The SA 330 Puma is an All-weather tactical transport helicopter developed, designed and manufactured by the French Company Sud Aviation, and continued to be produced by Aérospatiale. In the early 1960s Sud-Aviation began the design and development of a twin turbine-powered helicopter that would not only meet a French army requirement for an all-weather tactical and logistic transport, but which would be suitable also for use by other armed forces. The first of two prototypes made its maiden flight on 15 April 1965, and the Anglo-French helicopter agreement (concluded on 2 April 1968) gave Westland Helicopters in the UK joint production of these aircraft. Intended initially for service with the French army and the British Royal Air Force, the latter required this helicopter for deployment as a tactical transport. The Puma would receive its civil certification the year after the first machine was delivered to the French Army, in 1969. The first Puma would be delivered to the RAF in 1971. The South Africans also developed a similar helicopter using various components of the Puma. Known as the Oryx, the aircraft first entered service in 1988. A total of 705 Pumas would be delivered, without counting the versions manufactured in Indonesia and Romania. The SA 330 Puma being capable of carrying 18 troops with full individual armament plus three of crew.