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Airbus Helicopters delivers first production Cougar AS532 ALe to Chile

The first production variant of Airbus' Cougar helicopter is delivered to Chile.

By Richard Tomkins

Airbus Helicopters delivered its first production Cougar AS532 ALe aircraft to the Chilean Army this week at an international airshow in Santiago.

"This is an important day for Chilean aviation," said General Sergio Retamal, aviation commander for the Chilean Army, or Ejército de Chile. "We are very proud to be the first operator of this new version of the Cougar. The Lamas we once flew were replaced by Pumas and now Cougars. "Thanks to these aircraft, we are a reliable ally for rescue operations and natural disaster response, among other missions."

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The Cougar AS532 AL is a multi-role helicopter with two Turbomeca Makila 1a1 turboshaft engines, a maximum speed of 150 knots and a service ceiling of more than 19,000 feet. For military operations it can carry 25 fully equipped soldiers and can be outfitted with pod-mounted cannons and rocket launchers. It can also be used for search-and-rescue operations and medical evacuation.

The “ALe” variant of the aircraft features the same four-axis autopilot and new avionics glass cockpit as that of the company’s the EC225 Super Puma.

The Chilean Army flies eight AL variants of the helicopter.

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