Aircraft & UAVs

Super Puma combat support helicopter

The Super Puma is a twin-engine medium-lift helicopter family developed from the SA 330 Puma and used by the Nigerian Air Force as a combat-support platform. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, sourced Nigerian Air Force reporting places Super Puma fleets in the northeast air task force, where the type supported mobility, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and logistics rather than serving as a dedicated attack helicopter.

Boko Haram InsurgencyNigerian government and allied forces

Conflict side: Nigerian government and allied forces
Built by: AerospatialeEurocopterAirbus Helicopters
Built in: France

Super Puma combat support helicopter, Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs

Image source: Nigerian Air Force Aerospatiale AS-332M1 Super Puma Iwelumo-1

Profile

Type: Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter
Conflict side: Nigerian government and allied forces
Origin: France
Service note: Introduced in the late Cold War and retained in Nigerian counter-insurgency service

helicopter transport logisticscasevacsar

Service History

In service: In Nigerian Air Force service by the late 1980s; reactivated aircraft NAF 565 returned to service in 2026
Used by: Nigerian Air Force
Wars: Boko Haram Insurgency

Production History

Designer: Aerospatiale
Designed: 1970s
Built by: AerospatialeEurocopterAirbus Helicopters
Built in: France
Produced: 1978-present for the Super Puma/H215 family
Variants: AS332M, AS332M1, H215M / AS532 Cougar

Specifications

Crew and troops: H215M reference configuration lists 1 to 3 crew plus up to 24 troops
Maximum takeoff weight: 9,000 kg, or 9,350 kg with external load
Useful load: 4,268 kg
External load: Up to 4,500 kg on sling
Engine: 2 x Safran Makila 1A1 turboshaft engines
Cruise speed: 258 km/h fast cruise
Range: 776 km with standard fuel tanks at sea level; up to 1,165 km with auxiliary fuel

Conflict Usage

Boko Haram Insurgency: Side: Nigerian government and allied forcesRole: Rotary-wing tactical mobility and logistics supportlogistics
Nigerian Air Force Super Puma helicopters were deployed with Operation LAFIYA DOLE and later described as proven in Operation Hadin Kai, supporting troop transport, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and logistics in the northeast campaign against Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Super Puma combat support helicopter Images

Super Puma combat support helicopter, Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1 — Source: Nigerian Air Force Aerospatiale AS-332M1 Super Puma Iwelumo-1

Super Puma combat support helicopter, Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2 — Source: Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma

Super Puma combat support helicopter, Twin-engine medium-lift utility helicopter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3 — Source: Eurocopter AS332M-1 Super Puma T-319

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Sources

Counter-Insurgency: CAS Commends Air Task ForcePublisher: Nigerian Air Force | Note: Supports Boko Haram Insurgency direct use: Super Puma fleets were fielded by the Nigerian Air Force in the Operation LAFIYA DOLE theatre against Boko Haram Terrorists and ISWAP in northeast Nigeria. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 NAF helicopter used in Borno operations returns to servicePublisher: The Punch | Note: Supports Boko Haram Insurgency direct use: Super Puma NAF 565 was used by the Nigerian Air Force in Operation Hadin Kai for troop transport, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and logistics support. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 H215M heavy-lift multi-role military helicopterPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports manufacturer and background context for the military Super Puma/Cougar family, including combat-support mission roles. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 H215M technical informationPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports specifications for the current military Super Puma/Cougar family, including crew, payload, engines, cruise speed, range, and dimensions. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 H215M missionsPublisher: Airbus | Note: Supports background on troop transport, medevac, search and rescue, and optional door-gun mission equipment for the military Super Puma/Cougar family. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 AS332 Super Puma in Nigerian Air ForcePublisher: Helis.com | Note: Supports background on Nigerian Air Force AS332 Super Puma aircraft and listed serials, including NAF 565, NAF 567, NAF 568, and NAF 569. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Nigerian Air Force Aerospatiale AS-332M1 Super Puma Iwelumo-1Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the Nigerian Air Force AS-332M1 Super Puma primary image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Eurocopter AS332 Super PumaPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for an AS332 Super Puma gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Eurocopter AS332M-1 Super Puma T-319Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for an AS332M-1 Super Puma military-variant gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21