ROOIVALK ATTACK HELICOPTER, SOUTH AFRICA
The Rooivalk is a latest generation attack helicopter from Denel
Aviation of South Africa. The South African Air Force ordered 12
Rooivalk AH-2As, the first of which entered service in July 1999.
The helicopters form part of No 16 Squadron at Bloemspruit Air
Force Base (near Bloemfontein). The helicopters have been delivered
but have not yet been fitted with final weapons configuration with
the Mokopa ZT-6 anti-tank missile. A production order for the
Mokopa was placed in March 2004. It is envisaged that the Rooivalk
will provide a key element in peacekeeping operations in which
South Africa is increasingly involved. The helicopter is planned to
achieve Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in late 2005.
The Malaysian Defence Force has plans to acquire Rooivalk
helicopters when funding is available.
COCKPIT
The cockpits are in stepped tandem configuration. The Weapon
Systems Officer (WSO) is seated in the front cockpit and the pilot
is seated in the cockpit above and behind the WSO. The cockpits,
which are fitted with crashworthy seats and are armour-protected,
are equipped with hands-on collective and stick (HOCAS)
controls.
A Thales Avionics TopOwl helmet-mounted sight display (HMSD)
provides the crew with a head-up display of information for
nap-of-the-earth flight (NOE). TopOwl incorporates an integrated
measurement system for directing an articulated weapon such as the
cannon, or air-to-air missile seeker heads. It has an integrated
Gen IV image intensifier and FLIR capability and provides
transition from day to night use at the push of a button.
The Rooivalk has a crash-resistant structure and is designed for
stealth with low radar, visual, infrared and acoustic
signatures.
WEAPONS
The Rooivalk carries a comprehensive range of weaponry selected for
the mission requirement, ranging from anti-armour and
anti-helicopter missions to ground suppression and ferry missions.
The aircraft can engage multiple targets at short and long range,
utilising the nose-mounted cannon and a range of underwing-mounted
munitions.
The 20mm, F2 dual-feed, gas-operated cannon fires high-speed
(1,100m/s) ammunition at a firing rate of 740 rounds per minute.
Two ammunition bins hold up to 700 rounds of ready-to-fire
ammunition. The slew rate of the cannon is 90 degrees per second.
The cannon is chin-mounted on the helicopter.
The Rooivalk is armed with the Mokopa long-range anti-armour
missile developed by the Kentron Division of Denel. Mokopa has a
semi-active laser seeker head and is equipped with a tandem
warhead. Range is over 8.5km. Rooivalk can also fire Hellfire or
HOT 3 missiles.
Rooivalk can carry four air-to-air missiles such as the Denel
Aerospace Systems V3C Darter or MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics)
Mistral. The V3C Darter has an infrared seeker and a helmet-mounted
sight for target designation. The Mistral, which has been selected
by the South African Air Force, has an infrared seeker and range of
up to 6km.
Rooivalk is equipped to fire 70mm folding fin aerial rockets
(FFAR), from the company Forges de Zeebrugge of Belgium, with a
range of warheads, selectable according to the type of targets
being engaged.
COUNTERMEASURES
The Rooivalk's electronic warfare suite is the fully integrated
helicopter electronic warfare self-protection suite (HEWSPS),
incorporating radar warning, laser warning and countermeasures
dispensing system. The system is flight-line programmable and
in-flight adaptable to match the threat library with the mission's
area of operation.
The radar warner features low-effective radiated power (ERP)/pulse
Doppler radar detection beyond radar detection range, ultra
broadband frequency coverage, high pulse density handling and
internal instantaneous frequency measurement.
The laser warner provides broadband laser frequency coverage to
detect and display rangefinding, designating and missile guidance
laser threats.
The countermeasures dispensing system, which is operated in manual,
semi-automatic or fully automatic mode, is charged with chaff and
flare cartridges.
FIRE CONTROL AND OBSERVATION
Target detection, acquisition and tracking are carried out using
the nose-mounted stabilised sight, TDATS. The TDATS sight is
equipped with a low-level television sensor, forward-looking
infrared (FLIR), autotracker, laser rangefinder and laser
designator.
NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
The Rooivalk is equipped with an advanced navigation suite
including Doppler Radar Velocity Sensor, Thales Avionics
eight-channel Global Positioning System, Heading Sensor Unit and an
Air Data Unit.
The communications suite consists of two VHF/UHF transceivers with
FM, AM and digital speech processing, one HF radio with frequency
hopping and secure voice and data channels, and an IFF
transponder.
