The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS550 Fennec (now H125M) and AS555 Fennec 2 are lightweight, multipurpose

military helicopter A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion. The most common use of military helicopters is transpor ...

s manufactured by Eurocopter Group (now

Airbus Helicopters Airbus Helicopters SAS (formerly Eurocopter Group) is the helicopter manufacturing division of Airbus. It is the largest in the industry in terms of revenues and turbine helicopter deliveries. Its head office is located at Marseille Provence Ai ...

). 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 weapon A weapon mount is an assembly or mechanism used to hold a weapon (typically a gun) onto a platform in order for it to function at maximum capacity. Weapon mounts can be broken down into two categories: static mounts and non-static mounts. Stati ...

s, rockets, torpedoes and various other munitions.

Design

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."1974: AS350/355 Ecureuil/AStar- AS550/555 Fennec – EC130."
''Eurocopter'', Retrieved: 25 December 2015. In February 2007, India selected the AS550 C3 Fennec over the Bell 407 helicopter in a deal for 197 helicopters worth US$500 million. This deal was suspended in June 2007 because of concerns of alleged corruption in the bidding process, and cancelled outright on 6 December 2007. 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. On 20 January 2011,

Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of op ...

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.

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

; *

Argentine Naval Aviation ) Gulf War , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = President , commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief , commander2 ...

; *

Brazilian Air Force "Wings that protect the country" , colours = , colours_label = , march = Hino dos Aviadores , mascot = , anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...

* Brazilian Army *

Brazilian Navy ) , colors= Blue and white , colors_label= Colors , march= " Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship '' Cisne Branco'' , mascot= , equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibio ...

; *

Chadian 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'Djamen ...

; * Colombian Navy ; * Royal Danish Air Force ; * Ecuadorian Army ; AS355 Twin Squirrel - RIAT 2011 (out cropped)

French Air and Space 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 Ar ...

French Army History Early history The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...

; *

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 ...

; *

Kenya Air Force The Kenya Air Force (KAF) or sw, Jeshi la Wanahewa is the national aerial warfare service branch of the Republic of Kenya. The main airbase operating fighters is Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, while Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi is the ...

; *

* Mexican Navy * Pakistan Army Aviation Corps 050618-Fennec-03

* Qatar Emiri Air Force. *

Tanzania Air Force Command The Tanzania Air Force Command ( sw, Kamandi ya Jeshi la Anga) is the aerial service branch of the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF). The current commander of the Tanzania Air Force Command is Major General SB MANI , who replaced major g ...

* Royal Thai Army * Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces

Former operators

; *

Republic of Singapore Air Force The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is the aerial service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for controlling and defending the airspace of the country, and providing air support to the Army and Navy. It was establi ...

Specifications (AS550 C3)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Jackson, Paul. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004''. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. .

External links

Official webpage

{{Eurocopter Airbus aircraft Airbus Helicopters aircraft Military helicopters 1990s French helicopters Fennec Single-turbine helicopters