IAR 317 Airfox
Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR) · Romania · first flew 1984 · helicopter
The IAR 317 Airfox is a Romanian light attack helicopter developed from the IAR 316B (licence-built Alouette III) by redesigning the fuselage into a narrow tandem-seat configuration with stub wings for weapon carriage.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Narrow tandem-seat fuselage derived from IAR 316B/Alouette III, with stepped cockpit giving clear nose profile |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Narrow tandem-seat fuselage derived from IAR 316B/Alouette III, with stepped cockpit giving clear nose profile
- Stub wings on lower fuselage carrying rockets or gun pods
- Single three-blade main rotor; tail rotor on starboard-side boom
Slim, wasp-waisted fuselage immediately distinguishes it from the bulbous-cabin IAR 316/Alouette III donor. Tandem cockpit sits ahead of the engine deck, with an offset tail rotor on the right boom. Short stub wings carry weapons outboard of the skid undercarriage.
Specifications
- The IAR 317 Airfox has a length of 12.84 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.02 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Romania developed the Airfox in the early 1980s at the Braşov factory as a cost-effective armed helicopter, making its first flight in 1984. The project leveraged the established IAR 316B production line and Turbomeca Artouste engine supply. Only prototypes were completed before the programme was suspended following the 1989 revolution, and the type never entered series production.
Variants
A single prototype series was built; no production variants reached service. The designation Airfox was used for Western export marketing.
Where you'll see it
The Airfox did not enter operational service with the Romanian Air Force. Prototypes were evaluated but the programme was cancelled in the early 1990s after political and economic upheaval.
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