Mass launch 300 Squadron Cougars
On 17 February 2021, the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) launched eight AS532U2 Cougars of 300 Squadron 'Wildcats' simultaneously from their home base Gilze-Rijen (the Netherlands).
From the eight helicopters, six continued to make a tour over the middle and southern parts of the Netherlands. The other two were only launched as spares in case of.
The tour brought the Cougars more or less along the line of Gilze-Rijen, Roosendaal, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Schiphol, Utrecht, Doorn, Ede, Deelen, Volkel, Eindhoven, Gilze Rijen. At the Eder Heide / GLV 4 (Low Level Area 4) the Wildcats formation performed a mass landing, not very often seen in the Netherlands.
The formation gave the local photographers enough time to shoot some decent pictures.
The Cougars that were launched were the following:
Although mentioned at various websites that the tour was related to the 25th Anniversary of Cougar operations, the Commander of 300 Squadron said that this was not related and that the tour was to show the capability of th unit. Of course, the 25th anniversary is a nice coincidence.
Eurocopter (nowadays Airbus Helicopters) started delivery of the KLu AS532U2s in 1996. According to the website of 300 Squadron, twelve Cougars are still reported as in their active inventory (eleven aircraft active and one on overhaul in Norway).
Photos: Jurgen van Toor and John van Golen