The enter of the first helicopter IAR 330 PUMA NAVAL in the Romanian Navy use will be marked through a military and religious ceremony will occur Friday, July 13, starting 10 a.m. in Constanta military Bay.

The Navy endowment program with helicopters started in May 2005 when they signed the acquisition contract for three helicopters for the Romanian frigates for special missions.

Eight marine officers got the pilot licenses in 2006 after they graduated the training courses in the Air Force School of Applications from Bobocu. The pilots continued their training at the 90th Otopeni Air Transport Base. In the same time they have trained the technical personnel for the naval helicopters.

Since February till June 2007, the naval helicopter was tested in different weather conditions on ground and on board of frigates. The helicopter was tested in specific maritime environment. After that a joint commission made of the MoD representatives and the producer, IAR Ghimbav, homologated the helicopter.


The first aviation elements in the Romanian Navy started in June 1920 when few Navy officers were asked to receive 12 hydro-planes, captures of war from the 1919 campaign. The hydro-planes, checked by the Aeronautic Cotroceni-Bucuresti Arsenal and send by train in Constanta Bay, had formed the Maritime Aviation Group commanded by Captain Constantin Negru.

The first hydro-plane flight occurred in July 21, 1920 in Constanta Bay. Because Constanta Bay had no adequate conditions for the fly of hydro-planes, the Romanian Hydro-aviation had the base on Siutghiol Lake, north of Constanta town. The Romanian Hydro-aviation was endowed with S 55 hydro-planes, and in the 15 years of exploitation had no accident. During the Second World War the Romanian hydro- aviation had no plane lost in direct confrontation with the enemy.

MoD Press Office