Eurocopter EC725

The Eurocopter EC725, redesignated the Airbus Helicopters H225M and formerly known as the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Airbus Helicopters AS532 Cougar. It is a twin-engined aircraft that can carry up to 28 seated troops along with two crew, and it is marketed for troop transport, casualty evacuation and combat search and rescue. Development answered a French Air Force requirement for a specialist combat search and rescue helicopter, after the AS 532 A2 Cougar was examined and rejected following trials between 1996 and 1999. The first prototype flew on 27 November 2000 at Marignane and the first aircraft was delivered in February 2005. It has a five-blade composite main rotor and two Turbomeca Makila 1A4 turboshaft engines with dual-channel FADEC, and by 2015 it was built on two production lines, one in France and one in Brazil. Its civilian counterpart is the H225 Super Puma.