IAR 330 Puma
IAR-330 Puma
Designed in the mid 1960s
to meet a French Army requirement for a new medium-lift transport
helicopter, the Aerospatiale Puma was subsequently produced under
license by IAR Brasov as IAR-330 Puma, being a complement for
the light transport helicopter IAR-316 Alouette.
The first flight
of the Aerospatiale Puma prototype took place on 15 April 1965.
More than 163 helicopters had been built in Romania, for for both
civil / military use - 104 helicopters for the Romanian Air Force
- and many of the military helicopters have weapons capability,
carrying rocket pods, guided antitank missiles, cannons and machine
guns. Also a SAR version, fitted with inflatable floaters for
emergency landing on the sea, had been built in a small batch.
57 helicopters were exported in various countries, and the production
still continues.
The helicopter has full IFR capability, the avionics
including a 3 axis SFIM-137A autopilot, VHF/UHF radios, ADF, VOR/DME
and a Doppler navigation radar. For the time being 24 of the remaining
IAR-330 helicopters of the Romanian Air Force are being upgraded
as IAR-330 Puma SOCAT to be used as antitank gunships.
Technical data
Powerplant: two TURMO IV B turboshaft engines, 1400 HP each.
Dimensions:
- Length: 15m;
- Height: 4,7m;
- Wingspan: 3,38m.
- Main prpeller diameter: 16,2m.
Weights:
- Empty: 3615kg;
- Maximum takeoff weight: 7400kg.
Weapons:
- a NR-32 23-mm caliber gun (some models);
- two side 7.62 mm caliber machine guns;
- 400 kg external stores including Maliutka antitank missile, bombs or UB-16-57 rocket pods, mounted on 4 external hardpoints.
Payload: 1000kg
Crew: 3.
Performance:
- Maximum speed: 263km/h;
- Ceiling: 4800m;
- Maximum range: 550km.
Powerplant: two TURMO IV B turboshaft engines, 1400 HP each.
Dimensions:
- Length: 15m;
- Height: 4,7m;
- Wingspan: 3,38m.
- Main prpeller diameter: 16,2m.
Weights:
- Empty: 3615kg;
- Maximum takeoff weight: 7400kg.
Weapons:
- a NR-32 23-mm caliber gun (some models);
- two side 7.62 mm caliber machine guns;
- 400 kg external stores including Maliutka antitank missile, bombs or UB-16-57 rocket pods, mounted on 4 external hardpoints.
Payload: 1000kg
Crew: 3.
Performance:
- Maximum speed: 263km/h;
- Ceiling: 4800m;
- Maximum range: 550km.
IAR 330 Puma
