Portugal confirms the delivery of eight SA 330 Puma transport helicopters to Ukraine.

As noted by OSINTtechnical on March 10, 2025, Portugal confirmed in January 2025 the delivery of eight Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma helicopters to Ukraine. The deliveries were completed in the fourth quarter of 2024 as part of Portugal’s total military aid package to Ukraine, which amounted to €221 million that year. Portuguese Minister of Defense Nuno Melo confirmed the transfer in January 2025 during the 25th Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Ramstein, stating that Portugal's military assistance to Ukraine would continue in 2025.
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After the Overseas War, the Portuguese SA 330 helicopters underwent three modernization programs, including the integration of Omera ORB-31 radar, a system that provided autonomous navigation and allowed for the launch and guidance of Exocet missiles. (Picture source: Francisco Brito Alves)

According to Publico on January 9, 2025, Minister Nuno Melo also stated that Portugal exceeded its planned military aid to Ukraine for 2024 by an additional €5 million, raising the total beyond the originally allocated €221 million. His statement, made in January 2025, reflects an adjustment in Portugal’s military assistance within the framework of European support for Ukraine. Portugal’s 2024 military aid included various types of equipment, such as armored vehicles, artillery shells, and eight Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma helicopters. Previous deliveries also included Leopard 2A6 tanks, M113 armored personnel carriers, howitzers, and ammunition.

Portugal acquired 12 Puma helicopters in 1969 for the Portuguese Air Force, becoming the first country to use them in combat operations. The helicopters were deployed in Angola and Mozambique during the Portuguese Colonial War to provide troop transport, medical evacuation, and logistical support. Their capacity to carry 18 to 20 personnel increased the mobility of Portuguese forces compared to the Alouette III fleet. The first operational flight of a Portuguese Puma took place on October 23, 1970, during a transport mission in northern Angola. The helicopters were used by Portuguese Special Forces, particularly in operations against guerrilla columns entering Angola from Congo and Zambia.

In the 1980s, Portugal engaged in a military cooperation agreement with South Africa involving the modernization of its Pumas. At the time, South Africa was under a United Nations arms embargo, and France had stopped supplying spare parts and upgrades for its Puma fleet. Portugal procured more powerful engines and new avionics for its own fleet, but under the terms of the agreement, many components were diverted through a Zaire-based front company to the South African defense firm Armscor. These parts contributed to the overhaul and upgrade of South Africa’s Pumas, leading to the development of the Atlas Oryx. Portugal’s Pumas also received upgrades under this arrangement.

In 2006, the Portuguese Air Force retired the Puma and replaced it with the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin. The helicopters were officially withdrawn from service on February 3, 2006, when the first AW101 units entered search and rescue operations. Some Pumas remained in service at Lajes Air Base in the Azores until November 2006, when they were fully replaced. Portugal began offering eight decommissioned Pumas for sale in 2007, and they remained available until at least 2015. In late 2024, the government transferred these stored helicopters to Ukraine as part of its military aid program.

Powered by two Turbomeca Turmo IVC turboshaft engines, the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma can carry up to 16 troops, six stretchers with attendants, or cargo using an internal compartment or an external sling. (Picture source: Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa)

The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma was developed in the 1960s by the French aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation to meet the French Army’s requirement for a medium-sized all-weather utility helicopter. The aircraft was designed for troop transport, logistics, and casualty evacuation, with an emphasis on operational capability in various climates and conditions. The prototype first flew on April 15, 1965, and production began in 1968. The Puma was adopted by the French Army and later by multiple international operators, including the United Kingdom, where it was assembled under license by Westland Helicopters. It was produced until 1987, with additional licensed production in Romania and Indonesia. South Africa developed an indigenous derivative, the Atlas Oryx, while Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) introduced advanced variants, such as the AS332 Super Puma and AS532 Cougar, which remain in production.

The Puma has been deployed in multiple conflicts, including the Portuguese Colonial War, the Falklands War, the Gulf War, and the Yugoslav Wars. Portugal was the first country to use the Puma in combat during its operations in Angola and Mozambique, where the aircraft provided increased troop mobility and logistical support. Argentina lost several Pumas during the Falklands War, with aircraft shot down by British forces. France used the Puma in operations in Chad, Kosovo, and the Sahel region, including Operation Barkhane. The Royal Air Force deployed Pumas in Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan for tactical transport and special operations. The aircraft has also been used for humanitarian missions, private military operations, and offshore transport.

Portugal operated the SA 330S variant, an upgraded version of the SA 330C with Turbomeca Makila engines and a composite rotor system, for troop transport and logistics during the Overseas War. Six aircraft were assigned to Mozambique, while the remaining units operated in Angola. After the war, the helicopters underwent three modernization programs, including the integration of Omera ORB-31 radar, a system that provided autonomous navigation and allowed for the launch and guidance of Exocet missiles. Portugal was the only country to equip the SA 330 with the ORB-31 radar. Additional upgrades included new Makila engines. The Pumas remained in service until 2006, when they were replaced by the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin. Some units continued operating from Lajes Air Base until November 2006. The fleet was briefly reactivated in 2008 but was retired again in 2011. In late 2024, eight stored Pumas were transferred to Ukraine as part of Portugal’s military aid.

The SA 330 Puma has a length of 18.15 meters, a rotor diameter of 15 meters, and a height of 5.14 meters. It has an empty weight of 3,536 kg and a maximum takeoff weight of 7,000 kg. The helicopter is powered by two Turbomeca Turmo IVC turboshaft engines, each generating 1,175 kW. It has a maximum speed of 257 km/h, a range of 580 km, and a service ceiling of 4,800 meters. The Puma is equipped with a five-stage reduction gearbox, an automatic blade inspection system, and independent hydraulic systems for flight controls and auxiliary functions. It can carry up to 16 troops, six stretchers with attendants, or cargo using an internal compartment or an external sling. Some variants are armed with 7.62 mm machine guns, side-firing 20 mm cannons, and rocket launchers. Modernized Pumas have incorporated GPS navigation, defensive countermeasures, and glass cockpit technology for enhanced operational capability.