The Romanian government has awarded a contract worth about $21 million to its domestic Avioane Craiova SA and Israel's Elbit Systems to produce 24 upgraded IAR-99 Soim trainers for the Romanian Air Force by the year 2001.

The aircraft will be fitted with an avionics system quite like that of Romania's MiG-21 Lancer fighter, which has been upgraded from the Soviet original with Elbit avionics.

The IAR-99 Soim suite has navigation, communication and identification systems and a cockpit configuration very similar to that both the Lancer and the F-16. It is the latest in a series of modernizations performed by Elbit on a number of both East European and Western aircraft, while Avioane Craiova is the IAR-99's original designer and builder.

The Soim will provide realistic and cost-effective lead-in training and an easy switch to the modernized fighter, the partners say, while the aircraft can itself be used operationally for close air support missions.

Both the Soim and the Lancar are taking part in the flying displays here each day.

By Bob Rodwell