Rooivalk

Sursa: Strikehold

Fortele Aeriene Sud Africane au serbat zilele trecute receptionarea primului elicopter de sprijin in lupta CSH2A Rooivalk MKI Block 1F de la Denel Aviation. Urmeaza inca zece fratiori tunati la acest standard.

La moment de mare bucurie, Denel a comunicat ca din acest moment Africa de Sud este una dintre cele noua tari din lume care si-au dezvoltat si construit propriul elicopter de sprijin. Si tot Denel a anuntat ca pentru a aduce pasaretul cu rotoare la standardul Block 1F au fost facute 130 de modificari per bucata.

Magnific si minunat Roiivalk-ul asta si ne-am dori pentru Romania, ca de obicei, macar asa ceva. Ei… dar stirea asta cuprinde si ceva cu Romania, ca tot veni vorba:

The Rooivalk is the first and to date only helicopter mostly designed and built in South Africa, albeit with covert assistance from Aerospatiale, the fore-runner of Eurocopter, and Turbomeca, the helicopter turbine engine manufacturer. By about 2006 some R8.1 billion had been spent on the programme. (Kgobe’s statement raises a question about the Oryx, for which Denel is also listed as OEM. The Oryx is a fusion of the Puma and Cougar medium utility helicopters with parts for the latter obtained from Romania via Portugal in contravention of a then-United Nations arms embargo against Apartheid South Africa.)