IRIAF | News and Discussions

[ParthianLord]

the "odd" paint job on the yak130 has a simple reason,

those are Aerospace engineering testing colors "International orange" , green and blue.

the use of international orange on the Yak130 is a give away that the iranian engineers painted those colors on the first in iran assembled yak130 for test reasons.



because its the first yak130 aircraft assembled in iran and it was used in test flights (as seen in the videos)

engineers who assembled it putted those bright "test colors" on those plane so its more "Visible" on camera footage during its first test flights. its standard procedure for new aircraft since the 60´s

the following Yak130´s assembled in Iran will have standard iranian color patterns.

 

[TheImmortal]

the "odd" paint job on the yak130 has a simple reason,

those are Aerospace engineering testing colors "International orange" , green and blue.

the use of international orange on the Yak130 is a give away that the iranian engineers painted those colors on the first in iran assembled yak130 for test reasons.



because its the first yak130 aircraft assembled in iran and it was used in test flights (as seen in the videos)

engineers who assembled it putted those bright "test colors" on those plane so its more "Visible" on camera footage during its first test flights. its standard procedure for new aircraft since the 60´s

the following Yak130´s assembled in Iran will have standard iranian color patterns.

Yes orange or a reddish orange is standard safety colors when in conjunction with white/base paint/no paint. Iran’s blend of other colors is almost “hides” the orange in the tail and wing.

This

Is quite different than this

Or this

Or this

Or this

Or this

Or this

My point is standard OP would be to exclude the green/blue on the wing and tail for easy identification.

It’s like wearing a yellow neon safety vest then painting black and purple stripes on it. There is a reason when you go hunting you are not allowed to modify your safety vest. (Roughly same concept)

 

[Gomig-21]

This

What flag is that on the tail? It has a black stripe on the bottom instead of bright red of the Iranian flag. And the middle emblem looks a bit undersized for a lion or even the IRI symbol.

 

[TheImmortal]

What flag is that on the tail? It has a black stripe on the bottom instead of bright red of the Iranian flag. And the middle emblem looks a bit undersized for a lion or even the IRI symbol.

It’s standard IRI flag, just angle and poor camera quality

This green/blue defeats the purpose of “safety scheme” and is ugly as hell.

Who picked this color? Just leaving it white w/orange highlights would have been 10x better. Instead it looks like a damn parrot.

 

[jauk]

Caution, given history, we can’t dismiss a random color scheme emanating from some managerial brain fart.

 

[Gomig-21]

It’s standard IRI flag, just angle and poor camera quality

Yeah, then it looks like they made a feeble attempt to match the flag colors on the rest of that livery.

Hopefully there's a few more coming but because of only 2 showing up gives speculating a reason to go wild. Bottom line is that this is a much better trainer to use prior to a big jump into something like the single seat Su-35 because of all the modern avionics and radar. Something like the MiG-29UB can be used as a trainer but it's older avionics and they don't have radars. That's not efficient training of course.

The other speculation that they'll only be trainers is also as a result of those colors and pattern. Truth is, this thing can work very nicely as a light attack fighter. Much of the impression is judged by the livery like in this pic. Totally different look and even attitude.

 

[TheImmortal]

Bottom line is that this is a much better trainer to use prior to a big jump into something like the single seat Su-35 because of all the modern avionics and radar.

yak-130 while certainly more modern than most Iranian fighters (not saying much as they are either from the 70’s or 90’s) is not that much more advanced than Kowsar trainer and CAS.

Yak-130 cockpit

Iran Kowsar Avonics

Also while digital vs analog looks more modern and is better. It also opens the door to more jamming especially if the enemy has an idea of your chip architecture. Considering that TSMC produces most of the worlds computer chips alongside a conglomerate of western companies, Iran should be very wary over reliance on foreign computer chips as should Russia.

Iran can certainly produce even more digital cockpits (if needed see example below). They take pilot feedback seriously as one generation cockpit (Saeghe) was not liked by pilots reportedly so they redesigned it for Kowsar.

Yak-130

Kowsar

Where Yak-130 truly excels is as a trainer:

The Avionica fly-by-wire flight control system is used to adjust the stability and controllability characteristics and flight safety systems to simulate a number of aircraft such as the MiG-29, Su-27, Su-30, F-15, F-16, F-18, Mirage 2000, Rafale, Typhoon and future fighters such as the F-35.

The pilot selects the software model of the simulated aircraft’s control system on the Yak-130 on-board computer. The pilot can select the model during flight. The system can be forgiving to allow cadet pilots the easy acquisition of piloting skills.

Another reason Iran choose it: compatibility with its own A2A and PGM systems which are based on western architecture.

An open architecture avionics suite installed on the Yak-130 allows a wide range of western weapon systems and guided missiles to be integrated including the AIM-9L Sidewinder, Magic 2 and the AGM-65 Maverick.

Yak-130 - Airforce Technology

The Yak-130 combat trainer was selected as the winner of the trainer competition of the Voyenno Vozdushnyye Sily, Russian Federation…

www.airforce-technology.com

The only concern here is the cost. Vietnam paid $350M for 12 in 2019. That comes out to $30M an aircraft - for an advanced trainer whose radar can only locate an 5m2 object at 85KM from the front. So its vulnerable to any modern block F-16/F-18. Where as Iran’s Kowsar radar rumored to be a reverse engineered Grifo. (See pic above)

Remains to be see what “deal” Iran secured or if it paid for this aircraft in drones/ammo barter type deal. If Iran had to pay close to what Vietnam paid then I’ll be surprised if the order is for more than 12 fighters. I was hoping for 24.

 

[TheImmortal]

Contrary to @Hack-Hook opinion. Looks like Russia doesn’t have much issue building more aircraft at the moment. Interesting to see SU-57 being produced while in late R&D stages.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1707388562910462365

 

[tsunset]

My crystal ball:

- IRIAF will receive a less than 10 Su-30, followed by a squadron of 24 Su-35 in less than 6 months, along with an order of <5 Su-57 and modernization of the MiG-29 9.12 into MiG-29M2 standards. Total number of Su-35, Su-30, Su-57 more than 60 fighters.

- Help from Russia to make all compatible with the IRIAF inventory and IADS and provide manufacture to produces parts.

- A batch of Mi-35 or Ka-52 and helicopters for civilian/rescue purposes. Delivered in less than 6 months.

- Little number of Pantsir, S-350 batch.

- Iran keep going on B-373 for lack of LORAD and receive B-373 orders, study modern technology, implementation and compatibility with Iranian weapons, Yasin trainer to train Kowsar pilots, having a westeast hybrid fleet all compatible together. Q-313 drone unveiling.

 

[MMCM]

My crystal ball:

- IRIAF will receive a less than 10 Su-30, followed by a squadron of 24 Su-35 in less than 6 months, along with an order of <5 Su-57 and modernization of the MiG-29 9.12 into MiG-29M2 standards. Total number of Su-35, Su-30, Su-57 more than 60 fighters.

- Help from Russia to make all compatible with the IRIAF inventory and IADS and provide manufacture to produces parts.

- A batch of Mi-35 or Ka-52 and helicopters for civilian/rescue purposes. Delivered in less than 6 months.

- Little number of Pantsir, S-350 batch.

- Iran keep going on B-373 for lack of LORAD and receive B-373 orders, study modern technology, implementation and compatibility with Iranian weapons, Yasin trainer to train Kowsar pilots, having a westeast hybrid fleet all compatible together. Q-313 drone unveiling.

Very optimistic, but I doubt Russia would export the SU-57 at the time being.

 

[Flotilla]

Very optimistic, but I doubt Russia would export the SU-57 at the time being.

Agreed. Su 57 is wildly unrealistic. In one hand RUAF need them desperately, but in the other IRIAF has no experience even in 4.5 gen FBW fighters jets. Any Su57 deal would go for Algeria or even India before Iran.
Iran with 48 Su35 are more than enough. The rest can be engineered, build and operated inside (Yassin, Kowsar and Simorgh).

 

[TheImmortal]

Agreed. Su 57 is wildly unrealistic. In one hand RUAF need them desperately, but in the other IRIAF has no experience even in 4.5 gen FBW fighters jets. Any Su57 deal would go for Algeria or even India before Iran.
Iran with 48 Su35 are more than enough. The rest can be engineered, build and operated inside (Yassin, Kowsar and Simorgh).

48 is a small order for the 10th largest country in the world by geographical size.

In 1970’s with a population ~30M the Shah ordered 80 F-14’s, 177 F-4’s, 127 F-5’s

While in 2023 with a population of almost 90M.

We want our future airforce to be:
48 SU-35S
12 Yak-130
XX upgraded existing Iranian MIGs/SUs
?? Kowsar & upgraded existing F-5s

That’s one small a** airforce.

F-4/F-14 will have to enter storage in 10 years from fatigue. To be pulled out during war time as a last resort.

Also FYI Ukraine-Russo War:

Ukraine has lost ~70 fixed wing
Russia has lost ~90 fixed wing

Ukraine has 74% of its inventory left (allegedly)
Russia has 96% of its inventory left

Putting all your eggs in the ballistic missile basket is a bad bad move.

 

[ReasonableStar75]

You people see unrealistic Russia gives SU-57 to Iran...

So now the question is,

What has to offer Algeria to Russia apart of money, Iran cannot offer to Russia?

What has to offer India to Russia apart of money, Iran cannot offer to Russia?

Iran has saved Russian war on Ukraine, even Ukraine want to launch missiles against Iran for a reason, neither India or Algeria are more relevant to Russia survival, Iran is.

And about the colours of training jets, who cares... even that colours represent Iran,because Iran is indoiranian country. India in some way is related to iranians also.A lot of indians can be considered south western asians, bombay, delhi, punjab,...

But ignorant people fails to realize.

 

[TheImmortal]

If people did research then they would know that for most of the early project’s life India was a joint partner on what became the SU-57 (originally called the PAK-FA project)

But Russia didn’t share critical ToT or involve India enough in the engineering process (shocker there). Mostly kept milking India for more funds (financing). Delays continued to happen in the project and finally India exited the joint project.

SU-57 then went practically dormant with RAF cutting back orders. Only a handful of prototypes were built to test out various tech. The last prototype was testing a new radar or something. Project was basically shelved till Putin came by one day and threw them a bone and said Russia would start purchasing some units again. Sukhoi has already turned its eyes to the more affordable future SU-75 project which is something that will interest Iran more than the expensive limited production run that is SU-57.

Anyway India is likely first in line to get SU-57 based on past ties. However now the US is dangling ToT airforce deal if India switches to a US equipped airforce Instead of a Russian based one. So remains to be seen how that plays out. India’s airforce modernization contract has got all the world’s arms contractors salivating. Worth mentioning India also operates over 250 SU-30.

China doesn’t need any SU-57 with its own J-20 and J-31. The potential client list to sell warplanes too for Russia is the smallest it’s been since the fall of Soviet Union. Saddam is dead. Ghaddafi is dead. Assad is dirt poor. China is self sufficient. India is pivoting toward the west. Turkey is still firmly in NATO. Venezuela has no money. Cuba has no money. And now The world is the most anti-Russia it’s been since the 1960’s with the West forcing weak countries to pick sides. Sooooooo Sukhoi literally can sell to Iran, rich oil Arabs, or some random insignificant countries that aren’t on the US industrial complex payroll.

Algeria is a Russia sphere of influence of country and a foothold in Africa. It is a banana country. It getting SU-57 wouldn’t upset USA/NATO or Israel or the Arabs. Iran on the other hand getting such aircraft would lead to major headache for Russia who has to balance its business relationships and friendly relationships with Israel and the Arabs. Then comes US/NATO who will get revenge if Russia goes thru the deal or worse do the classic “stab iran in the back and we will give you some carrots so you can live to fight another day” playbook of the 90’s and 2000’s.

Whatever Iran pays Russia, Saudi Arabia will pay them double to not provide it. If Iran gets its hands on SU-57 then you can be damn sure MBS will get SU-35 or F-15EX or 5th Gen EuroFighter. Israel would likely be gifted more F-35’s by US to maintain “deterrence and strategic edge”.

So Iran knows it’s stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the airforce. Turkey is building its own 5th Gen fighter jet - wether it ever reaches mass production and is a successful design who knows. Israel will continue to get more F-35’s. Eventually Arabs will get F-35’s. NATO is building their own 5th Gen fighter jet.

Iran desperately needs engine ToT. SU-35 is merely a stop gap, not a long term solution. By 2040 if Iran cannot build is own fighter jets (manned or unmanned) then its got a gaping hole in its defense compared to most of its neighbors.

 

[ReasonableStar75]

You are all failing on your assesments...

The only reliable partner Russia has are China and Iran. China already does not need so much from Russia, just partnership, not much more.

So, Iran is the only valuable ally Russia can have. Even if important differences exists, Russia cannot commit much supidities and must adapt to realities, Iran is the only one to make military business now and gain something.

SU-57 production center must be done in Iran, not just to give some squadrons.... Iran and Russia must create redundant and resilient productions sites for ballistic missiles, in a shared fashion.

Please open your mind, Russia now does not need just countries that pay for their military products, they need real allies, real ones. Countries that can be invaded easily if approach to Russia does not serve.

Algeria is an important country, but they are weak, they are circled by enemies.

Saudis and other are not reliable for Russia. Iran is the only option that rest, because China has nothing to win from russians now.

India would be heavily sanctioned if something serious happens in business. And India will bow to western pressure as much others.

Only rest Iran and Syria,maybe, but this country cannot pay nor provide so much.

Belarus does not count, they are Russians also, not much to add.

South americans?, all weak, and all, will succumb to western pressure in one or other way.

So Russia has almost no option, they are isolated, and Iran is their last breadth of air.