Top speed 246 km/h Introduced 1990 | Length 11 m | |
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Manufacturers Airbus Helicopters, Aérospatiale |
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) AS550 Fennec and AS555 Fennec 2 are lightweight, multipurpose military helicopters manufactured by Eurocopter Group (now Airbus Helicopters). 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 weapons, rockets, torpedoes and various other munitions.
Contents
- Eurocopter fennec
- Operational history
- Variants
- Operators
- Former operators
- Specifications as550 c3
- References

Eurocopter fennec
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.

In February 2007, India selected the AS550 C3 Fennec over the Bell 407 helicopter in a deal for 197 helicopters worth 500 million USD. 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 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
Operators
Former operators
Specifications (as550 c3)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004
General characteristics
Performance
Armament