Eurocopter EC 725 (Cougar Mk.II+)

Type (Muster)
Medium-lift military transport helicopter

Country (Land)
France (Frankreich)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Eurocopter
Aeroport Marseille Provence
F-13725 Marignane Cedex
France

Phone: 0033-4/4285-9291
Fax: 0033-4/4285-9564

General data (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 for VFR, 2 for IFR flight
Passengers (Passagiere): 29 troop seats or up to 12 stretchers and four seats. VIP version can accomodate 8 to 12 passengers

Power plant (Antrieb) : 2 x Turboméca Makila 1A4
Max. emergency power (max. Notleistung): 2 x 1800 kW (2413 shp)
Power at take-off (Startleistung): 2 x 1566 kW (2100 shp)

Armament (Bewaffnung): The EC 725 is probably capable of carrying the following weapons:

1 x 20 mm gun on window mounting (960 rounds) or
2 x 7,62 mm AA 762 NF1 machine guns on windows mounting plus
2 x 2,75 inch rocket launchers (19 each) on side mounting (Brandt or Forges de Zeebruge) or
2 x 20 mm pod-mounted cannon (GIAT), with 180 rounds each

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Overall length, rotors turning (Länge über drehende Rotoren): 19,50 m
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 16,79 m
Height (Höhe): 4,60 m (4,97 m over rotating tail rotor)
Width over landing gear sponsons (Breite): 3,38 m (3,81 m total over horizontal tail)
Rotor diameter (Rotordurchmesser): 16,20 m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotor-Durchmesser): 3,15 m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 7,87 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,80 m (1,24 m to 0,98 m at the end)
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,45 m maximum
Cabin area (Kabinenfläche): 10,5 sq m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 15,5 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Useful load (Zuladung): 5700 kg internal
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 11000 kg
Max. take-off weight with external load (Startmasse mit Außenlast): 11200 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Fast cruise speed (Hohe Reisegeschwindigkeit): 160 kts (296 km/h) at 3000 ft at 9750 kg
Range (Reichweite): 1400 km
Operational radius (Einsatzradius): 500 km for Combat SAR

Costs (Kosten)
The French Armée de l'Air has invested 1,05 billion French Franc in the development and the first four EC 725 helicopters for its Resco (Combat SAR) needs.

Customers (Kunden)
France has ordered four Combat SAR Cougars, first as AS 532A2 Mk.IIs. They will now be delivered new-built to the improved EC 725 standard. One will be converted from an Cougar Mk.II already under service tests. Total need is targeted at 14 by 2015, depending on available funding.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Sikorsky S-92
Eurocopter NH90

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The EC 725 is a further upgraded version of the Super Puma/Cougar family of helicopters, based on the airframe of the AS 532U2/A2 Cougar Mk.II and civil AS 332L2. The main differences include:

a new main rotor with five instead of four blades. The blades feature new profiles.
a reinforced main gearbox
more powerful Turboméca Makila 1A4 engines
a new system of integrated displays
all-up weight of 11000 kg (instead of 9300) and internal load of 5700 kg (instead of 4800 kg)

For Combat SAR missions, the EC 725 can be fitted with a sophisticated equipment package (armament, navigation, ECM)

History (Geschichte)
The Cougar Mk.II+ development started sometime in 1999, when it became clear from the first tests with a Combat SAR-equipped Cougar Mk.II that more performance is needed.
The first prototype lifted off for its 50 minute maiden flight at Marignane on 27. November 2000. Hervé Jammayrac, Bernard Turcat and Daniel Sémioli crewed the helicopter.
A first presentation of the machine, now renamed as the EC 725, took place on 15 January 2001, with General Jean-Pierre Job in attendance. The second EC 725 will fly in September 2001, and teh fird in October.
The civil certifcation (the model will be designated EC 225) to European JAR 29 standard is foreseen for the end of 2002, and the military qualification in March 2003. The first civil model could be deliverd by the end of 2002.
It is now planned to deliver the first fully-equipped EC 725 to the Armée de l'Air in September 2003, with two more following by November and the remanufactured Cougar Mk.II by the end of 2004. They will be based at Cazaux with EH-1/67 "Pyrénées".

Last updated 24 January 2001

FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany