Air Force to get 5 Rooivalk helicopters
2010-09-02 18:07
Johannesburg - Rooivalk combat helicopters will be handed over to the SA Air Force (Saaf) by the end of March 2011, weapons technology company Denel said on Thursday.
"Five baseline Rooivalk helicopters will be handed over for operational duties to the Saaf’s 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein by no later than end-March 2011," a statement from the company read.
The remaining six aircraft would be completed and ready for deployment soon after.
This would be the culmination of the Rooivalk project that started its design phase in 1984 and had its first flight in April 1990.
Denel had received a directive from Armscor informing it that an earlier moratorium on new orders to complete the Rooivalk acquisition programme had been lifted.
Denel Aviation, based in Kempton Park, was responsible for the final modifications to the helicopters to improve safety and reliability, upgrade the accuracy of its weapons systems and to complete all outstanding certification flight testing and subsequent documentary evidence to apply for a full military type certificate.
The original Rooivalk was designed as "an attack helicopter and tank killer" to meet the needs of the SA Defence Force as it existed in the 1980s, the statement explained.
Adapted to changed role
But the changing role of the defence force, which is now primarily engaged in mandated peacekeeping missions meant that aircraft systems had to be adapted. "Rooivalk is now a modern, sophisticated, combat support helicopter, ready to be used by the SAAF in any of its potential deployed operations."
The baseline Rooivalk will be on public display at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Show held at Air Force Base Ysterplaat in Cape Town from September 21 to 25.
From there the helicopters will be subjected to an accelerated flying programme of some 200 hours that is scheduled to commence by mid-October 2010 from the Saaf test facility at AFB Overberg in the southern Cape.
In preparation for this phase and planned release of aircraft to 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein, Denel Aviation will also be supporting the Saaf with the training of flight and ground crews to gain the required competencies to operate and maintain Rooivalk.
The craft has been beset by certification and funding problems over the years, and did not yield international orders as expected.
- SAPA