Information and Public Relations Directorate
E-mail: presamapn@mapn.ro
Contact: 021-319.60.22
Based on a frame-contract signed in 2001 National Company Romtehnica S.A. ended with Elbit Systems from Israel a delivery contract for three new airplanes and modernization of five school and advanced training airplanes IAR 99 SOIM in worth of $43 millions. Based on the offset engagement 91% of the total value of the contract will return in the national economy. Based on the same contract the Ministry of National Defence purchased in 2001 other four same type airplanes.
The program coordinated by the Israeli company will run on about three and a half years and will ensure the delivery of a package of specific advanced avionics equipment for the significant reduce of training costs for the future pilots of the Romanian Air Force fighting airplanes.
S.C. Avioane S.A. Craiova, the general constructor of IAR 99 SOIM will have as the industrial support the partnership of cooperation with Romanian aeronautics companies such as S.C. Aerostar S.A. Bacau, S.C. Turbomecanica S.A. Bucuresti and S.C. Aerofina S.A. Bucuresti.
As something new for this program, Elbit Systems will deliver an advanced air fight training system, generally named ACTS for the training of the IAR 99 SOIM pilots for their missions on airplanes like MiG 21 Lancer or other 4th generation airplanes (F 16, Grippen, Eurofighter and son on).
IAR 99 SOIM airplane is made by S.C. Avioane S.A. Craiova in cooperation with Elbit System and had more then 1300 missions within the Romanian Air Force and was successfully showed at International Shows Farnborough and Le Bourget.
Department for Armament