The Dauphin was developed during the early 1970s as a 6-10 seat Aloutette III replacement. First flown in June 1972, it was the first helicopter to incorporate a anti-torque fenestron tail rotor encased within the tail unit. The twin-engined SA 365C2 soon followed and accounted for the great majority of over one thousand Dauphins built. Over 200 examples of the SA365M have also been manufactured under licence by Harbin in China as the Z-9

Second prototype SA.360. Converted to SA.360C as F-BSQX June 1976. Converted to SA.361H for French Army as F-ZWVF July 1976.