has produced and sold the first military aircraft made in South Africa since the 1980s when state-owned arms maker Denel SOC Ltd. unveiled the Rooivalk, or red falcon, attack helicopter.
South Africa built up an arms and aerospace industry during the apartheid era of Whites-only rule when it was subject to international sanctions and sought to bolster its defences against both perceived foreign threats and an internal insurrection.“We had this kind of unusual skill set, which had come about because of the mistake of history that was the apartheid-era aerospace industry.” Ivor Ichikowitz, Paramount’s founder, said in an interview.
“We’re targeting any country in the world that has to deal with an asymmetrical threat,” Ichikowitz said in a reference to countries combating terrorists or rebels. Its cost, excluding add-ons such as advanced avionics systems is about $10 million and it can be operated for $1,500 an hour of flying time.
It’s competitors largely consist of re-purposed crop-sprayers, small passenger planes and training aircraft such as Embraer SA’s Super Tucano as well as unmanned drones.
Ooookei... Hunting poachers with missiles... Or identifying them? How is this better than a helicopter with missiles? Slower, but much more agile and can certainly take out a $30 Landy with ease... I am just not sure why anyone would want this and the exact application.
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