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IAR.316B helicopter type qualifying as Navy
pilots in July 2006 f inalizing a 100 hour
training syllabus. “At the start the trainers
at Boboc were a bit hesitant to have naval
aviators with no experience trained, luckily
this changed as we showed our capabilities
and dealing successfully with the fast pace
of training” according to one of the FAR
Naval pi lots . The new naval aviators
continued with an accelerated training on
the IAR.330 SOCAT at Bucharest-Otopeni
airport for an additional 75 hours focusing
on day operations, basic maneuvering and
eme r gen c y p r o ce du r e s ” e xp l a i n s
Commander Ciobotaru, one of the current
elite naval pilots. Simultaneously with the
pi lot training, eighteen ground crew
technicians were trained at Boboc Air Force
Academy. Two of the eight pilots are also
instructors on the IAR.330 Puma Naval.
“As we did not have any relevant
experience anymore in naval operations we
had to start building our expertise again. In
a way we are a self-learning squadron”
according to Lt. Cmdr. Bogdan Curca “To
build up our expertise in Anti-Submarine
Warfare (ASW) operations we have been
working closely together with ASWoperators
on our Frigates as of 2014”. “Af ter an
extensive training we gained operational
ASW capabilities in 2015. Currently we are
conducting real life exercises with the
Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetler i)
submarines in order to test our procedures
deploying the new TMS2000 sonobuoys
with support of two technicians from Thalys”.
To enhance IAR-330 Puma Naval helicopter’s
ASW IAR Brasov awarded a contract in June
2013 to Thales to develop and deliver TMS
2000 sonobuoy processors. The sonobuoys
send acoustic data to the processor through
a VHF link which is received from the VHF
receiver and processed by the aircraft in
real-time. The TMS 2000 provides capabilities
for detection, tracking, localization and
classif ication of surface and subsurface
targets in all environments by processing
active and/or passive acoustic data gathered
from sonobuoys. The TMS 2000 provides
mono and multi-static processing modes
for all active sonobuoys.
The last stage of the modernization was
finalized by late 2015 and had run for two
years. The helicopters have been fitted with
torpedo launcher s , ex tending thei r
operability to anti-submarine warfare. The
Puma Naval had previously been outfitted
in 2012 with two machine guns (7.62 mm
and 12.7 mm), for anti-piracy operations
(operation Atalanta). “We have not selected
and procured the actual torpedoes yet” adds
squadron commander Mitric. “The Puma
Naval is able to carry various torpedoes. We
just select what equipment we want to have
and put it on the helicopter. That is our way
of working and thinking” finalizes Marius
Mitric. It is expected a final decision will be
made before end of 2016 which torpedo will
be selected. It is most likely the BAE systems
Stingray torpedo will be selected.
To further sustain the future of Romanian
Naval Aviation there are plans to acquire a
fourth IAR.330 Puma Naval specifically to
support the Batalionul 307 Infanterie Marina
(307th Marine Battalion), the elite squadron
of the Romanian Marines. The Marines are
trained in a similar way with the Green Berets
and Rangers and are primarily used for on/
of f -shore and beach-head establishing
missions, as well as fighting in Delta regions
such as the Danube Delta. Less known is the
cooperation with GNFOS Grupul Naval -
For te pentru Opera ii Speciale Grupul
Scafandri Incursori (Special Operations Naval
Group) who also saw action during Operation
Atalanta (2012).
To support the future expansion of tasks
and sustain the ‘Black Knight’ squadron a new
group of young pilots is planned to be trained
at Boboc training school in the near future.
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INTEGRITY – COMMITMENT – TENACITY
IAR 330 Puma Naval