Article

2011-04-03 Science & Technology

Denel SA rolls out new Rooivalk (Red Falcon) combat support helikopter

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Posted by Besoeker 2011-04-03 06:07|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 They have a different definition of "combat support", by which they mean "combat".

Personally, what I think is needed more is a whole range of "workhorse" transport and cargo helicopters.

The "light" version would be able to transport a fire team and their equipment, so two would be able to transport a squad. Like a somewhat larger version of a Huey. It would also need Medevac accessories.

The "medium" version would be almost exclusively cargo, up to I'd guess a 6 ton (12,000 lb.) lift. This is asking a lot, so it might have to be a dual rotor, like a Chinook, which has a 14 ton (28,000 lb.) lift.

The "heavy" cargo version would likely be a quad rotor helicopter, much like two Chinooks in tandem. It would shoot for the 'magical' 70 ton lift that could boost an M1 Abrams. To be able to move a tank company over a mountain range in one day is a game changer.

Posted by Anonymoose 2011-04-03 09:50|| 2011-04-03 09:50|| Front Page Top

#2 Good money after bad. This aircraft has been around for 20 years. It has never proven to much more than a problem to SA. It has never had the R&D necessary to get into the hunt. They would have better spent the money on what Boeing is caling the Apache light.

Posted by 49 Pan 2011-04-03 10:33|| 2011-04-03 10:33|| Front Page Top

#3 The "heavy" cargo version would likely be a quad rotor helicopter, much like two Chinooks in tandem
Several years ago, the Piaseki Helicopter Company (a newly formed one, not the one bought by Boeing/Boeing-Vertrol many years ago) had a flying 4 helo lash up; using a rigid airship as the central point, 4 S-58's (minus tail boom and tail rotor) were bolted up to it. it actually flew but was too complex/cumbersome and eventually crashed, killing the pilot. progect abandoned.

Posted by USN,Ret 2011-04-03 11:34|| 2011-04-03 11:34|| Front Page Top

#4 49 Pan, part of the idea here is to maintain a domestic helicopter industry (I think). They'll build the Rooivalk even if it's beaten six ways to Sunday by an Apache Light just to keep their arms industry going.

Posted by Steve White 2011-04-03 14:09|| 2011-04-03 14:09|| Front Page Top

#5 USN, Ret: I can see why it failed.

There is no way a cheap and cheerful version of that could work. It needs an organic design with computer airflow analysis that they couldn't have had back then. They followed it up with a scheme to lash it to an airship that just had FAIL written all over it.

A reasonable alternative might be to use centrifugal fan pods for additional lift and stabilization during VTOL. But no matter how you slice it, a 70 ton lift isn't easy.

Posted by Anonymoose 2011-04-03 14:30|| 2011-04-03 14:30|| Front Page Top

#6 "USN, Ret: I can see why it failed."

Good lord, 'moose, is that picture real?

Looks more like a joke, or something from a bad sci-fi movie, or a Rube Goldberg failure.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2011-04-03 16:06|| 2011-04-03 16:06|| Front Page Top

#7 Barb: Moose's picture may be only a computer concept, but here is a link to a video of the real thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jENWKgMPY

Posted by USN,Ret 2011-04-03 17:40|| 2011-04-03 17:40|| Front Page Top

#8 Good grief, Ret - that's even worse. What were they thinking?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2011-04-03 19:12|| 2011-04-03 19:12|| Front Page Top

#9 The first one, that I pictured, was the PA-39 system.

The video showed the Piasecki PA-97 Helistat heavy vertical airlifter. That basically was the PA-39, attached to an airship.

But even laymen could take one look, like the voices in the video, and tell it was stinker. As far as the PA-39 goes, about anyone should have been able to tell that the same thing would happen, that is, it would vibrate apart; or just as bad, the helicopters would set up a harmonic--to much the same result.

Posted by Anonymoose 2011-04-03 19:28|| 2011-04-03 19:28|| Front Page Top

#10 The great failures of aviation = "funnies" deserve our respect, as they physically dev + tested various concepts which at the time appeared inviolate ["cutting edge"]to many Perts + Believers, etal. but ultimat proved to be defective, due mainly to misunderstandings of the intricacies of Aerodynamics, Power-Energy + Material Science.

As for the ROOVIAK gunship, the on-going BATTLE FOR LIBYUH = BATTLE FOR EGYPT + EAST AFRICA = BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF THE SUEZ CANAL + TRADE FLOWS.

The Jihad will duly come to SOUTH AFRICA soon enuff.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-04-03 20:10|| 2011-04-03 20:10|| Front Page Top

#11 Steve, your right about keeping the money at home.

Posted by 49 Pan 2011-04-03 22:45|| 2011-04-03 22:45|| Front Page Top

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