IAR-93

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IAR-93 Vultur
Type ground attack
low level interceptor
Manufacturer I.R.Av Craiova
Designed by INCAS Romania
VTJ Yugoslavia
Maiden flight October 31 1974
Retired Apr 1998
Primary user Romanian Air Force
Number built 88

IAR 93 "Vultur" (Eagle) is a twin-engine, subsonic, close support, ground attack and tactical reconnaissance aircraft with secondary capability as low level interceptor, built as single-seat main attack version or combat capable two-seat version for advanced flying and weapon training. It was developed as a joint Yugoslav-Romanian project in the 1970s for the air forces of both nations. The Romanian aircraft were built by Avioane Craiova SA as IAR-93, and its yugoslav counterpart by Soko as the Soko J-22 Orao. For Romania, the IAR-93 was intended to replace MiG-15s and MiG-17s in the fighter-bomber role.

Contents

[edit] Development

On May 20, 1971, Romania and Yugoslavia signed the governmental agreements for the YuRom R&D programme. The program managers were Dipl. Dr. Engineer Teodor Zamfirescu for the Romanian party and Colonel Vidoje Knezevic for the yugoslav party.

The requirements called for a light subsonic aircraft for ground attack and tactical reconnaissance missions and with low level air combat as a secondary capability. It was to be built on a simple structure, using locally produced equipment and avionics (but compatible with western components), tough (able to operate on grass or damaged runways), easy to maintain and reliable. The aircraft was of conventional twin-engine, high mounted wing monoplane configuration with all flying surfaces swept. The Rolls-Royce Viper was chosen as the powerplant, as Soko had experience with licence-building this engine. It was originally intended that an afterburner would be developed for the Viper engines, but there were prolonged difficulties with this project, meaning that none of the pre-production aircraft featured it, and neither did early production examples. During the 1980s, both countries developed slightly different versions to take advantage of the afterburning engines that had since become available.

[edit] Flight testing

The Romanian single-seat prototype White 001 made its first flight which lasted 21 minutes on October 31, 1974 at Bacău (simultaneously with the yugoslav prototype at Mostar). The aircraft was flown by Colonel Gheorghe Stănică. On September 20, 1979 the plane was lost when, during a test flight both engines stopped and the pilot ejected. This prompted modifications to the combustion chamber (including all aircraft already delivered).

On July 18, 1975 the aircraft was presented to Nicolae Ceauşescu on the Bacău airfield.

The DC (two-seat) prototype 003 first flew on January 23, 1977, and was lost on November 11, 1977 due to tail flutter. The left elevator broke off while in level flight at 500 m altitude and 1,045 km/h. The Martin-Baker Mk RU10J zero-zero ejection seats functioned well and the two test pilots ejected safely. After this event the aft fuselage structure was reinforced.

Prototype 004 crashed at Craiova Air Base on February 20, 1979 during an aerobatics demonstration. The pilot, Major Dobre Stan didn't manage to eject.

On August 23, 1979 three IAR-93 (001, 002 and 005) were first presented to the public in flight during the military parade celebrating the national day of Romania at that time.

[edit] Variants

  • IAR-93A: initial production version with non-afterburning Viper Mk 632-41 turbojets
    15 pre-production aircraft delivered in 1979; entered service in 1981
    26 built (109-119 pre-production, 150-164 series) as single-seaters and 9 DC (two-seat) trainers (005-008 pre-production, 180-184 series)
  • IAR-93MB: MB = Motor de Baza (basic engine). This version had the fuselage of the IAR-93B but used the non-afterburning engine of the IAR-93A
    delivered starting with 1982
    15 single-seaters built (201-215)
  • IAR-93B: refined version with afterburning Viper Mk 633-47 engines, increased internal fuel capacity, upgraded hardpoints and revised wing, including leading edge extensions. Also, the ventral fins, inboard wing fences and forward fuselage strakes were removed
    first flew in 1985; entered service in 1987
    27 built as single-seater (200, 216-241) and 7 DC (600-606)

[edit] Operators

[edit] Lost aircraft

  • 003, November 11 or November 24, 1977, the left elevator broke off due to flutter. the pilots (G.D. Stanica ?) ejected safely
  • 004, February 20, 1979 at Craiova Air Base. crashed during an aerobatics demonstration, the pilot, Maj. Dobre Stan, didn't manage to eject
  • 001, September 20, 1979, both engines stopped. the pilot, L.P. Botea, ejected safely
  • 113, March 08, 1983, I.G. Tanase
  •  ???*, August 14, 1986, G.M. Stoica
  • 602, August 25, 1992, both pilots (D.C. Cosaceanu, T.G. Neagoe) ejected safely
  • 200, November 26, 1996 at Recea-Slatina. crashed during a test flight. the pilot ejected safely
  • 210, July 09, 1997 at Craiova Air Base. exploded on the runway during preparations for weapons testing. 16 people died
  • 219, April 09, 1998 at Ghercesti, near Craiova. the forward landing gear couldn't be deployed after a test flight. the pilot, Cmdr. Ion Marculescu, ejected safely and the airplane crashed a few km further

(* not confirmed or incomplete info)

[edit] Retirement

Following the outbreak of the war in Yugoslavia and the UN embargo, the IAR-93 program ended in Romania in 1992, with several airframes in different stages of construction. Around 75 aircraft were still in service, a few of them being used for testing and research (200 - first B model with afterburners, 600 - DC, the only one fitted with canards).

The last IAR-93s were withdrawn and mothballed from the Romanian Air Force in 1998.

The J-22 Orao are still in service with the air forces of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The last yugoslav aircraft was delivered in February 1992, and the plant in Mostar was dismantled shortly after.

[edit] IAR-93s on display

Surviving IAR-93s are stored at Deveselu (IAR-93A #116), Timisoara (IAR-93MB #214), and Craiova (about 60 aircraft), not flightworthy (engines and other equipment removed) and most of them are up for sale.

[edit] Specifications (IAR-93B)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Payload: 2,500 kg (5,512 lb)
  • Length: 14.90 m (48 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 4.52 m (14 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 26.0 m² (280 ft²)
  • Airfoil: NACA 65A-008 (modified)
  • Empty weight: 5,750 kg (12,676 lb)
  • Useful load: 8,400 kg (18,519 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 10,900 kg (22,030 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× Turbomecanica/Orao-built Rolls-Royce Viper Mk 633-47 afterburning turbojets
    • Dry thrust: 17.79 kN (4,000 lbf) each
    • Thrust with afterburner: 22.24 kN (5,000 lbf) each

Performance

Armament

  • VHF/UHF air-to-air and air-to-ground radio (20W transmission power)
  • gyro unit (Honeywell SGP500 twin-gyro platform in ORAO)
  • radio altimeter
  • ADF
  • radio compass and marker receiver
  • IFF (IAR-93B only)
  • GEC-Marconi three-axis stability augmentation system, incorporating a basic bank/altitude hold autopilot and emergency wings-level facility

[edit] External links

[edit] Related content

Related development

Soko J-22 Orao

Comparable aircraft

Designation sequence

IAR-93 - IAR-95 - IAR-99 - IAR-109

See also

v • d • e
IAR (Intreprinderea Aeronautică Română) aircraft

IAR-12 · IAR-14 · IAR-16 · IAR-37 · IAR-39 · IAR-46 · IAR-79 · IAR-80 · IAR-81 · IAR-93 'Vultur' · IAR-95 'Spey' · IAR-99 'Soim' · IAR-109 'Swift'

Series 300 (helicopters): IAR-316 · IAR-317 'Airfox' · IAR-330 'Puma' · IAR-330L 'Socat'

Series 800: IAR-822 · IAR-823 · IAR-825 · IAR-831

Factories: IAR Braşov · SET Bucureşti · Avioane Craiova · IAR Bacău · IAR Buftea · IAR Ghimbav

v • d • e
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