Romanian UN mission in Mali ended
On 15 October 2020, the Fortele Aeriene Ale Romaniei (FAR, Romanian Air Force) concluded its one-year commitment to the UN mission in Mali.
Romania operated four IAR330 Puma helicopters at Camp Castor Gao, in south-east Mali. In total, the IAR330s have flown more than 1,250 flight hours.
In the early morning of 27 October 2020, three IAR330s departed Camp Castor and after a fly-by they flew to Mopti Airport for refuelling.
From there they continued their journey to the capital of Mali, Bomako. At Bomako, the main rotor blades, the bearing rotor hub and the anti-torque stabilizer needs to be disassembled before the helicopters can be loaded on the Antonov An-124. It is expected that the helicopters will return to Romania in the first week of November 2020.
During the UN mission one IAR330 was damaged at Douentza base. The Puma from the Carpathian Pumas Detachment was damaged by a storm on 10 August 2020. Two helicopters were conducting a reconnaissance mission and had landed for refueling at the UNO Base at Douentza. A sudden storm unfolded and one of the two helicopters was blown over. This helicopter was transported home on board a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III on 23 October 2020.
The IAR330 is the Romanian-built version of the Aérospatiale SA330 Puma helicopter, manufactured by IAR Brașov. Romania bought a licence to manufacture the French helicopter on 30 July 1974. The first licensed Puma was flown on 22 October 1975 under the designation IAR330L.
Photos: Romanian Air Force