Vixen 500E selected for IAR-99 TD
The IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) being built by Romania's National Institute for Aerospace Research (INCAS), will be fitted with Leonardo’s Vixen 500E AESA radar, the company announced on 29 August.
The IAR-99 TD will be a modernised variant of the Romanian Air Force IAR-99 Soim advanced trainer and light attack aircraft. The modification work is being carried out by INCAS together with aircraft manufacturer Avioane Craiova.
The Vixen 500E AESA radar system uses a matrix of miniature radar modules to steer the beam electronically instead of manually pointing the radar’s antenna at its target. This technology enables Vixen to deliver high performance with reliability.
The prototype aircraft with the radar on-board is expected to be ready for testing by the end of 2017.
Norman Bone, MD of Leonardo’s Airborne and Space Systems division, said: ‘This partnership with INCAS is representative of Leonardo’s open and collaborative approach to meeting the demands of the market. By working together, we are able to better understand and provide the best solution for the needs of the Romanian Ministry of Defence.’
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Training
-
Royal Jordanian Air Force takes delivery of five new Bell 505 aircraft at Farnborough
The five helicopters complete an order of 10 Bell 505s placed in 2022.
-
Australia’s ‘Top Gun’ exercise in Top End reaches unprecedented scale in face of Chinese military build up
Fast-jet exercise focuses on interoperability and cooperation between allies amid growing regional security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.
-
US Navy contracts for EW training flight hours awarded
The electronic warfare (EW) jets contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with work scheduled to begin in August 2024 and completed in August 2029.
-
Rheinmetall receives rocket order from German armed forces for Tiger helicopters
The Tiger attack helicopter was developed for the French and German armies, prior to also being procured by Spain and Australia, with a total of 185 ordered. Germany, however, has planned to retire its 55-strong fleet.
-
How US marines and sailors trained for humanitarian assistance in Indo-Pacific region
US Marine Corps and US Navy personnel enhanced their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities during a training exercise in Papua New Guinea.