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Red Falcon

gets Euro OK

Critical acclaim for SA's attack chopper

Roy L. Allen, a leading adviser and commentator who has been closest to South African defence initiatives, describes the development of its sensational attack helicopter.

South African's versatile combat and strike helicopter code-named Rooivalk, Afrikaans for Red FaIcon, made its European debut at the 1996 Farnborough Review where it attracted much keen and attentive response. This was all the more remarkable because South African defence products did not have a high media and publicity profile at the review. While no advanced aircraft type can claim to be an entirely original concept and design, Rooivalk is very much a South-African creation that contains many design features and techniques that genuinely can be described as original.
The international sanctions against South Africa that were in place until recent years forced the country to generate its own defence expertise and technologies. This was greatly aided by South Africa's higher education policy that ensured the country had available a generation of accomplished engineers and scientists who could be engaged for design and development work on many types of military project. And much practical backup also was available from a number of immigrants, mainly British, who had been recruited from the British aircraft industry that during this period was being depleted and run down. Among these were a number of helicopter design specialists.

South Africa's Atlas Aircraft corporation had been producing a range of helicopters including the French Alouette and Super Frelons under licence. These were followed by production of the Puma, now South Africa's workhorse and main logistics helicopter.
It was during the long bush wars in Namibia and Angola when the Cuban and Russian contingents, aided by east-German mercenaries, used the Russian Mil-26 Hind attack helicopter with such devastating effect that the South African military authorities resolved that it should have a weapon that could beat and better it.
Beginning with the Puma power and drive train because it is reliable and well-proven, and in the interests of commonality, work on the Rooivalk begun. The slender fuselage form of the typical battleground helicopter was the chosen shape supported by a sturdy, long-stroke fixed main landing gear. The Puma rotor system with its broad-chord blades is used and the stub wings used for carrying weapons and stores also provide a small degree of lift in forward flight and glide.

The smart helmet with in-built visor head-up system that actively displays information parameters at the visor

Roolvalk ADM firing a 20mm dual-feed, gas operated F2 high-speed cannon

Its twin engines are housed in special nacelles that are designed for a range of conditions that include desert operations.
The pilot and navigator/weapons master sit in tandem, the pilot occupying the upper rear seat and both crew members have commanding, uninterrupted views.
Cockpit instrument and control layouts for both crew members bring every parameter of flight and environment information to the practically presented displays and the controls are particularly well positioned so that they come naturally to hand and reach. The battle-station cockpit for weapons systems operation (WSO) follows the same layout philosophy as that designed for the pilot and to complete the comprehensive management systems available, each crew member wears his smart and educated helmet that has its own in-built visor

The Mokopa heavy long-range anti-tank missile

head-up system with information parameters actively displayed at the visor. In combat conditions glare in the cockpit and tight effects will affect HUD in a windscreen display. The visor presents a much-improved option and it also incorporates a look-and-shoot facility.
A special feature of Rooivalk is the particularly robust rotor and rotor-head assembly that in all helicopters would be a desirable feature to cope with the high dynamic and air loadings generated. In this instance the assembly permits a high degree of agility and spectacular handling characteristics and is vital for a tactical attack platform.
Features such as those that characterise the Rooivalk resulted in the Denel organisation being invited to submit Rooivalk for trials and tests in Europe using the anti-tank HOT 3 missile system.

These trials ended in August 1997 and were judged to be highly successful. The combination of Rooivalk and HOT-3 resulted in a most effective tank-buster. As well as the obvious mounting and firing gear adaptations the helicopter's electronic weapons control interface also had to be revised to accept the HOT-3 circuitry.
Although South African visitors to other countries do not have a lot to celebrate in terms of the Rand exchange situation, the present lowly valued South African currency makes acquisition of Rooivalk by interested countries an attractive option because of its low comparative cost. Obviously this factor also has had an impact on other South African defence inventory items. But cost is a relatively minor factor when compared to what is contained in the Rooivalk package, as its trials and demonstrations scheduled for the near future will show.

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