IAR 99

IAR 99
IAR 99 of the Romanian Air Force
Role	Jet trainer and light attack aircraft
National origin	Romania
Manufacturer	Avioane Craiova
Design group	INCAS Romania
First flight	1985
Introduction	1987
Status	Active
Primary user	Romanian Air Force
Number built	20+

IAR 99 "Șoim" (Hawk) is an advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft capable of performing close air support and reconnaissance missions. The IAR 99 is intended to replace the Aero L-29 Delfin and L-39 Albatros as trainer from the Romanian Air Force inventory. The aircraft is of semi-monocoque design, with tapered wings and a swept back tail unit. A large blade-type antenna installed beneath the nose on the port side of the fuselage gives the IAR 99 trainer a distinctive appearance.

The design of the aircraft started in 1975 and this would be the first jet trainer fully designed and built in Romania. In 1979 funding was approved for building the first trainer by I.R.Av Craiova where the IAR 93 attack aircraft was currently built. The prototype (S-001) flew on 21 December 1985 with Lt. Col. Vagner Ștefănel at the controls. S-002 served for static (ground) testing, S-003 being the second flying prototype (later re-serialled 7003). The aircraft entered series production in 1987, with 17 aircraft delivered to the Romanian Air Force by 1989. Two were lost in the 1990s (numbers 710 and 714). In 1990 the fall of the Eastern Block created new export opportunities for the aircraft, but while the aircraft had excellent aerodynamic and handling qualities, it was left behind in its class because of its obsolete avionics, with upgrading becoming a priority. The first upgrade attempt was made in 1990 by I.R.Av Craiova together with the Texas-based Jaffe Aircraft Corporation. Two aircraft were modified by installing Honeywell avionics, while the canopy was changed to a two piece design instead of the original one piece. The aircraft were displayed at the 1990 Farnborough Airshow, being proposed for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System program for the United States of America, although this work resulted in no orders.

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