IAR 316

The IAR 316 is a Romanian‑produced variant of the French Aérospatiale Alouette III, assembled by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) beginning in the early 1970s. The program was launched to give the Romanian armed forces an indigenous light helicopter capable of troop transport, medical evacuation, and liaison duties while reducing reliance on foreign suppliers. Over 150 airframes were delivered to the Romanian Air Force, the Navy and to export customers such as the United Arab Emirates and Mozambique. Powered by a Turbomeca Artouste IIIB turboshaft engine delivering 870 shaft horsepower, the IAR 316 retains the Alouette’s distinctive single‑rotor, fully articulated blade system and a compact, all‑metal fuselage. Its high‑mounted rotor and tricycle landing gear provide excellent visibility and stability in mountainous terrain, and the aircraft can be equipped with external hardpoints for rockets, machine guns or light anti‑armor missiles. The type proved versatile in both peacetime and combat, seeing action during the 1990s conflicts in the Balkans and later serving as a trainer for pilots transitioning to more advanced rotorcraft. The IAR 316 remains a symbol of Romania’s aerospace self‑sufficiency and represents one of the most successful indigenous helicopter programs in Eastern Europe.