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. Yugoslav pre-production J-22s began to roll out in late 1977, and they entered service with the Yugoslav Air Force by 1978. The first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line in 1980. By the time production ended in 1992, 165 attackers were been built. Beginning in 1983, the aircraft underwent modernization, including the installation of new Viper engines with afterburners, an expanded range of armaments, and a new HUD. Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, J-22s played an active role in the Yugoslav Wars alongside the Yugoslav People’s Army, Srpska Republic, and the Bosnian Air Force. They remain in service with the Serbian Air Force.

The most recent major upgrade to the aircraft in the Serbian Air Force fleet was the J-22M1A, which features a "glass cockpit", a new RWR, and the integration of modern weapons. The first aircraft of this variant appeared in the 2020s, with at least four units already in service.

The Serbian J-22M1A was introduced Update 2.57 "Heavy Cavalry" as a part of the USSR aircraft research tree. It was added as a part of the Revenue Share program. The J-22M1A is an attack aircraft with powerful anti-tank armament and a ballistic computer. Its good maneuverability is also a plus. However, it lacks countermeasures. Unlike the IAR-93B, it has no air-to-air missiles, and its speed may be inferior to that of other jet aircraft.