The Aérospatiale Alouette II is a light helicopter produced by the french manufacturer Aérospatiale (formerly: Sud Aviation). It was one of the first production helicopter to use a gas turbine instead of a heavier piston engine. Mainly used for military purposes in observation, photography, air-sea rescue and training, it has also been used as a civilian helicopter for casualty evacuation (with two external stretcher panniers) or crop-spraying.