The Cougar was a twin-engine development of the Gulfstream American AA-5B Tiger and traces its lineage to the AA-1 Yankee Clipper and the Bede BD-1.

As a development of the company's single-engined designs, Grumman American developed a twin-engined version, designated the GA-7 which it named the Cougar, in keeping with the existing Lynx, Cheetah and Tiger names for aircraft in the company's line.

[3][4] In 1995 the type certificate for the GA-7 was sold to SOCATA of France who intended to produce the aircraft as the TB 320 Tangara for the training market.

[5] It was also to develop a variant with two Lycoming O-360-A1G6 engines of 180 hp (134 kW) each and a re-designed cockpit, it was designated the TB 360.

[7] The Cougar is a twin-engined low-wing cantilever monoplane using a honeycomb and bonded metal construction that is the hallmark of the line since the BD-1.