HESA Fighter Kowsar Program - Current and Next Generation

[drmeson]

when the ya-ali is fired from altitude it can easily go to 1000km away and f-4 easily can carry 4 of that .
they easily can do that and escape back into safety , you don't need to acompany them with 100 interceptor. 2-3 is enough if you insist on that .but F-4 ibecause of its J-79 engine is capable of doing the bombing alone specially now that can do it from 1000s of km away.
This is F-4 load

it can can carry a 600galon center line tank, and carry 4 MK-83 bomb at the same time (translate it to 4 cruise missile) and at the same time carry 4 x fatter or Sparrow

I meant a force of 100 interceptors. You can only afford to dedicate 4 such planes loaded with LR-BVR with 2 x SOW heavy F-4E, if you have at least other 6 squadrons at home gaurding the world's 17th largest airspace. Currently, we have Dowran upgraded F-4E squadrons at Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, and Chabahar. At least 4 squadrons of interceptors are required in proximity to these Dowran F-4E/D to (a) guard the attack planes during attacks (b) perform a conventional air guard role towards the enemy intruding the airspace. Thats too much load not to mention it provides the juicy target to Enemies like US that can fire some 2000 LA-CM at three forward TABs bases. Even if we intercept half of that quantity using LORADS/SHORADS, how much of the fleet will be left in the end?

Compare that to a scenario in which those 4 interceptor squadrons turn into 7 dedicated interception squadrons (Money from retired attack planes maintanance, goes to production of Kowsar-II). No other role just airsuperiority in the Iranian skies and nothing else. While the attack role is left to these fine MALE-UCAV fellows who currently number 300-350 (3rd largest fleet in the world ? ) and may turn into a 500 strong Fleet in few years. They carry the following

- Glide PGMs
- laser guided PGMs
- Air launched Cruise missiles (Land attack, Anti Shipping)
- ECM Jamming pods
- modern SAR radars + EO/IR trackers.

I am not mentioning that we have operational battalions of AShBM and AShCMs that can wreck havoc on enemy ships some 1000 KM away from iranian shores.

F-4E/D are not being retired I am sure because IRIAF spent money on their upgradation with top notch radars and new weapons but there is a limit you can push a 14 m2 RCS airframe into modern day combat domain.

 

[Hack-Hook]

I meant a force of 100 interceptors. You can only afford to dedicate 4 such planes loaded with LR-BVR with 2 x SOW heavy F-4E, if you have at least other 6 squadrons at home gaurding the world's 17th largest airspace. Currently, we have Dowran upgraded F-4E squadrons at Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, and Chabahar. At least 4 squadrons of interceptors are required in proximity to these Dowran F-4E/D to (a) guard the attack planes during attacks (b) perform a conventional air guard role towards the enemy intruding the airspace. Thats too much load not to mention it provides the juicy target to Enemies like US that can fire some 2000 LA-CM at three forward TABs bases. Even if we intercept half of that quantity using LORADS/SHORADS, how much of the fleet will be left in the end?

Compare that to a scenario in which those 4 interceptor squadrons turn into 7 dedicated interception squadrons (Money from retired attack planes maintanance, goes to production of Kowsar-II). No other role just airsuperiority in the Iranian skies and nothing else. While the attack role is left to these fine MALE-UCAV fellows who currently number 300-350 (3rd largest fleet in the world ? ) and may turn into a 500 strong Fleet in few years. They carry the following

- Glide PGMs
- laser guided PGMs
- Air launched Cruise missiles (Land attack, Anti Shipping)
- ECM Jamming pods
- modern SAR radars + EO/IR trackers.

View attachment 859245View attachment 859251View attachment 859250
View attachment 859249
View attachment 859252
View attachment 859253

I am not mentioning that we have operational battalions of AShBM and AShCMs that can wreck havoc on enemy ships some 1000 KM away from iranian shores.

F-4E/D are not being retired I am sure because IRIAF spent money on their upgradation with top notch radars and new weapons but there is a limit you can push a 14 m2 RCS airframe into modern day combat domain.

your pictures show fotros with two cruise missile , i only believe it when I see it . Fotros is a lot heavier than Shahed- 129 but use the same engine

 

[drmeson]

your pictures show fotros with two cruise missile , i only believe it when I see it . Fotros is a lot heavier than Shahed- 129 but use the same engine

UCAV fleet is evolving very fast, we did not have this many systems 6 years back but now we have with this A2G weaponry.

 

[Bengal71]

KF 21 is not a mockup anymore, some prototytpes have been tested ( static test ), July 2022 inshaAllah is the first flight.

Single seat prototypes

View attachment 855068

Double seats

View attachment 855066

It's july now, when is the test flight?

 

[Indos]

It's july now, when is the test flight?

End of July, it can be 22 of July inshaAllah

 

[drmeson]

How many are intended to be in service?

65-70 current generation

Apparently, the next generation with local AL-31 Turbofan, AESA, CCD seeker missiles will fly/get into production by 2026-27.

 

[Geo29]

65-70 current generation

Apparently, the next generation with local AL-31 Turbofan, AESA, CCD seeker missiles will fly/get into production by 2026-27.

How are you going to put an engine weighing a ton more(!) than a pair of J85s into something you call a Kowsar NG?
It will be a completely new plane with a new fuselage.

 

[drmeson]

How are you going to put an engine weighing a ton more(!) than a pair of J85s into something you call a Kowsar NG?
It will be a completely new plane with a new fuselage.

The assumption is that the next generation will be a bit larger with the rear totally changed and larger air intakes, wing area and more internal fuel. Kinda like enlarged F-20 or YF-17

The aerial performance will be awesome.

 

[Hack-Hook]

How are you going to put an engine weighing a ton more(!) than a pair of J85s into something you call a Kowsar NG?
It will be a completely new plane with a new fuselage.

USA put an engine 500kg heavier than two j-85 inside an f-5 without changing the fuselage. that's why I say rd-33 is better choice ad it is roughly the same size and weight of f-404
another matter is that finding enough space inside the tail for engine for the weight you can always strengthen those parts.

 

[Hack-Hook]

The assumption is that the next generation will be a bit larger with the rear totally changed and larger air intakes, wing area and more internal fuel. Kinda like enlarged F-20 or YF-17

The aerial performance will be awesome.

that will be the next step of evolution after Next generation Kowsar, they never said iran heavy turbofan will be AL-31 , the photo they published state we are in process of mastering light Turbofan engine since 1400 till 1405 and after that we plan to focus on heavy turbofan engine
they never said anything about al-31 they just needed a picture and put a picture of a heavy turbofan engine which was AL-31 , something they have done a lot before, so the twitter enthusiast assumed they are gonna build a something like AL-31 while they only said they start planning to produce heavy turbofan engine around 1405 with the help of domestic companies.
so i don't hold my breath for something in AL-31 class

 

[Geo29]

The assumption is that the next generation will be a bit larger with the rear totally changed and larger air intakes, wing area and more internal fuel. Kinda like enlarged F-20 or YF-17

The aerial performance will be awesome.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1562434753491390466

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1562434753491390466

This is where the heavy turbofan will be installed.

Can't wait for this beast of the skies to be born.

 

[Hack-Hook]

This is where the heavy turbofan will be installed.

Can't wait for this beast of the skies to be born.

I love the fact that the mock-up is actually a different airplane not Yasin and no, heavy turbofan is not for yasin . yasin is just a trainer and don\t need it . if it become ready Iran will use it on a fighter not trainer as the production will be quiet limited at start

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

I love the fact that the mock-up is actually a different airplane not Yasin and no, heavy turbofan is not for yasin . yasin is just a trainer and don\t need it . if it become ready Iran will use it on a fighter not trainer as the production will be quiet limited at start

I wasn't talking about it being installed on Yasin.

 

[WudangMaster]

We used to call this "single engine f14" since ack in the days of iran defence .net when this model first appeared. Given the specs of the next generation aircraft, it might very well look just like this model.