Aircraft & UAVs

Soko J-22 Orao

Also known as
  • Orao
  • IAR-93

The Soko J-22 Orao is a Yugoslav twin-engine ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft from the joint Yugoslav-Romanian YuRom program. Built around low-level fire-support missions, it carried cannon, bombs, rockets, and guided missiles, and direct sources document Orao use by Yugoslav, Serbian, and Bosnian Serb forces in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo.

Soko J-22 Orao, Ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Soko J-22 Orao profile.jpg

Role in Conflicts

1991 Croatian War of Independence
Fire Support
Side
Yugoslav and Serb forces

MilitaryFactory places the Orao in Croatian War strike and reconnaissance use, while Croatian aviation-history reporting documents an NJ-22 Orao shot down near Đakovo on 19 September 1991.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Yugoslavia
Built by
SOKOIAR
Type
Ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft
Service note
Cold War Yugoslav-Romanian development; later Serbian service
Produced
1978-1992

Specifications

Crew
1 (J-22) / 2 (NJ-22)
Engines
2 × Rolls-Royce Viper Mk 633-47 turbojets
Hardpoints
One fuselage and four underwing hardpoints
Fixed armament
2 × 23 mm GSh-23L cannon
Maximum external load
2,800 kg
Maximum speed
1,160 km/h clean
Tactical radius
550 km
Service ceiling
12,000 m
Endurance
Up to 90 minutes with three fuel tanks
Design And Service Context

The Orao was designed around low-level ground-attack and reconnaissance work rather than air-superiority performance. The Serbian MoD describes the J/NJ-22 as a fighter-bomber for day or night fire missions in favorable weather, while the Belgrade Aeronautical Museum emphasizes the domestic Yugoslav technologies applied to the type and its continued Serbian service.

Mission

Fire missions against ground targets, reconnaissance, and weapons training in the two-seat variants.

Stores

Up to 2,800 kg of ordnance on one fuselage and four underwing hardpoints.

Survivability fit

The museum notes that wartime Oraos were fitted with passive protection against surface-to-air missiles, including decoys and flares.

Variants

The Yugoslav Orao line paralleled the Romanian IAR-93 Vultur but diverged into Yugoslav attack, reconnaissance, trainer, and Serbian modernization variants.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
J-22A Orao 1Initial production attack variant

Single-seat Yugoslav production model associated with the non-afterburning Orao 1 standard.

Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

J-22B Orao 2Afterburning attack variant

Upgraded Orao 2 standard with afterburning Viper engines, increased fuel capacity, expanded weapons options, and avionics improvements.

Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

NJ-22 OraoTwo-seat trainer and reconnaissance aircraft

Two-seat version used for advanced training and reconnaissance-related tasks in the Orao family.

Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

IJ-22 OraoReconnaissance variant

Yugoslav reconnaissance variant based on the early Orao 1 line, with related INJ-22 training and INJ-22M maritime-surveillance subvariants.

Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

J-22M1A / NJ-22M1ASerbian modernization

Serbian upgrade path focused on avionics, weapons-system integration, and service-life extension for surviving Orao aircraft.

Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

Carried Weapons

Serbian MoD and aviation-reference sources describe the J/NJ-22 Orao as carrying fixed guns plus guided and unguided missiles, bombs, and rocket or gun stores on five hardpoints.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
GSh-23L cannon, Twin-barrel 23 mm aircraft cannon, Aircraft & UAVsGSh-23L cannonFixed aircraft cannon

The Serbian MoD describes the Orao armament as two 23 mm GSh-23L guns with 200 rounds.

Sources: Fighter-Bomber Aviation Sub-Echelon - Serbian Ministry of Defence

AGM-65 Maverick, Air-to-surface guided missile, MunitionsAGM-65 MaverickGuided air-to-surface missile

MilitaryFactory lists AGM-65 Maverick guided missiles among the external stores supported by the Orao.

Sources: Soko J-22 Orao - MilitaryFactory

BL-755 cluster bomb, Air-dropped anti-armor cluster bomb, MunitionsBL-755 cluster bombCluster bomb

Tango Six identifies BL-755 cluster bombs among the stores expended by Yugoslav Orao aircraft during 1999 operations.

Sources: Prvih 50 godina Orla - Tango Six

Timeline

Soko J-22 Orao Key Events

  1. First prototype flight

    Tango Six's 50-year Orao history places the first Yugoslav prototype flight on 31 October 1974.

    Sources: Prvih 50 godina Orla - Tango Six

  2. Service entry

    Open references place the type's service introduction in the late 1970s.

    Sources: Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled Wings

  3. Dive supersonic event

    The Belgrade Aeronautical Museum says test pilot Marjan Jelen exceeded the sound barrier in a diving flight over Batajnica airport.

    Sources: Soko J-22 Orao - Muzej vazduhoplovstva

  4. Combat use in Kosovo

    Orao aircraft operated during Operation Allied Force, including Yugoslav missions against KLA formations in Kosovo.

    Sources: Soko J-22 Orao - Muzej vazduhoplovstva, Prvih 50 godina Orla - Tango Six

Media

Soko J-22 Orao Images

Soko J-22 Orao, Ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Soko J-22 Orao profile.jpg
Soko J-22 Orao, Ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: J-22 Orao.jpg
Soko J-22 Orao, Ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3
Source: J-22 Orao.jpg
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Sources

Soko J-22 Orao - Muzej vazduhoplovstvaPublisher: Muzej vazduhoplovstva | Note: Supports the Orao's official museum background, 1974 prototype-flight context, 1984 dive supersonic event, armament and protection notes, Serbian service, and direct 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force use against KLA formations. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Soko J-22 Orao - MilitaryFactoryPublisher: MilitaryFactory | Note: Supports the Orao's development background, cockpit and armament summary, late-Cold-War service context, and broad direct use in the 1991 Croatian War of Independence, 1992 Bosnian War, and 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Air Power Review Vol 21 Issue 3 PDFPublisher: Royal Air Force | Note: Supports the 1992 Bosnian War context for Serbian Orao attack aircraft from Udbina striking the Bihać pocket area. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Soko J-22 and Avioane Craiova IAR-93 - Pickled WingsPublisher: Pickled Wings | Note: Supports the SOKO/IAR joint-development context, late-1970s service entry, variant family distinctions, and IAR-93 relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Fighter-Bomber Aviation Sub-Echelon - Serbian Ministry of DefencePublisher: Ministry of Defence Republic of Serbia | Note: Supports current J/NJ-22 Orao role, speed, tactical radius, service ceiling, endurance, hardpoint layout, ordnance load, and GSh-23L gun armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-04ICTY Martić Transcript 9 November 2006Publisher: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia | Note: Supports direct 1992 Bosnian War evidence by quoting an UNPROFOR force commander letter that two Orao aircraft from Udbina struck Bihać on 18 November 1994. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Prvih 50 godina Orla - Tango SixPublisher: Tango Six | Note: Supports Orao first-flight chronology, variant and modernization context, carried BL-755 stores, and direct 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force use by J-22/NJ-22 aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Croatian Aviation Beginnings - Biram DOBROPublisher: Biram DOBRO | Note: Supports direct 1991 Croatian War of Independence context by documenting an NJ-22 Orao shot down near Đakovo on 19 September 1991. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Soko J-22 Orao profile.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for the primary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-04J-22 Orao.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for a second gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Bosnian Serb Airforce J-22 Orao.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for a third gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-04J-22 Orao 25103 V i PVO VS, september 13, 2009.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports provenance for a high-resolution gallery image of a Serbian Air Force J-22 Orao at Batajnica in 2009. | Accessed: 2026-07-04