A light helicopter family whose armed variants served in anti-tank, escort, and counterinsurgency missions.
Development
Aérospatiale Alouette III armed family was developed by Aérospatiale in France as a armed-reconnaissance aircraft. The family first flew in 1959 and entered service in 1960. Its recorded airframe configuration is rotorcraft, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, Aérospatiale Alouette III armed family is represented primarily in the armed-reconnaissance aircraft role. The sourced variant records include service with French Army Light Aviation. The current structured record does not attach a specific conflict authority to this family; operational context remains limited to sourced service and role data. Role tags attached to the family include armed scout and counterinsurgency.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include SA 316 armed variant.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA 316 armed variant | Production | Armed Reconnaissance | French Army Light Aviation |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
SA 316 armed variant — C015 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 2
Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Artouste turboshaft
Armament: Machine guns, cannon, rockets, and anti-tank missiles depending on operator.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1974-75 — Sampson Low, Marston & Co. · Tier 3