Denel AH-2 Rooivalk

Summary

Description

Development of the Rooivalk attack helicopter began in 1984 under the Atlas Aircraft Corporation, later Denel Aviation. The South African Defence Force sought a dedicated attack helicopter to escort troop transports, strike anti-aircraft positions, and counter Soviet tanks during the South African Border War. Due to an arms embargo, South Africa could not import foreign combat helicopters. Instead of designing an entirely new helicopter, it was decided to base it on an existing design, the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma, already in service with the SAAF. Its parallel development of a localised and improved model of the Puma, known as the Atlas Oryx, gave it an increased power-to-weight ratio and improved performance, and was a key factor for its selection as the basis for the planned attack helicopter. The Atlas XH-1 Alpha, developed from an Alouette III airframe, served as the first prototype, conducting its maiden flight on 3 February 1985. The prototype first flew on 11 February 1990.

The Rooivalk was designed to operate for extended periods in the harsh African environment with minimal support, requiring only a medium transport helicopter carrying basic spares and four groundcrew for maintenance. It features a nose-mounted 20 mm cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles, anti-armor missiles, and unguided rockets, depending on the mission profile. Its advanced avionics include a fire control system for target acquisition and tracking, as well as a navigation system utilizing Doppler radar and GPS. The helicopter also incorporates an electronic countermeasures suite with chaff and flare dispensers, along with a nose-mounted gyro-stabilized sensor turret. The Rooivalk employs a Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display, enhancing situational awareness. Other design features include a tandem cockpit, a starboard tail rotor with a port tailplane, a fixed wheeled undercarriage, and wire cutters positioned above and below the cockpit and on the undercarriage.

The Rooivalk is typically outfitted with a nose-mounted F2 20 mm cannon with 700 rounds, complemented by a flexible configuration of external hardpoints for diverse mission requirements. For anti-armor roles, it can carry 8 or 16 Mokopa ZT-6 long-range anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). Air-to-air defense is provided by up to 4 MBDA Mistral missiles. Furthermore, for ground suppression and close air support, the Rooivalk can be armed with 38 or 76 × 70 mm folding fin aerial rockets (FFAR) or Wrap-Around (WA) rockets, including the FZ90 70mm WA and FZ275 LGR Laser Guided Rockets.

By April 2005, only six of the initial 12 Rooivalk helicopters ordered by the South African Air Force (SAAF) were available for operational test and evaluation, with the remainder awaiting software upgrades. The SAAF anticipated having the helicopters ready by June 2007, but delays persisted due to personnel attrition at Denel and financial constraints, prompting consideration of alternative defense development partners. In 2013, three Rooivalk attack helicopters were deployed with the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade to support the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they engaged M23 positions using FZ 90 70mm FFAR rockets.

Main Variants:

• XH-1 Alpha: The first prototype, developed from an Alouette III airframe, served to test the feasibility of the Rooivalk concept.

• Rooivalk Mk 1: This is the initial production version ordered by the South African Air Force (SAAF), equipped with a 20 mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, anti-armour missiles, and unguided rockets.

• Rooivalk Block 1F: An upgraded variant featuring improved targeting systems and avionics, enabling the use of guided missiles and addressing cooling issues with the cannon.

• Rooivalk Mk 1.1: A proposed upgrade program for the existing fleet includes a missile approach warning system and enhancements to the rotorcraft's avionics.

• Rooivalk Mk 2: A proposed new production platform incorporating a large proportion of new systems and technologies, for which Denel had already developed a roadmap.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	South Africa	12

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

South Africa

Photo of AH-2 Rooivalk