State-owned Denel’s Denel Aeronautics division and global defence and advanced electronics company Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi (Aselsan) have strengthened their strategic collaboration by signing a certificate of milestone achievement.

This milestone signifies the successful establishment of a workshare definition concerning the avionics modernisation of the Rooivalk attack helicopter, the firms note in a July 27 statement.

The two defence companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the Africa Aerospace and Defence show last year to express both parties’ willingness to strengthen their relationship and potentially establish a long-term collaborative agreement towards the upgrade of the attack helicopter, which is currently at a Block 1F baseline.

The certificate of milestone achievement acknowledges the accomplishment by the joint engineering teams from Denel and Aselsan in reaching a defined technical solution and meeting the key objectives of the MoU by identifying areas of cooperation.  

Denel Aeronautics holds the role of the original-equipment manufacturer and design authority for the Rooivalk attack helicopter. The company has successfully integrated various avionics subsystems from multiple avionic development companies.

“Aselsan specialises in designing, developing and manufacturing cutting-edge products and systems for a range of avionic applications,” stated Denel interim Group CEO Michael Kgobe.

“Its expertise and capabilities make it the preferred technology partner for the South African Rooivalk modernisation programme. We are delighted that Aselsan continues to show commitment to our collaborative agreement, exceeding the objectives and scope of MoU signed in September last year within just six months,” he added.

The Rooivalk helicopter, on which development began in 1984 under the former Atlas Aircraft Corporation, is also known as the Combat Support Helicopter (CSH) and is an attack helicopter designed, manufactured and supported by Denel Aeronautics.

Its name is Afrikaans for "Red Falcon”. 

The South African Air Force initially ordered 12 Rooivalk CSH, and the first of these entered into service in July 1999.

While fulfilling its local mandate as part of the air defence capability of the South African Department of Defence, three Rooivalk attack helicopters were deployed with the United Nations (UN) Force Intervention Brigade to support the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2013 and have remained in a combat support role ever since.

The helicopter has full glass, stepped tandem cockpits with an environmental control system. The cockpits for the pilot and weapon systems officer (WSO) are equipped with hands-on collective and stick controls.

Current avionics consist of a fully integrated, dual redundant MIL-STD 1553B-based avionics and weapons system. This provides total mission modes, target acquisition, flight control, health and use monitoring, communications, threat detection and control, flight and fuel, stores management and accurate navigation. 

The Rooivalk's self-defence suite is the fully integrated helicopter electronic warfare self-protection suite, 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. A helmet-mounted sight display provides the pilot and WSO with a head-up display of information for nap-of-the-earth flight. It also allows the pilot, if required, to fire the cannon and rockets.

The helmet incorporates an integrated measurement system for directing an articulated weapon such as the cannon, or air-to-air missile seeker heads.

The Aselsan upgrades to the avionics system will include an enhanced glass cockpit with larger screens, digital moving map, a state-of-art-helmet mounted display system and a modern flight management system for enhanced pilot and WSO mission effectiveness. These will be driven by two new mission computers that will control different aircraft management systems.

A new sophisticated navigation system to support mission objectives, which incorporates an inertial navigation system and global positioning system for accurate positioning and navigation; an interoperability compatible communication suite equipped with the software-based very high frequency, ultra-high frequency and high frequency radios are included.

This comes in addition to Mod-5/S capable Identification Friend of Foe transponder and digital intercommunication system allowing for the exchange of real-time information and target data; a new flight control computer for improved agility and responsiveness, new mission planning and debriefing system for extensive flight planning and sharing information, receiving data from other platforms, ground stations, or command centers.

These contribute to enhancing overall situational awareness and mission coordination.

The Rooivalk will be equipped with advanced targeting systems to engage ground targets effectively. This includes a long-range day and night sighting system, a thermal imaging sensor, low-light television, and a laser rangefinder/designator for accurate weapon delivery.

The Rooivalk also includes an upgraded weapon systems computer for the integration and control of various weapon systems such as the cannon, rocket pods, laser-guided rockets, and anti-tank missiles system commanded by the pilots over the Pilot and WSO mission grips and control panels.

To enhance survivability, the Rooivalk will integrate various defensive systems. This includes modern radar warning receivers to detect and identify radar emissions from threats, chaff and flare dispensers to counter incoming missiles, and infrared jammers to disrupt heat-seeking missiles.

These enhancements will provide the platform with the versatility to engage a range of threats.

The advancements related to the modernisation of the attack helicopter are a key technology driver for the Denel Group and are poised to be a South African national flagship programme, leveraging off institutional knowledge and public-private partnership for the advancement of national imperatives as well as the collective South African defence industry.

The modernisation programme for the Rooivalk CSH is aimed at enhancing the operational capability and supportability of the existing fleet. This includes a strong emphasis on improving capability, reliability and addressing obsolescence issues. The Programme also considers changes in hardware and software, aligning with the requirements of the SAAF.