Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III (French pronunciation: [aloo-wɛt], Lark; company designations SA 316 and SA 319) is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by French aircraft company Sud Aviation. During its production life, it proved to be a relatively popular rotorcraft; including multiple licensed manufacturers, more than 2,000 units were built.
| SA 316/SA 319 Alouette III | |
|---|---|
| A Netherlands Air Force SA 316B Alouette III during '100th Anniversary of Dutch Military Aviation' airshow | |
| Role | Light utility helicopter |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Sud Aviation Aérospatiale |
| First flight | 28 February 1959 |
| Introduction | 1960 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | French Armed Forces Indian Armed Forces Portuguese Air Force (historical) South African Air Force (historical) |
| Produced | 1961–1985 (HAL Chetak still in production) |
| Number built | 2,000+ |
| Developed from | Aérospatiale Alouette II |
| Variants | IAR 316 |
| Developed into | Aérospatiale Gazelle Atlas XH-1 Alpha |
The Alouette III was developed as an enlarged derivative of the earlier and highly successful Alouette II. 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; the type was also built under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India as the HAL Chetak, by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) in Romania as the IAR 316 and F+W Emmen in Switzerland.
Similar to the Alouette II, in military service, it was used to perform missions such as aerial observation, photography, air-sea rescue, 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.