The Airbus Helicopters AS.332L Super Puma is a twin-engined medium-weight transport helicopter for up to 2 crew and 22
passengers powered by two Turboméca Makila 1A1 turbine engines. The SNIAS SA.332 Super Puma was derived from the SA.330
Puma, that flew first on 15 April 1965 under Sud-Aviation banner. On 1 January 1970, Sud-Aviation
merged with a number of other French aerospace companies to form SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle
Aerospatiale). Development of the AS.332 Super Puma with more powerful engines and an enhanced rotor system started
in the late 70s. On 7 September 1977, the Makila-powered test-bed prototype SA.331 c/n 001 F-WZAT, the modified SA330 B Puma c/n 1541,
flew first. The first production standard Super Puma, AS332-01 F-WZJA, was flown on 13 September 1978. On 1 February 1980,
the AS332 C flew first, followed by the AS332 L version (L for long) on 10 October. SNIAS AS 332L Super Puma was
certificated in 1983. From 1984, SNIAS operated under the name of Aérospatiale. The Super Puma is in use in several
military and civilian roles. In 1990, the military Super Puma designations were changed from AS332 to AS532 Cougar
to distinguish between the civil and military variants of the helicopter. The helicopter divisions of MBB from
Germany and Aérospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group. New Eurocopter designations
for the further developed helicopters based on the AS332L series were added: EC 225 Super Puma (civilian versions)
and EC 725 Cougar (military versions). The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Airbus Helicopters AS532U2 Cougar II is AS32
As a result of the merger between the Eurocopter parents Aérospatiale-Matra; DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and Construcciones
Aeronàuticas Sociedad Anonima (CASA) in July 2000, the Eurocopter group became a division of the new formed
EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space company). Taking off into 2014, EADS was rebranded as "Airbus Group". Uniting
all its activities under a single brand, its helicopter division Eurocopter was rebranded as Airbus Helicopters on 8 January 2014.
On 29 October 1993, the Dutch Government signed a purchase agreement for
seventeen Eurocopter AS532 U2 twin-engine helicopters for the Royal
Netherlands Air Force. In May 1996, the first two AS 552 U2 Cougar mk.II
helicopters, S-400 and S-419, entered service with the RNethAF. All 17
AS352U2 Cougars in service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)
are operated by 300 squadron based at Soesterberg AFB. At that time 300
squadron was part of the Tactische Helikopter Groep - Klu (THG-Klu). On
4 July 2008, the THF merged with the Maritime Helicopter Groep (MARHELI)
and the Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) was created. In anticipation of
the closure of Soesterberg AFB, 300 squadron moved to Gilze Rijen AFB on
10 September 2008. Soesterberg AFB was permanently closed on 13 June 2009. The
Cougars perform a very wide range of assignments in service with the Air
Force: the transport of troops, passengers, VIPs or equipment, Medevac,
Quick Reaction Force (QRF), and occasionally fire-fighting duties. The plan was
to phase out the Cougar entirely during 2023, but this did not happen. The capability was urgently needed
it was decided in late 2017 that 12 Cougars would remain in service until 2030. An upgrade program for
these aircraft has been underway since 2023. In June 2023, was decided that the Cougars would be
succeeded by 14 Airbus Caracal H225M helicopters. The first one is scheduled for delivery in early 2028.
The 1996-built Eurocopter AS532 U2 s/n 2444 was testflown as F-ZKBO and entered service
as S-444 with the Koninklijke Luchtmacht - Royal Netherlands Air Force on 17 December 1996.
Registration S-444 is built up out of the S of the support-role of the
helicopter and the last three didgets of the s/n 2444. On 9 September
2026, RNethAF 300 sqdn' Airbus Helicopters AS532 U2 Cougar mk.II S-444 'Benny the Ball' was seen at Gilze-Rijen AFB (EHGR/GLZ).
