In the late 1960s, Romania and Yugoslavia considered jointly developing a subsonic, multipurpose attack aircraft capable of intercepting low-flying targets. The aircraft's requirements were strict: it had to be simple and made from local components. It also had to be capable of landing on unprepared airfields, reliable, and easy to maintain. On May 20, 1971, the two countries signed a joint development agreement. Both the Romanian and Yugoslav prototypes made their first flight on October 31, 1974. Series production of the IAR-93 began in 1976 at the Avioane Craiova plant in Romania. A two-seater prototype took to the skies on January 23, 1977, but it was lost on November 24. Three aircraft were unveiled to the public on August 23, 1979.

The first production modification was the IAR-93A, which consisted of 15 pre-production and 18 production aircraft. This was followed by the IAR 93B, which featured a new wing, additional attachment points, enlarged fuel tanks, and improved aerodynamics. A total of 27 single-seat and seven two-seat aircraft were built. The aircraft remained in service until 1998, when the conflict in Yugoslavia made maintenance impossible.

The Romanian IAR-93B was introduced as a reward for the 2024 "Flight of the Vulture" event as part of the Revenue Share program in the Italian air research tree. This excellent attack aircraft is equipped with a ballistic computer, RWR, and air-to-air missiles for self-defense in close combat. Its good maneuverability is also nice to have. However, it lacks countermeasures and is usually slower than other jets.