Rooivalk helicopters attack and destroy Congo rebel AA guns

[Stratofreighter]

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Three of the South African Air Force’s Rooivalk combat support helicopters will be in the DRC before year-end to boost MONUSCO and its Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in executing its offensive mandate in the aircraft’s first ever combat deployment.

Captain (SAN) Zamo Sithole, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations media liaison officer, confirmed to defenceWeb that three of 16 Squadron’s 11 combat helicopters would join up with the aviation unit of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).

“The aircraft will be deployed before year-end and will have full SA Air Force (SAAF) ground support and technical staff,” he said.

More through both
http://www.saairforce.co.za/news-and-ev ... ing-to-drc
and
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... &Itemid=30

Also see http://saairforce.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6713

[Stratofreighter]

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=107

Tuesday, 05 November 2013

According to an anonymous defenceWeb source, the aircraft arrived on Friday and were given clearance to conduct operations on Monday.

African Defence Review has reported that two SAAF Rooivalk helicopters flew the craft’s first ever combat mission yesterday afternoon at approximately 17h00 Congolese time.

They fired multiple 70 mm rocket salvos against M23 bunkers near the mountainous Chanzu region, close to the Rwandan border.

defenceWeb's anonymous source said the United Nations had requested helicopter support during an offensive in the Kabalo region against scattered M23 rebel positions.

The Rooivalks were sent into action alongside a couple of Russia Mi-35 attack helicopters also with the UN mission.

Operations concluded around 18h20 after one helicopter had fired 38 rockets and another 17 rockets.
Apparently UN management is impressed with the performance of the South African rotorcraft.

Olivier notes that early reports from sources in the area indicate that the action was successful,
with the Rooivalks’ tactical approach through the clouds taking the M23 defenders by surprise and their rocket fire being accurate enough to disperse them and destroy one of the 14.5 mm anti-aircraft guns that had been previously used to fire at the Rooivalks and other helicopters.