Development
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.
In 1992 a new upgrade program was started in partnership with IAI Lahav of Israel, for both Romanian Air Force use and export. One aircraft (number 7003, the third prototype) was brought to the new IAR 109 "Swift" standard. It was equipped with HOTAS (Hands On Throttle and Stick) controls in both cockpits, a wide angle HUD (Head-Up Display) with Up Front Control Panel in the front cockpit, two 3 inch displays in both cockpits, a ring laser gyro Inertial Navigation System (INS), as well as the integration of both Eastern and Western weapon systems on the aircraft. The aircraft was displayed at the 1993 Paris Air Show. In 1994, however, this program also ground to a halt.
In 1996 the upgrade program of the IAR 99 was revived with the need for a lead-in trainer for the newly upgraded MiG-21 Lancer. The Israeli company Elbit was chosen as an integrator and the avionics package is compatible with 5th generation fighter systems and it is inspired from the MiG-21 Lancer upgrade but adapted to IAR 99 needs. The first upgraded IAR 99 was the 18th production aircraft (number 718), which performed its first flight on 22 May 1997. The upgraded IAR 99 was displayed at Paris in 1997 and Farnborough in 1998. On 6 August 1998, the Romanian Government approved the introduction into series production of the upgrade program for 40 IAR-99s out of which 24 were supposed to be delivered by 2001. The new variant was designated as IAR 99C.
Later the number was reduced to 12, only 7 of which are to be new-built (numbers 719-725), and 5 upgraded from existing IAR-99 (numbers 709,711,712,713,717). Thus, RoAF will have 12 IAR-99C Soim (upgraded) and 10 IAR-99 Standard, with 7003 and 718 probably remaining with Avioane Craiova SA as demonstrator aircraft.
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