LONDON, June 27 (UPI) -- Eurocopter UK announced the first upgraded Puma Mk2 helicopter for Britain's Royal Air Force has performed its initial flight.
The flight was conducted from Eurocopter's facility at Marignane, France.
The helicopter is the first to be modified under the Puma Life Extension Program, which was approved by Britain's Ministry of Defense in September 2009.
The program will extend the operational life of the Puma helicopter fleet and significantly enhance its capability, particularly in demanding hot and high conditions.
It will improve the safety and performance by providing new engines, a digital flight control system, increased platform survivability and enhanced navigation and communications.
"The Puma Mk2's first flight is an important milestone, marking the initial step in a test program that will continue through the second half of 2011," said Markus Steinke, the managing director of Eurocopter UK. "It also represents the achievement of a significant and successful effort focused on design, development and program management by Eurocopter and Ministry of Defense teams in both the UK and France."
Eurocopter-built Puma rotary-wing aircraft currently represent one-third of Britain's medium battlefield support helicopters. They are used as battlefield helicopters within the Joint Helicopter Command to provide tactical troop and load movement by day and night.
Puma Mk2s are planned to enter service with the Royal Air Force in 2012, and achieve full operating capability in 2014.
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a division of EADS.
