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France Legacy Airbus Helicopters
SA342 Gazelle
A light five-seat helicopter developed by Sud Aviation and later Aerospatiale, adopted by the French Army as its HOT anti-tank missile-armed scout and light attack platform. It is being phased out of French service as the H160M Guepard enters the fleet.
In service since 1973 · 20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
310
km/h
360
km range
1,525
m ceiling
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
In service since 1973. Status: legacy · ~1,775 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 310 km/h Stronger than 73% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 360 km Bottom 1% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 1,525 m Bottom 1% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- HOT anti-tank guided missiles (up to 4-6)
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 1x Turbomeca Astazou XIVM turboshaft
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 1
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 590 hp Bottom 1% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 1,775 Stronger than 88% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 20 Stronger than 88% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Airbus Helicopters and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle has a maximum speed of 310 km/h.
What is the range of the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle has a maximum range of 360 km.
How many crew does the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle require? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle's primary weapon is the HOT anti-tank guided missiles (up to 4-6).
What engine does the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle use? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle is powered by the 1x Turbomeca Astazou XIVM turboshaft.
What is the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle used for? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle is a helicopter typically used for anti armor, isr.
How many countries operate the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle? +
The Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle is operated by 20 countries.
How much does the Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle cost? +
Airbus Helicopters SA342 Gazelle: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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