IAR-330L

The IAR-330L utility helicopter is the Romanian under license version of the successful  French Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma. Romania bought the license to Aerospatiale in 1974, in the middle of the Cold War, even though it was an active Warsaw Pact’s member, something really surprising. Production was launched shortly thereafter, and in October 1975 the first Romanian helicopter was already in the air. The first deliveries were made in 1977 with designation IAR-330L. Since then, more than 100 units have been delivered to Romanian Navy and Romanian Air Force, and more than 50 examples have been exported to countries such as Ecuador, Pakistan or the United Arab Emirates. Five versions have been developed, among them, the attack model IAR-330L SOCAT, and another special one for naval missions designated as IAR-330 NAVAL.

IAR-330L gallery and more info