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army and ...
opted to procure a batch of nine Alouette III rotorcraft directly from Aérospatiale; further orders included one placed in 1966 for 15 more. In addition, a total of 60 SA-316Bs (often referred to as the ''F+W Alouette IIIS'') were licence-assembled by
F+W Emmen ''Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte'' English: "Federal Constructions Works", short K+W, was a Swiss state-owned enterprise, with the aim of making the Swiss military independent of foreign sources for its equipment needs. It was establishe ...
in Switzerland. During 2004, the
Swiss Armed Forces The Swiss Armed Forces (german: Schweizer Armee, french: Armée suisse, it, Esercito svizzero, rm, Armada svizra; ) operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Switzerland. Under the country's militia system, re ...
announced the expected withdrawal of the Alouette III from front-line service would commence by 2006 and that it was to be entirely retired by 2010; they have been replaced by a smaller force of 20 new-built
Eurocopter EC635 The Eurocopter EC635 (now Airbus Helicopters H135M) is a multi-purpose light helicopter developed by Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) as a military version of the Eurocopter EC135. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 8 people, ...
s. Since their retirement, at least 10 ex-Swiss Alouettes have been gifted to Pakistan to perform search and rescue operations."Switzerland Gives Its Alouette III Helicopters to Pakistan to Reinforce Search and Rescue Assets."
''defense-aerospace.com'', 8 September 2010.


Variants

*SE 3160 : the first production version. Sometimes retroactively redesignated SA 3160 or SA 316A. Maximum weight of ; powered by Turbomeca Artouste IIIB or IIIB1 turboshaft engine rated at for takeoff ( for IIIB1) and continuous, but restricted by rotor transmission limitations to for takeoff and continuous. *SA 316B : like SE 3160, but with strengthened main and tail rotor for greater performance; maximum weight of , and rotor transmission limit on takeoff power increased to . The SA 316B was built under licence in India as the HAL Chetak, and again under licence in Romania as the IAR 316.Chant 2014, p. 349. ** HAL Chetak : Indian production version of the SA 316B. ** HAL Chetan : HAL/Turbomecca TM 333-2M2 Shakti engine. **
IAR 316 The IAR 316 is a Romanian license-built Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III manufactured by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR). Design and development IAR 316 IAR began manufacturing the IAR 316 in 1971 at its plant near Brașov, Romania. P ...
: Romanian production version of the SA 316B. ** F+W Alouette IIIS : 60 SA-316B licence-assembled in Switzerland by F+W Emmen ( de) between 1970 and 1974. *SA 319B (sometimes called "Alouette III Astazou") : developed from the SA 316B. Maximum weight of ; powered by a Turbomeca Astazou XIVB turboshaft engine rated at for takeoff and continuous, but rotor transmission limitations restricted continuous power to . *SA 316C : developed from the SA 316B. Maximum weight of ; powered by a Turbomeca Artouste IIID turboshaft engine rated at for takeoff and continuous, but rotor transmission limitations restricted continuous power to . The SA 316C was only built in small numbers. *G-Car and K-Car : Helicopter gunship versions for the
Rhodesian Air Force The Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) was an air force based in Salisbury (now Harare) which represented several entities under various names between 1935 and 1980: originally serving the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, it was the ...
. The G-Car was armed with two side-mounted Browning .303 or a single 7.62mm
MAG Mag, MAG or mags may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''MAG'' (video game), 2010 * ''Mag'' (Slovenian magazine), 1995–2010 * '' The Mag'', a British music magazine Businesses and organisations * MacKenzie Art Gallery, in Regina, Saska ...
machine guns. The K-Car was armed with a 20 mm MG 151 cannon, fitted inside the cabin, firing from the port side of the helicopter. *SA.3164 Alouette-Canon: Modified in 1964 as a gunship version armed with a 20mm gun in the nose and external hardpoints for missiles mounted on each side of the fuselage. Only one prototype was built. *
IAR 317 The IAR 316 is a Romanian license-built Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III manufactured by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR). Design and development IAR 316 IAR began manufacturing the IAR 316 in 1971 at its plant near Brașov, Romania. P ...
Airfox: A Romanian helicopter gunship project based on the IAR 316. Only three prototypes were ever built.Chant 2014, pp. 349–415. *
Atlas XH-1 Alpha The Atlas XH-1 Alpha is a prototype attack helicopter built by Atlas Aviation (now Denel) of South Africa, which used it as a concept demonstrator for the then-planned Rooivalk project. Development It was developed from an Aérospatiale Aloue ...
: South African two-seat attack helicopter project. It was used in the development of the
Denel Rooivalk The Denel Rooivalk (previously designated AH-2 and CSH-2) is an attack helicopter manufactured by Denel Aviation of South Africa. ''Rooivalk'' is Afrikaans for "Red Falcon", which refers to the lesser kestrel. Development of the type began in ...
.McGownen 2005, p. 204. *K-1 'Chetak', informally- 'Frenchman': 8 HAL Chetaks were bought by the Soviet Union for testing purposes at Kacha airfield, Sevastopol, in 1985, and later 2 of them were used by DOSAAF from Karagoz airfield


Operators


Current military operators

; * Angola Defence Force ; * Austrian Air Force ; *
Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Boliviana or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft (Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 ...
; * Burundi National Army ; *
Chad Air Force The Chadian Air Force (french: Armée de l'Air Tchadienne or AAT) is the aviation branch of the Chad National Army. It was formed in 1961 as the Chadian National Flight/Squadron ( or ENT). The force shares a base with French forces at N'Djam ...
; * Congo Democratic Air Force ; * Eswatini Air Force ; *
Ethiopian Air Force The Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) () is the air service branch of the Ethiopian National Defence Force. The ETAF is tasked with protecting the national air space, providing support to ground forces, as well as assisting civil operations during natio ...
; * French Navy ; * Gabonese Air Force ; * Hellenic Navy ; *
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
* Indian Army * Indian Navy ; *
Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its r ...
; * Maltese Air Wing ; *
Mauritius Police Force The Mauritius Police Force (MPF) is the national law enforcement agency of Mauritius. The MPF carries out police, security and military functions on the island nation, with about 12,500 police officers under the command of the Commissioner of Pol ...
; *
Namibian Air Force The Namibian Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force. It was commissioned on 13 March 2005 at Grootfontein Air Force Base. Accessed 2007/07/27 Following the independence of Namibia from South Africa in 1990, the Ai ...
; *
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the Partition of British India, which occurred as a result ...
* Pakistan Navy ; * Surinam Air Force ; * Tunisian Air Force ; * Air Force of Zimbabwe


Former military operators

* Abu Dhabi Air Wing ; *
Argentine Naval Aviation ) Gulf War , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = President , commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief , commander2 ...
; *
Belgian Air Component The Belgian Air Component ( nl, Luchtcomponent, french: Composante air) is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces, and until January 2002 it was officially known as the Belgian Air Force ( nl, Belgische Luchtmacht; french: Force aérienne belg ...
*
Belgian Naval Component The Belgian Navy, officially the Belgian Naval Component ( nl, Marinecomponent; french: Composante marine; german: Marinekomponente ) of the Belgian Armed Forces, is the naval service of Belgium. History Early history The Belgian Navy w ...
; *
Biafran armed forces The Biafran Armed Forces (BAF) were the military of the Nigerian secessionist state of Biafra, which existed from 1967 until 1970. History At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. This number grew as the war pro ...
; *
Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of B ...
; * Bophuthatswana Air Force ; *
Burma Air Force The Myanmar Air Force ( my, တပ်မတော် (လေ), ), known until 1989 as the Burmese Air Force, is the aerial branch of Myanmar's armed forces, the Tatmadaw. The primary mission of the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) since its inception ha ...
; *
Cameroon Air Force The Cameroon Air Force (french: Armée de l'Air du Cameroun, AdAC) is the air force of Cameroon. The Cameroon Air Force, along with the Cameroon Army, the Cameroon Navy (including the Naval Infantry), the National Gendarmerie, and the Presiden ...
; *
Chilean Navy The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso. History Origins and the W ...
; *
Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy ( da, Søværnet) is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Islands and Greenland). Ot ...
; *
Dominican Air Force The Air Force of the Dominican Republic ( es, Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy. History At the end of the United States ...
; * Ecuadorian Navy ; * Air Force of El Salvador ; *
French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army ...
* French Army * Sécurité Civile ; * Ghana Air Force ; *
Guinean Air Force The Guinean Armed Forces (french: Forces armées guinéennes) are the armed forces of Guinea. They are responsible for the territorial security of Guinea's border and the defence of the country against external attack and aggression. Guinea's ar ...
; *
Guinea-Bissau Air Force The Guinea-Bissau Air Force ( pt, Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau) is the air force arm of the military of Guinea-Bissau. History On leaving Bissalanca by 1973–74, the Portuguese Air Force left three North American T-6Gs.Cooper and Weinert 201 ...
; *
Guyana Defence Force The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military of Guyana, established in 1965. It has military bases across the nation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force is always the incumbent President of Guyana. History The GDF was formed on 1 Nove ...
; * Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force ; *
Iraq Air Force The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
; *
Irish Air Corps "Watchful and Loyal" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = ''see list of wars'' , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , fl ...
; *
Jordanian Air Force The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; ar, سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī) is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces. History Early days Jordan gained independence in 1 ...
; *
Lebanese Air Force The Lebanese Air Force (LAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية اللبنانية, Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnaniyya) is the aerial warfare branch of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The seal of the air force is a Roundel with two wings and a Lebanese C ...
; *
Libyan Air Force The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
*
Libyan National Army The Libyan National Army (LNA; ar, الجيش الوطني الليبي, ''al-jaysh al-waṭaniyy al-Lībii'') is a component of Libya's military forces which were nominally a unified national force under the command of Field Marshal Khalifa Ha ...
; *
Royal Malaysian Air Force The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia; TUDM; Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force format ...
*
Malaysian Army Aviation The Malaysian Army Aviation ( ms, Pasukan Udara Tentera Darat; PUTD) is the army aviation branch of the Malaysian Army. Currently equipped with helicopters in the liaison, transport and light attack roles. The Malaysian Army also plans to equip ...
; *
Malagasy Air Force The Malagasy Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Madagascar People's Armed Forces. History The Malagasy Air Force was founded in 1960 with mainly former French aircraft such as Douglas DC-3s, Max Holste MH.1521 Broussards and Dassau ...
; * Malawi Army Air Wing ; *
Mexican Air Force The Mexican Air Force (FAM; es, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) is the primary aerial warfare service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat ( SEDENA). The objective of ...
*
Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is one of the two independent armed forces of Mexico. The actual naval forces are called the ''Armada de México''. The ''Secretaría de Marina'' (''SEMAR'') (English: Naval Secretariat) includes both the ''Armada'' itself and ...
; *
Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie The Royal Gendarmerie ( ar, الدرك الملكي المغربي, ad-darak al-malikiyy al-maḡribiyy, french: Gendarmerie royale marocaine) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of Morocco, and comes under the joint-authority of ...
; *
Mozambique Air Force The Mozambique Air Force ( pt, Forca Aérea de Moçambique; FAM) is the air force of Mozambique. From 1985 to 1990 it was known as the People's Liberation Air Force (''Força Aérea Popular de Libertação''; FAPL). Overview Due to Mozambique's ...
; * Yemen Arab Republic Air Force ; * Royal Netherlands Air Force ; * Sandinista Air Force ; *
Pakistan Air Force , "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional) , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = ...
; *
Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
*
Peruvian Army The Peruvian Army ( es, Ejército del Perú, abbreviated EP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missi ...
* Peruvian Naval Aviation ; *
Portuguese Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 1 July , equipment = , equipment_label ...
; *
Rhodesian Air Force The Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) was an air force based in Salisbury (now Harare) which represented several entities under various names between 1935 and 1980: originally serving the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, it was the ...
; * Rwandan Defence Force ; * Royal Saudi Air Force ; * Seychelles Air Force ; *
Singapore Air Force The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the Aerial warfare, aerial Military branch, service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for Air supremacy, controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air ...
; *
South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...
; * Republic of Korea Naval Air Arm ; * South Vietnamese Air Force ; *
Spanish Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem , mascot = , anniversaries = 10 December , equipment ...
*
Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...
; *
Swiss Air Force The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army and ...
; * Upper Volta Air Force ; *
Venezuelan Air Force , colours = Bleu celeste , colours_label = , march = , "Hymn of the National Military Aviation" , mascot = , anniversaries = 10 December (Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , decorations = , battle_honou ...
; * Yugoslav Air Force ; * Zaire Air Force


Former civilian operators

; *
Air – Transport Europe Air-Transport Europe spol. s r.o. is a specialist Slovakia, Slovak airline based in Poprad. Using a business jet and a helicopter fleet, it undertakes personal transport, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), aerial works and contract hel ...


Specifications (SA 316B)


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * Boyne, Walter. "How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare." Pelican Publishing, 2011. . * Chant, Christopher. "A Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware." Routledge, 2014. . * Cocks, Kerrin. "Rhodesian Fire Force 1966–80." Helion, 2015. . * Donald, David, ed. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. . * * * * McGownen, Stanley. "Helicopters: An Illustrated History of Their Impact." ABC-CLIO, 2005. . * Polmar, Norman and Floyd D. Kennedy. "Military helicopters of the world: military rotary-wing aircraft since 1917. Naval Institute Press, 1981. . * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966. * * Upreti, Bhuwan Chandra. "Maoists in Nepal: From Insurgency to Political Mainstream." Gyan Publishing House, 2008. .


External links


Aérospatiale SA 316B/ VSV/ SA 319B Alouette III






* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20081014004902/http://www.hal-india.com/helicopter/products.asp#chetak Hindustan Aeronautics Limited – Chetak* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aerospatiale Alouette Iii 1950s French civil utility aircraft 1950s French military utility aircraft 1950s French helicopters Aérospatiale aircraft Single-turbine helicopters Search and rescue helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1959