SOUTH AFRICA'S ATLAS AVIATION brought its indigenous upgrade of the Aerospatiale Puma military transport, the Oryx, to Dubai with the aim of interesting some of the region's Puma operators in the Oryx upgrade package. The Oryx is powered by the South African Topaz, rather than the French Turbomeca Makila, and is already in service with the South African armed forces. The United Arab Emirates already operates the Puma, and has fitted some of the helicopters with a South African weapons package. Alongside the Oryx, Atlas was also showing a Rooivalk prototype with improved engines, and redesigned exhaust outlets to reduce the aircraft's infra-red signature. The helicopter was fitted with the Kentron Mokopa, a new laser-guided anti-armour weapon intended to succeed the ZT-3 missile. Imaging infra-red and millimetre-wave seeker-head guidance options are also being offered for Mokopa.
Source: Flight International