Denel AH-2 Rooivalk
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| AH-2 Rooivalk | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A Rooivalk flying at the Ysterplaat air show in 2006 | |
| Role | Attack helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Denel |
| First flight | 1990 |
| Introduction | 1999 |
| Status | Active service |
| Primary user | South African Air Force |
| Number built | 12 |
| Unit cost | $40 million (2007, estimated)[1] |
| Developed from | Aérospatiale Puma |
The South African Air Force (SAAF) ordered 12 Rooivalk AH-2As, the first of which entered service in July 1999. The helicopters are flown by 16 Squadron, which is based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein.
Development
The Rooivalk project began in early 1984 under the auspices of the Atlas Aircraft Corporation, a predecessor of Denel Aviation. Faced with the increasingly conventional nature of the South African Border War, the South African Defence Force recognised the need for a dedicated attack helicopter and accordingly set along the process of developing a suitable aircraft.The Atlas XH-1 Alpha was the first prototype to emerge from the program. It was developed from an Aérospatiale Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original cockpit with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20 mm cannon on the nose and converting the undercarriage to tail-dragger configuration. The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and the SAAF that the concept was feasible, opening the door for the development of the AH-2 Rooivalk.
During the AH-2's development it was decided to base the aircraft on the dynamic components of the Aérospatiale Super Puma,[3] a larger and more powerful helicopter. These components were already used on the Atlas Oryx, a local upgrade and modification of the Aérospatiale Puma.[1]
Design
The AH-2 carries a range of weapons depending on the mission profile. It is generally fitted with a nose-mounted 20 mm cannon and can also carry air-to-air missiles, anti-armour missiles and unguided rockets. The AH-2 has a fire control system for target acquisition and tracking as well as an advanced navigation system using Doppler radar and GPS. Also incorporated is an electronic countermeasures suite coupled with chaff and flare dispensers.
Notable features include a tandem cockpit, starboard tail rotor with a port tailplane, a fixed wheeled undercarriage as well as wire cutters above and below the cockpit and on the undercarriage.
The following types of missions are foreseen for the AH-2 Rooivalk: Reconnaissance, heliborne escort, close air support, deep penetration and anti-armour.
Operational service
By April 2005, only six of the 12 aircraft were operational with the others in need of software upgrades. The South African Air Force Chief hoped that the helicopters would be ready around June 2007, indicating the "extremely worrying factor of time that the project was taking to reach maturity", attributing the delays to the exodus of personnel from Denel as well as its financial problems. This has forced the SAAF to assess alternative defence development partners.[4]One airframe was damaged beyond repair on 3 August 2005 after an "uncontrolled landing".[5]
On 17 May 2007, Denel group CEO Shaun Liebenberg announced a decision[6] to cease development and funding for the Rooivalk following its failure to win the Turkish attack helicopter tender[7] against the Agusta A129 Mangusta.
During November 2007, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota announced in Parliament, that the SAAF is to invest R962 million (about US$137 million in 2007 exchange rates) in the helicopter over three years to 2010/2011, in order to bring it up to full operational status. The helicopter will be deployed on peace-keeping duties as soon as initial operating capability is achieved.[8]
On 1 April 2011 the SAAF received the first five of eleven (one of the twelve aircraft originally delivered to the SAAF was written off after an accident) Block 1F upgraded Rooivalk. The upgrade involves improved targeting systems and other avionics which enable the helicopter to use guided missiles for the first time. The Mokopa ATGM was qualified as part of the upgrade process. Gearbox components were improved and cooling problems with the F2 20mm cannon were also addressed.[9][10][11]
Operators
Specifications
General characteristics- Crew: 2 (pilot & weapon systems officer)
- Length: 18.73 m[13] (61 ft 5½ in)
- Rotor diameter: 15.58 m (51 ft 1½ in)
- Height: 5.19 m (17 ft 0¼ in)
- Disc area: 190.60 m² (2,052.1 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 5,730 kg (12,632 lb)
- Loaded weight: 7,500 kg (16,535 lb)
- Max. takeoff weight: 8,750 kg (19,290 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Turbomeca Makila 1K2 turboshafts, 1,420 kW (1,904 shp) each
- Internal fuel capacity: 1,854 L (489.8 US Gallons)
- Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (167 knots, 193 mph)
- Cruise speed: 278 km/h (150 knots, 173 mph) at sea level (max cruise)
- Range: 740 km (380 nmi, 437 mi) at sea level(max internal fuel)
- Ferry range: 1,335 km (720 nmi, 829 mi) at 1525 m (5,000 ft) (max external fuel)
- Service ceiling: 6,100 m (20,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 13.3 m/s (2,620 ft/min)
- 1 × F2 20 mm cannon, 700 rounds
- 8 or 16 × Mokopa ZT-6 long-range anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM),
- 4 × MBDA Mistral air-to-air missiles,
- 38 or 76 × 70 mm folding fin aerial rockets (FFAR)
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