London (Agencies): The United Kingdom has officially retired its Airbus Puma HC2 medium-lift helicopters after 54 years of service, marking the end of an era for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Farewell flypasts were conducted at the Puma’s last three operating locations—Brunei, Cyprus, and the UK—before its formal withdrawal from service on March 31. The RAF originally operated 24 Westland Puma HC1 helicopters from 1971, with 23 later upgraded to the HC2 standard. However, one was lost during operations in Afghanistan.
While some Pumas at RAF Benson in the UK had already been placed in storage ahead of their retirement, the remaining aircraft are now set to join them. The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has not disclosed whether the airframes will be sold or scrapped, nor has it confirmed the fate of those stationed in Brunei and Cyprus.
There is speculation that the retired helicopters could be donated to Ukraine, following a precedent set by Portugal, which recently transferred surplus Pumas to Kyiv. Such a move would strengthen Ukraine’s medium-lift helicopter capabilities, particularly amid uncertainty over continued U.S. military support.