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In the late 80's the Romanian Ministry of Defense decided buy 96 dedicated attack helicopters, to be built by the Romanian aerospace industry under foreign license and 24 IAR-330L "Puma" upgraded with a suitable avionics package and new weapons system. The program were intended to be developed by IAR S.A. Ghimbav-Braşov. The former project was to be the ill-fated "Dracula" program, which was dropped in 1999.
In 1992 a basic configuration was named Puma 2000. The evolution of this config resulted in the current SOCAT (Antitank Optronic Search and Combat System) to be used as antitank gunship.
Elbit Systems Ltd. of Israel was selected as foreign system supplier in 1994, and in September 1995, IAR S.A. signed the contract for the upgrade of 24 IAR-330L Puma with the SOCAT system. The program started in 1996, as a joint activity of the Romanian MoD, IAR S.A. and Elbit Systems. The first IAR-330 upgraded with SOCAT system made its maiden flight in the SOCAT configuration on 26 May 1998. More than 163 of these helicopters have since been built, out of which 104 were assigned to Romania's military, and 57 were produced for export (Pakistan, Ivory Coast, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Ecuador).
Naval version
IAR Puma NAVAL The first IAR 330 Puma NAVAL helicopter was officially unveiled at Ghimbav on 30 January 2007. The Romanian Naval Forces ordered 3 IAR 330 Naval helicopters, the last one was commissioned early 2008. The helicopter is in a similar configuration to those of the Romanian Air Force, including the SOCAT upgrade package, without the chain gun. Navy Pumas differ by the addition of larger sponsons fitted with flotation gear under the nose and main undercarriage fairings.
Ingame with ArmA
We chose the SOCAT as the "Government" Gunship for our Boa Verde primarily because it wasn't an MI-24 yet it was arguably just as capable. We wanted something different yet with similar capabilities to other gunships so there would be some degree of balance with other addons and helicopters. We are planning on doing two versions:
- Government Defence Forces SOCAT
- Marina Naval SAR with SOCAT kit.
So far in testing it competes favourably with the BIS AH1 and quite well against the KA50 and EricM's MI-24 and KA52. Although both the KA50 and KA52 have an unfair advantage using Vikhr Missiles. But then again the RKSL Flare System does even the odds a bit there.
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