Andrew Doyle/MUNICH
The Romanian Ministry of Defence has signed a firm contract for 24 Avioane IAR-99 Soim advanced trainer/light attack aircraft. The IAR-99s will be delivered in four batches of six aircraft starting this year, with the last to be handed over in June 2004.
The deal appears to replace a 1998 plan to upgrade a similar number of IAR-99s now in Romanian air force service. Avioane marketing manager Mircea Popa claims an agreement for upgrading those aircraft "didn't exist".
Popa says the newly ordered IAR-99s will be fitted with an Elbit Systems-supplied integrated avionics suite designed to allow the aircraft to be used as a fighter and for air-to-air and air-to-ground strike training. The updated aircraft has taken three years to develop in partnership with the Israeli company. Elbit is a partner with Romania's Aerostar on the Lancer upgrade for the Mikoyan MiG-21 and the Sniper update for the RSK MiG-29 Fulcrum.
As with the Romanian air force's Lancers, the upgraded Soim can carry Israeli, Russian and NATO-standard weapons as well as electronic countermeasures, laser designation and photo reconnaissance pods, says Popa. Stores management is based around Elbit's modular multirole computer.
For combat, hands-on-throttle and-stick controls are fitted and Elbit's display and sight helmet is integrated with the cockpit. Self-protection systems include a radar warning receiver and chaff and flare dispenser system.
The aircraft's digital cockpit incorporates head-up and multi-function colour displays. The hybrid navigation system is based on an inertial navigation unit, global positioning system and air data computer.
"The trainer capabilities are completed by an advanced cockpit video recording system and a data transfer and acquisition system, which ensure an accurate and complete debriefing after flight," says Avioane's Popa.
Aerostar is responsible for the hydraulic system and landing gear, while the Viper 632-41M turbojet is built by Turbomecanica Bucuresti under licence from Rolls-Royce.
The air force is believed to be operating around 15 of the IAR-99s it has received since 1988.
Source: Flight International
