Denel AH - 2 Rooivalk The Denel AH - 2 Rooivalk is an attack helicopter of South African Air Force ( SAAF , An acronym for " South African Air Force " ) . Description . South Africa has shown a great capacity to develop their own weapon systems due to an international arms embargo that was in effect during the 1970s and - 80s . By that , South Africa ' s industry has grown so far that today it can be considered one of the major players of the world ' s military development . The combat helicopter AH - 2 Rooivalk was designed and developed by Denel , the leading aerospace manufacturer in South Africa , following a request of the South African Air Force ( SAAF ) who pronounced the need for a dedicated attack helicopter . The experience of suffering from an arms embargo showed the need to development of a local helicopter since importing a ready - made aircraft was not possible . Atlas , the predecessor of Denel , assembled a prototype attack helicopter called the XH - 1 , based on the Alouette III , but the model was not potent enough for the requested mission . So , another prototype , this time based on the Puma transport helicopter ' s cell , was built under the name of XTP - 1 and subsequently renamed the XH - 2 . Currently , the definitive name for the production model is AH - 2 Rooivalk . Altogether only 16 units of the Rooivalk were built . The model was offered to England and even Brazil , but without success . The market for attack helicopters is relatively small and the models that tend to get some commercial success are usually produced by countries with a more established weapons industry such as the United States and Russia . The Rooivalk is powered by two French Turbomeca Makila 1K2 turbines that produce a power of 2301 shp each . This turbine is a version of the same turbine used in the Super Puma transport helicopter . The Rooivalk can reach a top speed of 309 km / h and therefore a bit faster than the Apache , considered by many as the best combat helicopter today . Eletronics . The Rooivalk is equipped with an electronics suite that allows the helicopter to operate day and night and in all weather conditions , consisting of a multi - sensor turret in the nose of the helicopter called TDATS . This system includes a FLIR ( Forward Looking Infrared ) or infrared vision display , a TV viewer for images in low light and a target designator / laser rangefinder for guiding weapons . The Rooivalk is also equipped with a suite of communication system consists of a UHF / VHF and HF radio for voice communication and data . There is also an IFF - system for friend - foe identification installed . Full avionics suite to a GPS . Armament . The armament of Rooivalk is directed toward tactical air support and to destroy armored vehicles . The main armament for this missions ist the South African Denel ZT - 6 Mokopa anti tank missile . The Mokopa has a range of 8 km , which is equal to the similar North American AGM - 114 Hellfire , used in the Apache . The Mokopa missile features a tandem warhead ( one behind the other ) optimized for penetrating the modern reactive armor ( ERA ) widely used by Russian and some Middle Eastern armored vehicles . The Mokopa is a semi - active laser guided missile , which requires the helicopter or an other element of the strike force to illuminate the target with a laser designator during the entire course of attack . Rooivalk can use the AGM - 114 Hellfire missile and the European HOT - 3 , too , in stead of Mokopa . To attack ground targets unguided 70 mm rockets may be used . Their launchers can hold 36 or 72 rockets each . The Rooivalk can also fight other helicopters using heat seaking Mistral missiles with a range of 6 km . In addition to these weapons the Rooivalk is equipped with a gas operated 20 mm caliber M - 2 cannon with 700 rounds of ammunition , fixed under the nose . This cannon fires at a rate of 740 rounds per minute and is used against light armored troops and other enemy helicopters , Rooivalk ' s most likely targets .