March 26, 2025, marked the official end of Airbus Puma helicopters operating for the UK\u2019s Royal Air Force<\/a> (RAF), bringing the curtain down on over five decades of active flying for the UK armed forces. To mark the event, a formation of three RAF Pumas toured the whole of the United Kingdom, taking in several important locations of relevance during the Puma\u2019s illustrious career with the RAF. \u00a0<\/p>\n As the Puma helicopter has been one of the longest-serving workhorses in the history of UK military aviation, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) decided that it was only right to conduct a farewell tour of the helicopter as its long career comes to an end. In November 2024, the MoD announced that it would be decommissioning several British helicopters<\/a>, drones, and vessels, as part of cost-saving measures. As part of the defense cost-cutting, older types such as the Puma and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters were to be withdrawn from service. \u00a0<\/p>\n Introduced into UK military service in 1971, the Puma quickly became a key asset, known for its agility, speed, and versatility. Over the years, it has been deployed in various operations and humanitarian missions for the UK MoD, along with seeing action in numerous theaters of war in that time.<\/p>\n\n In recent history, the Puma saw service in Kenya from 2009 to 2011 where it supported UK exercises, and in Afghanistan from 2015 to 2021 in the war against the Taliban. Elsewhere, the Puma provided support in the Caribbean as a part of Operation RUMAN after Hurricane Irma struck the region in September 2017. During COVID it took part in Operation RESCRIPT in 2020, providing vital aid to those in most need. Finally, most recently until March 2025, the Puma has been involved in enduring operations in support of British troops in Cyprus and Brunei.<\/p>\n Setting off from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, the three-ship formation of Pumas was planned to fly for over eleven hours and cover over 1,200 nautical miles, following a specially devised route to overfly places of significance to Puma operations. These included RAF Benson itself which has been the home base for the Puma fleet, including the main training base for crews that have flown the Puma.<\/p>\n Further on during their journey, the Puma formation headed over the North Sea to Northern Ireland, where the type played a crucial role during the Troubles, providing essential support and transport to UK forces.<\/p>\n\n \n![\"RAF](\"https:\/\/www.aerotime.aero\/images\/2025\/03\/RAF2-1200x836.jpg\" "\\"RAF")