Upgrade contracts for Romanian Armed Force helicopters and light attack aircraft
On 14 March 2023, Elbit Systems Ltd. issued a press release that the company was awarded four different contracts to upgrade the IAR330 Puma helicopter fleet of both the Forțele Navale Române (Romanian Navy) and the Fortele Aeriene ale Romaniei (Romanian Air Force) as well as upgrades for the Romanian Air Force IAR-99 Șoim (Hawk) advanced trainer and light attack aircraft.
The Romanian Navy IAR330s will first receive the Elbit Systems SPECTRO XR payload to enhance their operational capabilities.
A second contract for the Navy operated Pumas covers the delivery of a comprehensive Electronic Warfare (EW) suite including Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), Laser Warning System (LWS), Infrared Missile Warning System (IR MWS) and Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS). Delivery is spread over a period three years.
As part of a third contract, Elbit Systems Ltd. will provide Elbit Systems HDTS type head systems, SPECTRO XR electro-optical systems and an aircraft mission package that includes smart displays, digital maps and reconnaissance systems for the Romanian Air Force operated IAR330s. The company will also supply the Brightnite systems to IAR Brasov for upgrading the air forces IAR330 SAR helicopters. This contract will be carried out over a period of two years. The Brightnite system is designed to overcome visibility limitations and enable to safely and affectively fly missions in dark nights, poor weather conditions, brownouts, whiteouts and sandstorms.
The Romanian Air Force and Navy have a fleet of around fifty operational IAR330 Puma helicopters.
The fourth contract will see the supply of advanced avionic suites, live training embedded virtual avionics systems, advanced monitors, overhead display, navigation system and weapons activiation systems to Avioane Craiova for upgrading the IAR-99 advanced trainer and light attack aircraft of which the air force operates around twenty aircraft. This contract will carried out over a period of four years.
Photos (both Scramble Archive) by Erik Sleutelberg (IAR330) and Hans Antonissen (IAR-99)