Atlas Rooivalk XDM/ ADM: South Africa's First True Attack Helicopter

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Atlas Rooivalk XDM

Hello and welcome to my suggestion for the Atlas Rooivalk XDM/ ADM! The first prototypes of the AH-2 Rooivalk we have in game as a now removed premium pack. I feel this has a strong reason to come to game potentially as a future Tech Tree Rooivalk or in another form such as a Squadron vehicle hopefully in the near future.

DISCLAMER: The reason I am suggesting these two together is for two reasons, they are both almost identical airframes except for the fact that the XDM could not fire weapons, however as most of the Info and pictures on them are mixed due to them looking exactly the same I have chosen to sandwich them together, however the ADM is the only one that could realistically come to game

History

Spoiler

The Development of the Rooivalk starting in the Early 80s with the Development of the XH-1 Alpha showing the Feasibility of a future South African Helicopter, soon after the Alphas success the Rooivalk project was started in the mid 80s and lead to the creation (Or modification depending on how you look at it) of a another Aircraft, the XPT-1 Beta, in order to trial weapons and systems that would be incorporated onto the Final design in the early 90s.

As development of the Rooivalk continued through the turn of the decade the first prototype was produced using most of the equipment tested by the Beta on a sleeker and more ergonomic airframe compared to the relatively large and slow airframe of the Beta. The First prototype took off on the 11th of February 1990 and underwent a wide variety of trials for its systems and flight performance that Atlas and the South African Air Force were still new to, the airframe was also used as a technology demonstrator with it being shown at several famous air shows including Farnborough and Paris in an attempt to encourage possible export sales abroad.

The Airframe was tested heavily from 1990 to 1992 and was only stopped due to a further development, the ADM, being pushed out featuring several upgrades over the previous model and as the XDM was now obsolete it was retired from service and was given to the SAAF Museum for display where it resides to this day.

The ADM or Advanced development model was first Flown on the 22nd of May 1992 and was almost identical to the XDM except that it featured a fully functional sensors and weapons suite, this airframe was used as a platform to test the Weapons systems used on the final production Rooivalk, hence all of its armament is identical except for the fact that the ADMs Air to Air missiles were V3Bs rather than Mistrals.

Images

Spoiler

Rooivalk ADM at Farnbrough, Rocket pods, ZT-3 and V3D shown as armament

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Rooivalk XDM being rolled out for its first test flight in 1990

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The Rooivalk XDM or ADM during a test flight

Picture of the three Rooivalk Prototypes in flight together, the XDM (Background), ADM (Middle) and EDM (Foreground)

Rooivalk XDM during tests in the South African desert

Rooivalk ADM Flying alongside an Atlas Puma

Specs/ Armament

Spoiler

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2 (pilot & weapon systems officer)
  • Length: 18.73 m (61 ft 5 in) overall

16.39 m (54 ft) fuselage only

  • Height: 5.19 m (17 ft 0 in)

  • Empty weight: 5,730 kg (12,632 lb)

  • Gross weight: 7,500 kg (16,535 lb)

  • Max takeoff weight: 8,750 kg (19,290 lb)

  • Fuel capacity: 1,854 L (490 US gal; 408 imp gal)

  • Powerplant: 2 × Turbomeca Makila 1K2 turboshaft engines, 1,420 kW (1,900 hp) each

  • Main rotor diameter: × 15.58 m (51 ft 1 in)

  • Main rotor area: 190.6 m2 (2,052 sq ft)

  • Blade section: NACA 0015

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 278 km/h (173 mph, 150 kn) at sea level (max cruise)
  • Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (192 mph, 167 kn)
  • Range: 740 km (460 mi, 400 nmi) at sea level (max cruise)
  • Ferry range: 720 km (450 mi, 390 nmi) at 1,525 m (5,003 ft) (max external fuel)
  • Service ceiling: 6,100 m (20,000 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 13.3 m/s (2,620 ft/min)

Armament

  • 1 × F2 20 mm cannon, 700 rounds
  • 8 or 16 × Mokopa ZT-3 or ZT-6 long-range anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM)
  • 2 x V3B Missiles (On designated Wing Pylons)
  • 38 or 76 × 70 mm rockets folding fin aerial rockets (FFAR) or Wrap-Around (WA) (FZ90 70mm WA)
  • FZ275 LGR Laser Guided Rocket

Place in game

Spoiler

I feel that the ADM would be a valid choice for a possible future Vehicle for the British Heli tree, currently the tree is severely lacking in quantity with only 4 Non Premium vehicles (Joint last with Japan) and I believe it would be a valid option to create a possible South African Helicopter Subtree to supplement to currently barebones British Heli Tree.

In terms of BR id expect it would be almost identical to the current Rooivalk as it shares the same features of the current one just with some minor weapons and visual changes.

Sources

Spoiler

Denel Rooivalk - Wikipedia
Various aviation projects from South Africa | Page 10 | Secret Projects Forum
https://www.aviationcentral.co.za/first-rooivalk-flight-11th-february-1990-30-years-on/
Denel CSH-2 Rooivalk
The SAAF Forum • View topic - Rooivalk development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw3YQIfJyNQ&t=26s

8 Likes

These are not Magics, they are V3B Kukri missiles. You can tell because the front set of fins is not cruciform (X shaped) and the diameter looks identical to the ZT3 missiles on the ground. Both the ZT3 and V3B have a 5-inch diameter while the Magic has a 6-inch diameter.

10 Likes

+1, Britain could use more helicopters

+1, would love for a TT for my nation

what about this setup ingame???

+1 Very nice

1 Like

+1, definitely need a tech-tree rooivalk

2 Likes

+1 bump

2 Likes

this would fit nicely between lynx and the apache

3 Likes

+1 for a TT Rooivalk

3 Likes

+1

I think something that is important to note is that it might have the mmW/IIR Mokopa. One of your images even shows it

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It was also displayed with them. They can be spotted by having a more round seeker compared to the laser Mokopa

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At first I thought they were paper/mockup only, but there are records of it being tested, as well as also being painted in production colors and multiple being built

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With them, Britain could have a heli with fire and forget weapons, aside from the Longbow/Brimstones

(Additional Note: Almost all the time Mokopas are just called Mokopas, even if they’re different variants)

6 Likes

Something that has always annoyed me with the Rooivalk (production variants) is that they don’t use or carry any AAMs that are also found on fixed wing aircraft, like the V3B which looks like can be mounted on the Mk.1 in the same way the prototypes had them.

Fire and Forget Mokopas would be very nice on the Rooivalk, especially seeing that this is a production Rooivalk

2 Likes

Was thinking. Maybe we can get both of these Rooivalk prototypes, yes one of them can’t fire weapons but I would love to have 3+ Rooivalks available in-game. I would also love to play with a Rooivalk that trades pen from its 20mm for HE damage from a 30mm

Also, might be a stretch, buuuuuuuuut the same Rooivalk was also shown to be able to carry Brimstones

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Truly one of the helis of all time

4 Likes

Maybe a later version. I want F&F Mokopas on the Mk.1F, I love it in all game modes but I want to have more killing potential in one go in Heli PvE

Looking on Wikipedia to see if the MMW radar seeker is well known and it apparently it is, there is also an IR seeker than can be used but no images are shown

I already have seeker info/which seeker it used already written down. I’ve made a suggestion for those 2 Mokopa variants for the Rooi, however they’re pending

1 Like

I’ve also made a suggestion for the RCWS on the Challenger 2 and that has been pending for a while as well but send me a link for both if they get passed

More unique South African stuff is welcomed. +1

Why does almost no one else want the Rooivalk XDM and ADM to be separate vehicles? I want both because they have unique features that the other doesn’t have, for example, The XDM can use the XC 30 and has Apache type HIRSS