Abstract: Rock drilling apparatus including a pressure fluid driven rock drilling machine (10) and a drill unit (11). The drill unit (11) includes a drill rod (18), a drill bit (16) and a tube (20) surrounding the drill rod (18). The drill rod (18) has a collar (22) in front of a shank (21), the collar (22) maintaining the tube (20) rotatably therebetween and between the drill bit (16). The rock drilling machine (10) includes coupling device (46; 57), a socket means (42) and a rotation chuck (44) for receiving and holding the tube (20) and shank (21) connected to the machine (10), the tube (20) being radially spaced around the drill rod (18) and non-rotatably connected to the socket means (42).