SOKO J-22 Orao (Eagle)

History of SOKO J-22 Orao (Eagle)

In 1971, Romania and Yugoslavia jointly developed a low-altitude light interceptor to meet local needs. For the Romanians this became the Avioane IAR-93 "Condor" introduced in 1979, while for Yugoslavia the aircraft was known as the SOKO J-22 "Orao" ("Eagle") - launched in 1978 Year launched.

The aircraft served with the Yugoslav Air Force on attack and reconnaissance missions until the country's dissolution in 1992. These planes were then incorporated into the emerging air power of the resulting countriesBosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Few are on active duty today (2014).

The project to produce the J-22/IAR-93 was called "Yurom" and was intended to produce single- and two-seat versions. The former will be used for ground attack and low-altitude interception, while the latter is reserved for reconnaissance/advanced roles. Each country handles its own prototype molds, which makes development easier.

The Yugoslav version was produced in Mostar (Bosnia) until 1992, after which the factory was abandoned. The equipment was then rearranged for further production in today's Serbia.

When completed, the eagle has a barrel length of 13 meters, a wingspan of 9.3 meters, and a height of 4.5 meters. It has a curb weight of 12,125 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 24,430 pounds. Power is provided by 2 x Orao/Turbomecanica (Rolls-Royce) "Viper" Mk 633-41 series and afterburner turbojets. On dry thrust, the system puts out 4,000 pounds of power per unit, and up to 5,000 pounds of thrust with the afterburner open.

Performance specs include a top speed of 700 mph, a ferry range of up to 820 miles, and a service ceiling of 49,200 feet. It climbed at 17,520 feet per minute.

Its external structure is very close to the lines and layout of the Romanian model. The cockpit sits behind a short nose cone and the top of the fuselage bulges out, blocking rear view. The air intakes are located outside the cockpit wall.

The pilot sits in the ejection seat under a light-framed one-piece canopy that provides good forward and sideways visibility. The wing main aircraft is mounted high and a pair of brackets are provided for each component. The tail includes a vertical fin and two very low horizontal planes.

The twin-engine setup is sprayed through a pair of circular jet tubes under the rear wing. The landing gear adopts a three-wheel structure, the main leg is two wheels, and the front leg is a single wheel.

The standard armament became a pair of internal 23mm GSh-23L cannons for close range work. Five hardpoints are used to carry a variety of external ammunition options, including rockets, conventional bombs, and rocket pods. Supported weapons include AGM-65 Maverick missiles, Matra Durandal runway denial bombs and cluster bombs.

The plane can carry up to 6,200 pounds in stores.

Four main variants of the Eagle were finally implemented. IJ-22 "Orao 1" (note the use of "I") was the designation used to designate the first 15 pre-production aircraft from Yugoslavia that were deployed without the expected afterburner engines.

The J-22A "Orao 1" was the first production-quality model in single-seat form, but retained the non-afterburner engine. It was followed by the J-22B "Orao 2", the first form to be fitted with an afterburner. It also includes improvements to the cockpit and weapons. The brand's total production was 165 units, which were delivered at the time of the unification of Yugoslavia.

The NJ-22 "Olao" became a two-seat reconnaissance model with special equipment, of which 35 were eventually delivered. The brand uses non-afterburning and afterburning turbojets depending on the batch.

Unlike the Romanian IAR-93 - which was not in service during the air - the SOKO J-22 was used in anger during the Yugoslav war from March 1991 to June 1999 - leading to the Yugoslav nation. These wars include the 1991 Slovenian War, the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), the Bosnian War (1992-1995) and the Kosovo War (1998-1999).

The aircraft was used in low-altitude strike and reconnaissance missions during the conflict, with mixed results - ground fire also caused several losses, and NATO bombing operations that deployed examples of destroyers saw further ground wear. The series continued into the post-war years and was adopted by Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Serbia.

It is believed that no one continues to serve the former, and few continue to serve the latter.

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