Iran says here that it will soon unveil -- and fly -- its first domestically manufactured fighter jet.
(Source: Iran Defense Forum)
This is presumably a reference to a new version of the Northrop F-5F, potentially modified with the Russian RD-33 engine, Iranian radar and avionics, shoulder-mounted air intakes and -- most bizarrely -- a V-tail. I believe the program has been named Shafagh, but the new release calls it the Azarakhsh.
The program does not appear to demonstrate so much a leap in military capability but in domestic industrial prowess, assuming the aircraft can, indeed, fly.
Developing an indigenous aerospace manufacturing capability has become the hot new fad for countries on the US export control blacklist, with Iran leading the way. Last fall, Venezuela announced it was seeking to develop an indigenous industry to build military fighter trainers after the US blocked Brazil from exporting Super Tucanos to Caracas.
It doesn't say when the fighter is expected to be operational, but given the history of Iranian weapons development, "soon" may be a relative term for a civilization thousands of years old.
Why is it the older the civilization = the longer the weapon development cycle?
Maybe India and Iran could get together and start work on the first great fighter of the 22nd century.
I was an aero engineering student for only three semesters, but I know that the position of the engine air intake (above and behind the wing strake) will put it in a very low-pressure area at high angles of attack.
I.e., engine dies in a dogfight.
Me, I think it needs bigger tail fins.
Based on David's observations, I recommend full-scale development of this fighter. I recommend the Iranian Air Force get these into the air as soon as possible. Half assembled, if necessary--the Americans might attack any day now! Allah will keep them flying! Junk all other fighters--streamlining the inventory will reap great logistical rewards.
Hurry, Mahmoud, hurry!
It's hard to know what to say about Iran's military aviation dreams without sounding a bit cruel.
Iran has ambitions and aspirations but no technical base to produce aircraft like these.
The Azarakhsh (whatever the finished design actually is) is almost certainly another sorry F-5 mutation, like the twin-finned Saeghe that appeared in the air during last year's Zarbet-e Zolfaghar exercises. Reports of this programme have been circulating for at least 10 years and the Iranian artist's impressions are a bit, well, embarrassing really.
The Shafagh is the early 1990s Moukhamedov design that ended up in Iran and exists only as a wooden mock-up in a shed at Malek Ashtar University.
Both aircraft are dead ends.
All of Iran's attempts at building a domestic aviation industry have been stymied by a lack of funding, a lack of resources, a lack of skills and equipment – and above all the infighting of the various government departments that control the various bits of the sprawling 'industry'.
The interesting thing is that after many years of resistance, Iran is now on the verge of embracing Russia as a supplier and reports of a major impending Su-30MK order are well-founded.
Neither Iran or Venezuela will ever build their own combat aircraft – the fact that they are both opting for Su-30s is the real news.