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SA 341 Gazelle
SA 342 Gazelle

The Eurocopter/Aerospatiale SA 341/342 Gazelle is a French built light utility helicopter which was first flown in 1967. Military missions include attack, antitank, antihelicopter, reconnaissance, utility, transport, and training. The three-blade main rotor is mounted on top of the fuselage at the rear of the cabin. The single turboshaft engine, mounted on top of the fuselage and to the rear of the rotor shaft, features a prominent, upturned exhaust. The teardrop-shaped fuselage has a round, glassed-in cockpit and landing skids. The tapering tail boom mid-mounted on the fuselage has a swept-back tail fin which is tapered with a square tip and rectangular flats with small fins. The fan rotor housing is built into the lower tail.

External stores are mounted on weapons “outriggers” or racks on each side of the fuselage. Each rack has one hardpoint. The bench seat in the cabin area can be folded down to leave a completely open cargo area. Cargo floor has tiedown rings throughout.

VARIANTS

Specifications

Country of Origin France & UK
Builder AEROSPATIALE, WESTLAND
Date of Introduction 1973
Role
  • General utility
  • Gazelle Hot : close air support, destruction of all type of targets (armoured vehicules, command posts, infrastructure, etc.)
  • Gazelle Mistral : real time air to air defense, overall defense operations against enemy helicopters and slow-moving aircraft.
    • Similar AircraftAlouette II, Alouette III, Scout/Wasp, OH-13 Sioux, Dauphin 2
    Blades Main rotor: 3
    Tail rotor: 13 (fenestron enclosed in tail)
    Rotor diameter Main Rotor Diameter: 10.5 meters
    Tail Rotor Diameter: 0.7 meters
    Length rotors turning: 11.9 meters
    fuselage: 9.5 metres
    Height 3.1 meters
    Width 2.0 meters
    Cargo Compartment Dimensions (m) Floor Length: 2.2 Width: 1.3 Height: 1.2
    Standard Payload (kg) Internal load: 750
    External on sling only: 700
    Transports 3 troops or 1 litter, or cargo
    Weight (kg) Maximum Gross: 1,800 (SA 341), 1,900 (SA 342K), 2,000 (SA 342L/M)
    Normal Takeoff: 1,800
    Empty: 998
    Engines 1x 590-shp Turbomeca Astazou IIIB turboshaft
    Fuel (liters) Internal: 445
    Internal Aux Tank: 90
    Additional Internal Aux Tank: 200
    Range (km) Normal Load: 670 (SA 341), 735 (SA 342)
    Speed (km/h) Maximum (level): 310
    Cruise: 270
    Ceiling (m) Service: 4,100 (SA 341), 5,000 (SA 342)
    Hover (out of ground effect): 2,000 (SA 341), 2,370 (SA 342)
    Hover (in ground effect): 2,850 (SA 341), 3,040 (SA 342)
    Vertical Climb Rate (m/s) 12.2
    Armament Weapon & Armament Types
  • 1 - 7.62-mm MG or
  • 1 - 20-mm GIAT M.621 cannon [100 rounds] or
  • 2 - 7.62-mm AA-52 FN MG pods [1,000 rounds]
  • 2 - 2.75-in rocket pods (7 ea.)
  • 2 - 68-mm SNEB rocket pods (12 ea)
  • 2 - 57-mm rockets (18 ea.)
  • 4-6 - HOT ATGM
  • 4 - AT-3 SAGGER ATGM
  • 2-4 - AS-11 ASM, or AS-12 ASM
  • 2 - SA-7 GRAIL AAM
  • 2 - MISTRAL AAM

    Most Probable Armament:
  • SA 341F: A GIAT M.621 20-mm cannon is installed on starboard side of some aircraft. Rate of fire is selectable at 300 or 740 rpm.
  • SA 341H: Can carry 4x AT-3 ATGMs, and 2x SA-7, or 128-mm or 57-mm rockets, and 7.62-mm machinegun in cabin.
  • SA 342K: Armed antitank version with 4-6x HOT ATGMs.
  • SA 342L: Either rocket pods or machineguns.
  • SA 342M: Armed with 4-6x HOT antitank missiles, and possibly fitted with Mistral air to air missiles.
    • Survivability/Countermeasures IR signature suppressor on engine exhaust.
    AVIONICS
  • The SA 342M has a roof-mounted stabilized direct view/infrared/laser sight to allow night firing of HOT ATGMs.
  • The aircraft is NVG compatible; and by its instruments, avionics, autopilot, and nav computer, is capable of flight in day, night, and instrument meteorological conditions.
    • Crew 1 or 2 (pilots)
    Cost
    User Countries At least 23 countries -- Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Gabon, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, People’s Republic of China, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, Syria, UK, Yugoslavia

    Sources and Resources


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    http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/gazelle.htm
    Maintained by Robert Sherman
    Originally created by John Pike
    Updated Tuesday, September 21, 1999 10:18:15 AM