Atlas XH-1 Alpha

The Atlas XH-1 Alpha is a prototype attack helicopter built by Atlas Aviation (now Denel) of South Africa, which used it as a concept demonstrator for the then-planned Rooivalk project.

XH-1 Alpha
Alpha XH-1
Role Prototype
Manufacturer Atlas Aviation
Denel
First flight 3 February 1985
Status Retired
Number built 1
Developed from Aérospatiale Alouette III

Development

It was developed from an Aérospatiale Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original cockpit with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20 mm cannon under the chin and converting the undercarriage to tail-dragger configuration.

The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985,[1] and soon embarked on a rigorous flight test program to examine the feasibility of a dedicated attack helicopter in southern African conditions. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and the South African Air Force to go ahead with the development of a dedicated attack helicopter – the Denel Rooivalk.

The XH-1 and Rooivalk are completely different aircraft and share no components. The Rooivalk was developed from the later XH-2 prototype.

The sole XH-1 was retired sometime in the late 1980s and was handed over to the South African Air Force Museum, where it remains to this day.

Specifications (XH-1)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 10.56 m (34 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)
  • Empty weight: 1,400 kg (3,086 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft, 410 kW (550 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 11.02 m (36 ft 2 in)
  • Main rotor area: 95.4 m2 (1,027 sq ft)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn)
  • Range: 550 km (340 mi, 300 nmi)

Armament

  • Guns: 1 × Vektor GA-1 Rattler 20mm cannon in a chin turret with 1,000 rounds
gollark: Inertial guidance or whatever probably less so, at the accelerations it'd have to deal with.
gollark: Accurate orbital prediction is as far as I know basically a solved problem, GPS relies on it.
gollark: True, true.
gollark: You don't really need to *destroy* the incoming rod as much as deflect it a few degrees though, no?
gollark: They radiate tons of heat and you can perfectly predict their orbital path given previous knowledge of it.

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
  1. Air International June 1986, p.599.
  • "An Alpha From Atlas". Air International, June 1986, Vol.30 No. 6. p. 299. ISSN 0306-5634.
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