The delays and cost overruns have extensively hampered further production and any international interest in the form of export orders. The system remains outdated as it still retains computer technology that is some twenty years old. Additionally, the Denel company was suffering from financial unrest, scaring off any potential international sales who had a fear of purchasing the unit only to see its underlying support disappear in the future. Denel ties to the Eurocopter firm might save the Rooivalk project in that respect, though that kind of partnership remains to be seen seeing it that Denel was looking to sell Rooivalks on the export market knowing it was also selling French-made components in the process.
As of this writing, only 12 examples have been delivered with few in complete operational form. There are talks of either canceling the entire program in full and retiring the existing units or taking on another series of developmental versions and bringing out a new and up-to-date Rooivalk attack helicopter. The status of the future of the Rooivalk program is under debate.
The Rooivalk Mk 1.1 is a new standard in play that is set to modernize the existing AH-2 fleet. This will install a missile warning system as well as updated avionics. The work will take place from April 2017 on.
Eleven Rooivalk combat helicopters currently (2018) make up the South African Air Force fleet, these being assigned to 16 Squadron.
2013 marked the first combat operations for the Rooivalk series when three units were committed to the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
September 2016 - The Rooivalk's good showing against insurgents in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during its 2013 peacekeeping mission has given rise to talks concerning an export variant of the AH-2 - the Rooivalk Mk II.
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