List of aircraft of the Romanian Air Force explained

This is a list of Romanian Air Force and Romanian Air Corps aircraft, those types in service since its formation in 1913, and also those types that are currently in service. The aircraft are listed in alphabetic or chronological order.

Active

ModelOriginTypeNumberDetails
Alenia C-27JItalyTransport7In service since 2010
Antonov An-30USSRSurveillance/aerial cartography2Upgraded model[1]
Antonov An-26USSRTransport1
Iak-52 W/TWRomaniaTrainer14Westernised versions
IAR 99 Standard/ȘoimRomaniaAdvanced trainer/light attack11 IAR 99 Standard
10 IAR 99 Șoim
Standard variant to be modernized to the SM variant
IAR 316BRomaniaTraining helicopter7
IAR 330L/MRomaniaUtility helicopter/transport helicopter35
IAR 330 SOCATRomaniaHelicopter gunship22Converted IAR 330L helicopters
Lockheed C-130B/HUSTransport4 C-130B
4 C-130H
First aircraft received in 1996
Lockheed Martin F-16 AM/BM MLUUSMultirole aircraft
Conversion trainer
21 F-16AM
5 F-16BM
Ex-Portuguese and ex-Norwegian fighters

NATO programmes

ModelOriginTypeNumberDetails
Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIUSStrategic airlift3 Shared within NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability programme.
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global HawkUSReconnaissance UAV5 Shared within NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance programme.

Beginnings & World War I

ModelOriginTypeTotal numberDetails
A Vlaicu IRomaniaMonoplane1In service 1910–1914
A Vlaicu IIRomaniaMonoplane1Crashed in 1913
A Vlaicu IIIRomaniaMonoplane1Captured by Germany in 1916
Albatros B.IGermanyReconnaissance1Purchased in 1913, retired in 1917
Aviatik C.IGermanyReconnaissance1Purchased in 1916
Blériot XIFranceMonoplane trainer ~28Retired in 1919
Blériot XXIFranceReconnaissance/trainer1Retired in 1916
Bristol B.R.7UKBiplane trainer1Purchased in 1913
Bristol Coanda MonoplaneUKMonoplane trainer13Retired in 1917
Bristol TB.8UKBiplane trainer/Bomber10Retired in 1917
One equipped as a bomber
Bréguet 4FranceBomber12In service 1916–1918
Bréguet 5FranceBomber/escort fighter20In service 1916–1921
Bréguet 14FranceBomber86-150Received from 1919, retired in 1929
Caudron G.3FranceReconnaissance12(?)In service 1916–1920
Caudron G.4FranceBomber20Received in 1917
Farman IIIFrance/RomaniaBiplane trainer6Built by Cerchez & Co.
Farman F.40, F.46FranceReconnaissance/bomber120In service 1916–1920
Farman HF.20FranceReconnaissance/bomber4In service 1914–1916
Farman HF.27FranceReconnaissance/bomber3Ex-RNAS aircraft
In service 1916–1919
Farman MF.7FranceReconnaissance/bomber6In service 1915–1918
Farman MF.11FranceReconnaissance/bomber6In service 1915–1918
Nieuport IVFranceTrainer1(?)In service 1912–1914
Nieuport 10FranceTrainer1In service 1915–1918
Nieuport 11FranceFighter18+In service 1916–1923
Nieuport 12FranceFighter/artillery spotter5Received in 1916
Nieuport 17, 23FranceFighter30 N.17
15+ N.23
In service 1917–1923
Nieuport 21FranceFighter10+In service 1916–1923
Nieuport 24bisFranceFighter12In service 1917–1923
Morane-Saulnier Type LFranceParasol reconnaissance6In service 1915–1919
Rumpler TaubeGermanyMonoplane trainer1In service 1913–1920
Sopwith PupUKFighter?
Sopwith 1½ StrutterUK/FranceMultirole biplane72In service 1917–1924
SPAD VIIFranceFighter39(?)One received in 1919, others in 1920
Voisin III, VFranceBomber/reconnaissance8In service 1915–1919

Captive balloons

TypeOriginNumberDetails
CaquotFrance19+ capacity kite balloon
DrachenGermany4 capacity kite balloon

Captured

ModelOriginTypeTotal NumberDetails
Aviatik (Berg) D.IAustria-HungaryFighter16 Captured from Hungary in 1919
Retired in 1923
Fokker D.VIGermanyFighter6Captured from Hungary in 1919[2]
Retired in 1925
Fokker D.VIIAustria-HungaryFighter34Captured from Hungary in 1919
Retired in 1926
Hansa-Brandenburg C.IAustria-HungaryReconnaissance22+Captured from Hungary in 1919
Unknown number captured during World War I
LVG C.VIGermanyReconnaissance11Captured from Hungary in 1919
Retired in 1923
Phönix C.IAustria-HungaryReconnaissance4Captured from Hungary in 1919
Retired in 1934
Ufag C.IAustria-HungaryReconnaissance20Captured from Hungary in 1919
Zeppelin-Staaken R.XIVaGermanyHeavy bomber1Number R.70/18 seized in 1919[3]
Retired in 1926

Interwar period

DateModelOriginTypeTotal numberDetails
1920SPAD XIIIFranceFighter21(?)Retired in 1926
1921Airco DH.9UKBomber10Retired in 1926
1921Nieuport 81FranceTrainer10Retired in 1923
1922Hansa-Brandenburg C.IRomaniaReconnaissance/trainer120Built by Arsenalul Aeronautic
Retired in 1930
1924Hanriot HD.14FranceTrainer15Retired in 1930
1924Proto 2RomaniaTrainer25Retired in 1930
1924Potez XVFranceReconnaissance/bomber120Retired in 1939
1924Morane-Saulnier 35France/RomaniaTrainer42Retired in 1935
1925Blériot-SPAD S.61FranceFighter100Retired in 1935
1926Fokker D.XINetherlandsFighter49Retired in 1938
1926RaboRomaniaTrainer1Retired in 1930
1927Caudron C.59FranceMulti-purpose aircraft20Retired in 1937
1927Morane-Saulnier MS.43FranceTrainer5Retired in 1930
1927Morane-Saulnier MS.129FranceTrainer10Retired in 1935
1927Nieuport-Delage NiD 42FranceFighter1Damaged and withdrawn from service in 1928
1928Bréguet 19FranceLight bomber/reconnaissance110[4] Retired in 1939
1928Farman F.168 GoliathFranceBomber/transport4Retired in 1934
1928Gourdou-Leseurre GL.32FranceTrainer62Retired in 1941
1928Lioré et Olivier LeO 20BN.3FranceNight bomber7Retired in 1940
1928Potez 25/25.36/25.40France/RomaniaReconnaissance/bomber260 Potez 25
3 Potez 25.36
3 Potez 25.40
Last aircraft retired in 1948
1929Dewoitine D.27FranceFighter3Retired in 1935
1929Nieuport-Delage NiD 72FranceFighter3Retired in 1935
1930Morane-Saulnier MS.230FranceTrainer16Retired in 1937
1930SET 3RomaniaTrainer10Retired in 1938
1930SET 31RomaniaTrainer20Retired in 1943
1930SET 7RomaniaTrainer50Retired in 1943
1931SET 4RomaniaTrainer30Retired in 1943
1931Fokker D.XVINetherlandsFighter1Retired in 1938
1932de Havilland DH.60 MothUKTrainer3Retired in 1938
1932SET 41RomaniaTrainer10Retired in 1939
1933PZL P.11bPolandFighter50Retired after 1948
1934SET XVRomaniaFighter1Used for aerobatic training
Retired in 1940 after an accident
1934Consolidated Fleet 10GUS/RomaniaTrainer< 430Retired after 1948
1934IAR 12RomaniaFighter1Retired in 1935
1934IAR 14RomaniaFighter21Retired in 1940
1934IAR 15RomaniaFighter1Crashed in 1938
1934IAR 16RomaniaFighter1Retired in 1940
1934IAR 22RomaniaTrainer2Retired in 1935
1934SET 7KRomaniaTrainer/reconnaissance60Retired after 1948
1935Potez 543FranceBomber10Retired in 1945
1935RomaniaTrainer2Retired in 1943
1936Caudron C.600 AiglonFranceTrainer6Retired in 1947
1936IAR 27RomaniaTrainer80(?)Retired after 1948
1936Klemm Kl 25GermanyTrainer59Retired after 1948
1936Klemm Kl 35DGermanyTrainer80Retired after 1948
1936Miles M.2 Hawk TrainerUKTrainer12Retired after 1948
1936Miles NighthawkUKTrainer2Retired in 1945
1937Focke-Wulf Fw 44CGermanyTrainer8Retired in 1946
1937Focke-Wulf Fw 58B-2/C-2GermanyTransport/Trainer34Retired after 1948
1937PZL P.11fPoland/RomaniaFighter95Retired in 1948
1937PZL P.24EPoland/RomaniaFighter30Retired in 1948
1937General Aircraft Monospar ST-25UKUtility2Retired in 1941
1938Bloch MB.210 BN.5FranceMedium bomber10Retired in 1946
1938IAR 37RomaniaReconnaissance/light bomber50Retired after 1948
1938IAR 38RomaniaReconnaissance/light bomber75Retired after 1948
1938Potez 651FranceTransport4Retired in 1944

World War II

ModelOriginTypeTotal numberDetails
Avia B.122CzechoslovakiaTrainer6Purchased in 1939, retired after 1948
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IUKBomber40In service 1939–1948
Bücker Bü 131GermanyTrainer20Purchased in 1939, retired after 1948
Bücker Bü 133GermanyTrainer10Purchased in 1940, retired after 1948
DFS 230GermanyTroop glider27In service 1942–1947
DFS KranichGermanyGlider14In service 1943–1946
Sold to civilian associations
Dornier Do 17MGermanyReconnaissance/bomber10In service 1942–1946
Fieseler Fi 156C-2/C-3/D-1Germany/RomaniaReconnaissance/liaison aircraft11274 built by ICAR
Retired after 1948
Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-2GermanyReconnaissance2In service 1943–1945
Gotha Go 145GermanyTrainer15In service from 1939, retired after 1948
Gotha Go 150GermanyTrainer1Requisitioned in 1941, retired after 1948
Gotha Go 242A-1GermanyTransport glider5Ordered in 1944[5]
Hawker Hurricane Mk. IUKFighter15In service 1939–1945
Heinkel He 111E/HGermanyBomber10 He 111E
42 He 111H
In service from 1939, retired after 1948
Heinkel He 112B-1/B-2GermanyFighter30Purchased in 1939, retired in 1948
Henschel Hs 129B-2GermanyAttack40+In service 1943–1949
IAR 39A/BRomaniaReconnaissance/light bomber255In service from 1941, retired after 1948
IAR 47RomaniaReconnaissance1In service from 1941, retired after 1948
IAR JIS-79B, JRS-79B/B-1Italy/RomaniaMedium bomber8 JIS-79B
48 JRS-79B
38 JRS-79B-1
In service from 1939, retired after 1948
IAR 80A/B/CRomaniaFighter50 IAR 80
85 IAR 80A
55 IAR 80B
60 IAR 80C
Retired by 1949
IAR 81/-81CRomaniaDive bomber/fighter50 IAR 81
150 IAR 81C
Retired by 1949
Junkers W 34hiGermanyTransport10In service 1944–1945
Transferred to civilian aviation
Junkers Ju 52-3mGermanyTransport35
Junkers Ju 86EGermanyReconnaissance12In service 1944–1948
Junkers Ju 87D-3/D-5GermanyDive bomber90+In service from 1943, retired after 1948
Junkers Ju 88A-4/A-12/D-1/D-2GermanyBomber/reconnaissance69+ Ju 88A
19+ Ju 88D
In service from 1943, retired after 1948
Messerschmitt Bf 108BGermanyTransport/liaison aircraft22In service from 1940, retired after 1948
Messerschmitt Bf 109E/F/GGermanyFighter69 Bf 109E
7 Bf 109F
200+ Bf 109G
124 Bf 109G assembled by IAR
Retired in 1955
Messerschmitt Bf 110C/E/FGermanyNight fighter/heavy fighter12 Bf 110C
2 Bf 110E
9 Bf 110F
In service from 1943, retired after 1948
Nardi FN.305Italy/RomaniaTrainer176146 built by SET
Polikarpov U-2USSRUtility biplane2Received as gifts in 1945
Potez 631 & 633FranceReconnaissance/bomber53(?)In service 1939–1948
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79BItalyBomber24In service 1939–1946

Interned

The list includes all airplanes that arrived from Slovakia (following the Slovak–Hungarian War) and Poland in 1939.

ModelOriginTypeDetails
Fokker F.VIIb/3mNetherlandsAirliner4 airplanes
2 assigned to
Junkers Ju 52-3mGermanyTransport1 airplane from Poland
Assigned to LARES
Letov Š-328CzechoslovakiaReconnaissance1 airplane from Slovakia
Lublin R-XIIIDPolandTrainer/air ambulance27 airplanes
Potez 62FranceAirliner1 airplane
Assigned to LARES
PWS-24PolandAirliner1 airplane
Crashed in 1940
PWS-26PolandTrainer46 airplanes
Retired in 1946
PZL.5PolandTrainer1 airplane
Retired in 1940
PZL P.7aPolandFighter14 airplanes
PZL P.11a/cPolandFighter10 P.11a
7 P.11b
35 P.11c
PZL.23 KaraśPolandLight bomber20 airplanes
Retired in 1948
PZL.37 Łoś A/BPolandMedium bomber30 airplanes
RWD-8PolandTrainer44 airplanes
Retired after 1948
RWD-13PolandLiaison/air ambulance34 airplanes
Retired in 1947
RWD-14 CzaplaPolandTrainer/liaison21 airplanes
Retired in 1948
RWD-15PolandTransport2 airplanes
Retired in 1944
RWD-17PolandTrainer8 airplanes
Retired in 1946
RWD-21PolandTrainer2 airplanes
Retired in 1947
Douglas DC-2USAirliner1 airplane
Destroyed in 1944
Lockheed Model 10 ElectraUSAirliner5 airplanes
Assigned to LARES
Lockheed Model 14 Super ElectraUSAirliner4 airplanes
Assigned to LARES

Captured

ModelOriginTypeDetails
Arado Ar 66CGermanyTrainerOne captured in 1944
Consolidated B-24D LiberatorUSHeavy bomberThree bombers recovered in 1943, one was repaired and used for fighter pilot training.[6]
Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-8/F-8GermanyFighter/Fighter-bomber39 FW 190s captured in 1944, only 13 put into service.
Heinkel He 111H-20GermanyBomberOne captured in 1944
North American P-51 MustangUSFighterPossibly one P-51D captured in 1944, fate unknown[7]
Polikarpov U-2VS (Po-2)USSRUtility biplaneOne captured in 1944
Polikarpov I-16 Type 24USSRFighterOne I-16 captured near Dorohoi in 1941.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3USSRFighterCaptured near Melitopol on 18 March 1942 when the pilot defected.[8] It was flown to IAR Brașov by Constantin Cantacuzino on 13 July 1942[9] and used as an opposition trainer.

Post War period & Cold War

DateModelOriginTypeTotal numberDetails
1946Lisunov Li-2PUSSRTransport15Nine planes transferred from TAROM
1948Polikarpov Po-2USSRUtility biplane46
1948Yakovlev UT-2USSRTrainer?
1948Zlin 181CzechoslovakiaTrainer?
1949Yakovlev Yak-11USSRTrainer49
1950Lavochkin La-9USSRFighter10
1950Ilyushin Il-10USSRAttack168
1950Tupolev Tu-2USSRMedium bomber6
1950IAR 811RomaniaTrainer1
1951Yakovlev Yak-17UTITrainerUSSR9Retired in 1956
1951Yakovlev Yak-18USSRTrainer17
1951Yakovlev Yak-23USSRFighter62Two converted to the Yak-23DC twin-seat variant
Retired in 1960
1952Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15USSRFighter~514[10] 159 MiG-15, 50 MiG-15bis, 204 S-103, 59 MiG-15UTI, and 42 CS-102
1953Aero 45CzechoslovakiaLiaison5
1953IAR 813RomaniaTrainer50
1953IAR 814RomaniaTrainer10(?)
1954Antonov An-2USSR/PolandUtility biplane10+[11] Retired by 2010
1955Ilyushin Il-14P/MUSSRTransport30 Il-14P
3 Il-14M
Retired by 1983
1955Ilyushin Il-28USSR/ChinaMedium bomber11 Il-28
16 Harbin H-5
Retired in 1972
Retired by 2001
1955Mikoyan MiG-17PFUSSRFighter12Retied in the 1990s
1956Mil Mi-4USSRHelicopter10[12]
1956Mikoyan MiG-17FUSSRFighter12Retied in the 1990s
1958Mikoyan MiG-19P/PMUSSRFighter17 MiG-19P
10 MiG-19PM
Retired in 1972
1959PZL SM-1PolandHelicopter6[13] Retired in 1974
1962PZL SM-2PolandHelicopter5Retired in 1974
1962Mikoyan MiG-21F-13USSRFighter24Retired in 1976
1965[14] Antonov An-24RTUSSRTransport10
1965Aero L-29CzechoslovakiaTrainer52Retired in 2005
1965Mikoyan MiG-21RFMUSSRInterceptor38Designation for the MiG-21PF
1965Mikoyan MiG-21DCUSSRTrainer4 MiG-21U-400
3 MiG-21U-600
Designation for MiG-21U Izdeliye 66-400/600.
1966Ilyushin Il-18DUSSRVIP transport3[15] Transferred to Romavia
1966Mikoyan MiG-21RFMMUSSRInterceptor56Designation for the MiG-21PFM
1968BAC 1-11UKVIP transport2[16]
1968Mil Mi-8[17] USSRHelicopter25 Mi-8T
14 Mi-8PS
Two still in service with MAI
1968Mikoyan MiG-21CUSSRFighter12Designation for the MiG-21R
Retired in the 1990s
1969Mikoyan MiG-21MUSSRFighter7334 converted to LanceR A
1969Mikoyan MiG-21USUSSRTrainer14
1970Aérospatiale Alouette IIFranceHelicopter2
1970Mil Mi-17USSRHelicopter3Two still in service with MAI
1971IAR 316BRomaniaHelicopter120Still in service
1972Mikoyan MiG-21UMUSSRTrainer17Double seat variant of the MiG-21MF
5 received in 1990
14 converted to LanceR B
1974[18] Antonov An-26AUSSRTransport11Still in service
1974IAR 823RomaniaTrainer/liaison56(?)Retired in the 1990
1974B.707-3K1CUSVIP transport2Transferred to Romavia
1975IAR 330H/LRomaniaHelicopter15 IAR 330H
112 IAR 330L
Still in service
1975Mikoyan MiG-21MF/MF-75USSRFighter7437 converted to LanceR A
26 converted to LanceR C
1976[19] Antonov An-30USSRTransport3Still in service
1977Britten-Norman BN-2 IslanderUK/RomaniaTransport6+[20] Built by Romaero
1977Iak-52RomaniaTrainer?Built by Aerostar
Still in service
1977Ilyushin Il-62MUSSRVIP transport1
1979Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin CFranceVIP transport helicopter4Retired in 1986
1979Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MF/UBUSSRFighter36 MiG-23MF
10 MiG-23UB
Retired in 2003
1979IAR-93A/DCRomaniaGround attack26 IAR-93A
9 IAR-93DC
Retired by 1998
1981Aero L-39ZACzechoslovakiaTrainer32Retired in 2007
1982IAR-93MBRomaniaGround attack15Retired by 1998
1982IAR-825RomaniaTrainer1Sold in 2006
1984IAR-28MARomaniaMotor glider10[21]
1986Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin NFranceVIP transport helicopter4Still in service with SRI
1987IAR-93B/DCRomaniaGround attack27 IAR-93B
7 IAR-93B-DC
Retired by 1998
1987VR-3USSRUnmanned aerial vehicle12Retired in 2002
1987IAR 99 StandardRomaniaTrainer/light attack21Still in service
1989Mikoyan MiG-29A/S/UBUSSRMultirole fighter17 MiG-29A
1 MiG-29S
5 MiG-29UB
MiG-29S received from Moldova in 1992
Retired in 2004

Post-1990

DateModelOriginTypeTotal numberDetails
1997MiG-21 LanceRUSSR/RomaniaGround attack (LanceR A)
Trainer (LanceR B)
Air superiority fighter (LanceR C)
71 LanceR A
14 LanceR B
26 LanceR C
Modernized variant of the MiG-21M and MF/MF-75
Retired in 2023
1997Shadow 600USUnmanned aerial vehicle1111 initially, 4 crashed (1 in country, 3 in Iraq).[22]

See also

References

Notes
Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Romanian Clank confirmed. maltairshow.com. 3 May 2023.
  2. Book: Windsock Datafile Nr. 84. Peter M. Grosz. Albatros Productions. January 2000. 11. 9781902207261.
  3. Book: Герої Українського неба. Пілоти Визвольної Війни 1917-1920. uk. Yaroslav Tynchenko. 2010.
  4. Web site: Vers les sommets Breguet 1918-1939. Dossiers historiques et techniques aéronautique française. Gérard Hartmann. fr. 5 October 2008. 16 October 2022. 20.
  5. Web site: Aviatia militara in al doilea razboi mondial. Suedia vs Romania. Partea a III-a. rumaniamilitary.ro. ro. 3 September 2017.
  6. Web site: Istoria unui B 24 Liberator "românesc". ro. iar80flyagain.org. 2023-03-16.
  7. Web site: P-51 D Mustang 4thFG captured by ARR ???. WorldWar2.ro Forum.
  8. Book: Pascu, Mihaela. Amintiri și însemnări despre căpitan aviator Bâzu Cantacuzino. Star Tipp. 2008. 978-973-8134-81-2. Slobozia. 35–37. Romanian.
  9. Book: Armă, Alexandru. Constantin Bâzu Cantacuzino: prințul înălțimilor. Vremea. 2017. 978-973-645-831-6. Bucharest. 19. Romanian.
  10. Web site: Foamete, sărăcie și Mig-uri. Achizițiile de avioane militare sovietice în perioada comunistă. ro. Historia. Ionel-Claudiu Dumitrescu. 23 October 2022.
  11. Web site: Order of Battle - Romania. milaviapress.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20080107220436/http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/romania/index.php. 7 January 2008.
  12. Book: Air Forces of the World. Barry C. Wheeler. Encore Editions. 1980. 80. 978-0684162867.
  13. Web site: Elicopterele PZL/Swidnik SM-1 si SM-2 in aviatia romana. ro. roaviation.com. 1 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20230320163117/https://roaviation.com/2018/05/01/elicopterul-pzl-swidnik-sm-1-si-varianta-sm-2/. 20 March 2023.
  14. Web site: Antonov An-24. RoAF. https://web.archive.org/web/20080113222721/http://www.roaf.ro/ro/dotare/an24.php. 13 January 2008.
  15. Avioane civile utilizate de șefii statului român (1957-1991). ro. Romanian Journal of History and International Studies. Petre Opriș. 30 November 2014.
  16. Web site: Luxul extrem din avioanele dictatorului Nicolae Ceauşescu. Liderul comunist era obsedat de securitate şi zbura doar după inspecția specială a Gărzii Prezidențiale. ro. Dorin Țimonea. Adevărul. 16 October 2015.
  17. Web site: Ми-8/14/17/171 В НЕБЕ БАЛКАН. Svetozar Jokanović. ru. 24 November 2023.
  18. Web site: Antonov An-26. RoAF.
  19. Web site: Antonov An-30. RoAF.
  20. Web site: History of the IAR-823. iar823.com.
  21. Airscene: Romania. . April 1984 . 25 . 4. 161. 0306-5634.
  22. News: Drone de luptă, coproducţie româno-israeliană. Dotări, preţ şi performanţe. ro. Valentin Bolocan. Adevărul. 21 October 2020.