According to the Aviation publication Avions LégendairesThe UK Ministry of Defense is preparing to transfer 8 to 10 Puma HC.2 transport helicopters to Ukraine in the near future, which were retired from the Royal Air Force and are an upgraded version of the French SA 330 Puma. What is interesting about these machines and to what extent they can strengthen the fleet of the Ukrainian Defense Forces is described in our article.
History of the Westland Puma HC.2 helicopter
The SA 330 Puma multi-purpose twin-engine transport helicopter was developed by the French company Aerospatiale in the mid-1960s — it is a couple of years younger than the Soviet «Mi-8». Delivery of production models to the French Air Force began in 1969. A year later, the British company Westland Helicopters began producing its own modification of the Puma HC.Mk 1.
Given that a transport helicopter is most vulnerable during an amphibious landing, it was decided to speed it up as much as possible. To do this, wide sliding doors on both sides were added to the helicopter’s cargo ramp at the rear of the cabin. If necessary, machine guns can be placed in their openings.
Speed and maneuverability, coupled with good payload, quickly made the «Puma» the workhorse of British and French helicopter units. Later, it became successful in the export market, proving its reliability by operating in harsh climatic conditions from the deserts of Africa to Arctic oil platforms.
Pilots were very positive about the reliability and flight characteristics of Puma helicopters. They especially emphasized the ability to land on sites of extremely limited size. For example, on May 5, 1992, when a stadium stand in the small French town of Fourian collapsed on spectators, two «Pumas» quickly landed on the lawn and evacuated the most seriously injured.
However, the experience of using the helicopter by the Royal Air Force during «Desert Storm», the wars in Yugoslavia and Afghanistan showed insufficient power, especially in hot and high mountain conditions. Therefore, in 2013, it was decided to radically upgrade the 24 Puma HC.1s with new, more powerful engines from Super Puma, larger fuel tanks and advanced electronics.
The new model is called the Puma HC.Mk 2. It is equipped with two Makila1A1 engines with a capacity of 1800 hp (compared to 1575 hp of the SA 330), can reach a maximum speed of 309 km/h and carry 16 passengers or 12 fully equipped soldiers — up to 2.5 tons of cargo. In the combat version, the helicopter is equipped with a 20 mm aircraft cannon and two 7.62 mm machine guns. With some modifications, it can also be equipped with anti-ship missiles.
If we compare the British Puma HC.2 with the well-known Mi-8», it is slightly smaller, faster, has a better engine power-to-weight ratio, but also has a lower payload. At the same time, the high power reserve allows the model to fly efficiently on a single operating engine, the modern digital cockpit allows it to deliver troops and cargo in all weather conditions, and the relatively small size allows it to land in dense urban areas.
The RAF Puma helicopters and personnel that formed the ‘Toral Aviation Detachment’ in Kabul, Afghanistan have returned to @RAFBenson after over 6 years service in support of @NATO Operations.
Read more: pic.twitter.com/BTLEo2xc1v
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) July 16, 2021
In 2015, modernized Puma HC.2 helicopters returned to the skies of Afghanistan. There, they provided vital transportation and logistical support for coalition forces and transported the wounded to field hospitals until they were forced to return to their permanent base on the islands in 2021 after the Taliban offensive.
President Zelenskyy departs London by military helicopter to visit King Charles in Sandringham 🇬🇧🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/iMMACv0gCC
— The King’s Guards Channel (@TheKingsGuardsX) March 2, 2025
NATO helicopters in the Ukrainian Defense Forces
It should be noted that the upcoming transfer of British Puma HC.2s will not be another expansion of the aviation zoo, but will complement the fleet of Puma helicopters already in service with our Air Force. The fact is that 8 French-made SA 330 Puma helicopters were transferred Ukraine will be provided by Portugal at the end of 2024 as part of the next military aid package. If all of them are in working order, the total number of such vehicles will be 16-18.
It should also be recalled that in the fall of 2022, Ukraine received 3 Sea King S-61 transport and search helicopters from the United Kingdom, which became the first western-designed helicopters in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And in early 2024, Germany replenished Ukraine’s fleet of «Sea Kings» with 6 more Sea King helicopters in the Mk41 Search and Rescue modification with an extended cockpit and larger fuel tanks.
In the late 1980s, the Bundeswehr Sea Kings were modified to carry Sea Skua anti-ship missiles with a range of 25 km and a warhead weighing 9 kg. During the Gulf War, these British helicopters sank 4 and damaged 12 Iraqi boats. So they can be a good help in operations over the Black Sea.
Technical characteristics of Puma HC.2 and Sea King S-61
|
Model: |
Puma HC.Mk 2 | Sea King S-61 |
| Screw diameter: | 15,09 м | 18,9 м |
| Length: | 18,20 м | 22 м |
| Height: | 5,14 м | 5,14 м |
| Engine: | Turbomeca Makila 1A1 | Rolls-Royce H.1400-2 |
| Total capacity: | 2 x 1800 hp. | 2 x 1660 hp. |
| Maximum speed: | 309 km/h | 210 km/h |
| Cruising speed: | 270 km/h | 190 km/h |
| A mass of nothing: | 3 536 kg | 6387 kg |
| Maximum weight: | 7,000 kg | 9700 kg |
| The crew: | 2+1 | 2-4 |
| Payload: | 2400 kg | 2950 kg on the suspension |
| Practical flight range: | 580 km | 1230 km |
| Maximum flight altitude: | 4800 м | 4800 м |