IAR-93 Vultur

The Avioane Craiova IAR-93 Vultur (Vulture) is a twinjet, subsonic, close support, ground attack and tactical reconnaissance aircraft with secondary capability as low level interceptor. Built as single-seat main attack version or combat capable two-seat version for advanced flying and weapon training, it was developed as a joint Yugoslav-Romanian project in the 1970s for the air forces of both nations. The Romanian aircraft were built by I.R.Av. Craiova as IAR-93, and its Yugoslav counterpart by Soko as the Soko J-22 Orao. For Romania, the IAR-93 was intended to replace MiG-15s and MiG-17s in the fighter-bomber role.

Variants

 * IAR-93A: The initial production version with non-afterburning Viper Mk.632-41 turbojets. Fifteen pre-production aircraft delivered in 1979 and it entered service in 1981. Twenty-six built (#109-119 pre-production, #150-164 series) as single-seaters and nine DC (two-seat) trainers (#005-008 pre-production, #180-184 series).
 * IAR-93MB: MB = Motor de Baza (basic engine). This version had the fuselage of the IAR-93B but used the non-afterburning engine of the IAR-93A. IAR-93MBs were delivered starting with 1982. A total of fifteen single-seaters were built (#201-215).
 * IAR-93B: Refined version with afterburning Viper Mk.633-47 engines, increased internal fuel capacity, upgraded hardpoints and revised wing, including leading edge extensions. Also, the ventral fins, inboard wing fences and forward fuselage strakes were removed. It first flew in 1985; entered service in 1987. Twenty-seven were built as single-seater (#200, #216-241) and seven DC (#600-606).

Users

 * Romania
 * Romanian Air Force

Related Development

 * Soko J-22 Orao

Comparable Aircraft

 * AMX International AMX
 * Mikoyan MiG-27
 * Mitsubishi F-1
 * Nanchang Q-5
 * SEPECAT Jaguar
 * Sukhoi Su-25
 * Xian JH-7 Flying Leopard