new iranian figher

[kidwaibhai]

MILTECH
Iran Adds New Fighter Jet To Air Force

An American F-18 fighter jet.
by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP)
Iran on Wednesday said it has developed a new warplane named "Thunder," which it described as similar to the American F-18 fighter jet. The fighter jet is "similar to the F-18 fighter jet, but it is more capable and has been manufactured domestically," the commander of the Iranian army General Attollah Salehi was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

Iranian state television reported that the jet "is able to fire rockets and also to drop bombs and is equipped with an advanced radar system.

"The fighter jet Saegheh (Thunder), after successful military operations and accurately firing air-to-surface rockets in the Zolfaghar Blow maneuvers, came into the service of the Iranian air force today," the report said.

The air force, army and navy have been showing off their capabilities and new hardware for the last month in the Zolfaghar Blow war games, which come amid mounting international concern over Tehran's nuclear programme.

The report added "the plane, which has flown dozens of experimental flights during the last year, joined the air force with full fighting capacity."

Salehi told IRNA the jet was "designed, remodeled, optimized and made more capable by our engineers," and added that "no country has aided us in its production."

US President George W. Bush on Tuesday called Iran's leaders "tyrants" as dangerous as Al-Qaeda terrorists and said they must not be allowed to get nuclear weapons -- "the tools of mass murder."

Tehran has insisted that it seeks only civilian nuclear power, but is facing a US drive for sanctions on the UN Security Council after missing a deadline ordering it to halt sensitive uranium enrichment operations.

Source: Agence France-Presse

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[Keysersoze]

If it is the one that has been circulating the web for a while then it is merely a remodeled f-5/f-20

And whilst it bears a resemblance to the f-18 I believe thats all they have in common.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i recenlty learnt about this new plane can anybody provide images. i think this is the same plabe that they have developed that looks similar to yak-130 trainer
your input is much apreciated.

 

[Neo]

Iran on Wednesday said it has developed a new warplane named "Thunder," which it described as similar to the American F-18 fighter jet. The fighter jet is "similar to the F-18 fighter jet, but it is more capable and has been manufactured domestically," the commander of the Iranian army General Attollah Salehi was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

Whaaahahahaha....oh my gawd, this guy is hilarious!

 

[kidwaibhai]

Iran's New Saegheh Fighter Enters Servic

There's been a bit of a kerfuffle in some quarters over the recent announcement by the Iranian news agency IRNA. It quoted the commander of the Iranian army General Attollah Salehi as saying their new indigeous Saegheh [DID: "thunder" or "lightning", reports vary] aircraft is "similar to the F-18 fighter jet, but it is more capable and has been manufactured domestically... designed, remodeled, optimized and made more capable by our engineers... no country has aided us in its production." Reports are also noting Iran's claim that it is developing a 5th generation "Shafagh" stealth fighter, oddly enough without appropriate laughter or ridicule.

Readers may recall past Iranian claims re: "stealth" flying boats that obviously used stealth-killing propellers and other such nonsense. Perhaps we can help shed a more sober and reasoned light on this new development...

More Heat Than Light?

The official FARS news agency article that touted the new aircraft as "more difficult to pick up on the radar systems compared with the normal version due to its higher maneuverability" was especially funny. The Saegeheh must be something special to be able to out-maneuver radar beams traveling near the speed of light.

Risible claims aside, there is evidence that Iran has built a more effective domestic manufacturing base for aircraft and missile spares and modifications than they are commonly given credit for, in order to keep their existing fleet flying and armed. Readers may recall DID's citation of Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop's books "Iranian F-14 Units In Combat" and their more comprehensive but poorer publishing quality work "Iran-Iraq War in the Air 1980-1988," which provide information along these lines. Their original reporting re: Iran's ability to keep its F-14 fleet flying throughout the Iran-Iraq war and beyond, and adaptations like modifying US-made Hawk SAMS into air-air weapons, are useful indicators.

The ability to modify and upgrade existing aircraft would be a natural development from that base. True indigenous production of the kind Iran is claiming, on the other hand, is a difficult endeavour indeed. Taiwan's experience with their **** fighters is instructive as a data point, and exemplifies the difficulties and trade-offs that even a more advanced nation with limited access to global suppliers faces. India's experience trying to develop its Kaveri engines for the HAL Tejas lightweight fighter is also worth pondering.

Instead, the general consensus among more informed observers is that Iran's new fighter is a modified F-5E Tiger II fighter. the F-5E was an early 1970s era low-cost export fighter update of the 1960s-era F-5A fighter/ T-38 supersonic trainer, and it proved very popular with US allies. While Northrop Grumman's F-5 page doesn't mention Iran as an F-5 customer, the Shah's air force most certainly was.

Twin tails, wings mounted above the intakes with the addition of leading edge strakes, and new avionics would appear to be the major modifications. The reports were careful not to tout new engines or the ability to fire medium-range missiles, for instance, and barring Russian assistance a radar that would be on par with even the AN/APG-65 of the 1980s vintage F/A-18As is highly unlikely.

That last question is an important one, because the addition of the Kopyo radars to India's upgraded MiG-21 'Bisons', which allowed them to fire R-77/AA-12 "AMRAAMski" medium-range missiles, turned them into very effective interceptors when used in conjunction with AWACS assets during the COPE India exercises. The Sageheh, however, doesn't appear to reach even the level of its MiG-21 'Bison' contemporaries, let alone the bragged-of F/A-18.

The real result would appear to be an F-5E fighter with slightly improved avionics and improved "low and slow" flight characteristics, but not much more. Iran's ability to modify and/or replace their F-5 E/F fighters and F-5B trainers is not entirely useless, as it will help them bolster their sagging force structure. Nevertheless, comparing the resulting aircraft to even an F/A-18A Hornet would appear to be just more of the usual bluster and overstretch as the clock ticks down on Iran's nuclear program and its leadership's subsequent plans.

In other news, Iran is also boasting about developing a "2,000 pound guided bomb." DID would remind our readers that America was successfully using 2,000 pound GBU-10 Paveway laser-guided bombs in Vietnam against targets like the Doumer Bridge back in 1972.

Addendum and Additional Reading

DID recommends the Washington Institute of Near East Policy's December 2005 report by Fariborz Haghshenass for a serious analysis of Iran's two air forces (yes, TWO), which includes organizational/command issues as well as its equipment. Among other things, it clearly describes the Saegheh as "based on the F-5E, but has a twin vertical tail configuration to improve takeoff and maneuvering performance".

 

[BATMAN]

If it is the one that has been circulating the web for a while then it is merely a remodeled f-5/f-20

And whilst it bears a resemblance to the f-18 I believe thats all they have in common.

Its the same plane 'Saeghe' but we must comend the creativity and the effort.
At least they have local made advanced trainer.

 

[Cheetah786]

http://img174.imageshack.us/my.php?image=5850615l600ky5.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/my.php?image=6850615l600rc8.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/my.php?image=7850615l600kz9.jpg
http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=220380origut9.jpg
http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=iranplaneje2.jpg


http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ira1mx2.jpg




If you lokk at the RED square you will see that they have indented air intakes which will reduce the RCS from straight ahead becuase they will limit radar reflection from the engine.

Second GREEN square you have what seems to be a radar absorbing "block/mat" on the back near the tail fins in black. This will also help reduce RCS.

Then you have the tail fins which are slanted as you can see in this picture :
and then they have also other stealth features as well. Again look at the above picture and take a look a where the cockpit is and then take a look at the angle of the cockpit area all the way down to the tail and you will notice it is at an angle. And then take a look at the same cockput lane but this time look at it twards the air-intake side and you will notice this is also at an angle.

And also once again look at the air-intakes where they are indented this will also reduce RCS fromt he exterior of the aircraft.

Then take a look at the main wings it has a "double-delta" type configuration which should reduce RCS even more.

This aircraft has extensive RCS reducing measures introduced into it's design.

If a war breaks out don't be surprused to see the Iranians flying this coated 100% with RAM paint and using this as a stealth aircraft.

Although the basic design is still sahres same features as the F-5 you can see there are signifcant improvements to the exterior of the aircraft to RCS although the layout seems the same apart fromt he tail. With improved redesign of the air intakes, wing etc...

 

[Keysersoze]

The Americans spent billions developing the F-117 and B-2 and all they had to do was slightly change a F-5 (A plane they found unsuitable for their own airforce)

Ok the Lerx (double delta you refer to ) is a aerodynamic feature NOT a RCS reducing feature.

The "Radar absorbent blockmat" seems to be only on the top which is pretty much a waste of time. Whats the point of having RAM on the tail of the plane when you have been shot down whilst flying TOWARD the target.

Basically they have slightly improved a F-5 it will never be a stealth plane. The only notable thing is that the nose is slightly larger.

It's a big step for the Iranian infrastructure but lets not kid ourselves here........It's a F-5 not a x-wing

 

[Officer of Engineers]

It's a F-5 not a x-wing

There are times when British humour just floors me.

 

[Cheetah786]

The Americans spent billions developing the F-117 and B-2 and all they had to do was slightly change a F-5 (A plane they found unsuitable for their own airforce)

Ok the Lerx (double delta you refer to ) is a aerodynamic feature NOT a RCS reducing feature.

The "Radar absorbent blockmat" seems to be only on the top which is pretty much a waste of time. Whats the point of having RAM on the tail of the plane when you have been shot down whilst flying TOWARD the target.

Basically they have slightly improved a F-5 it will never be a stealth plane. The only notable thing is that the nose is slightly larger.

It's a big step for the Iranian infrastructure but lets not kid ourselves here........It's a F-5 not a x-wing

Americans spent $50Million to develop a pen that can write upside down in space.Russians did it for 10Cents they used a pencil.

i doubt the Iranians claim that its a stealth.but they are on a right track if they are trying to be self reliant in a long run it will pay dividends.
iam clue less when it comes to fighter planes.but i thought ''Radar absorbent blockmat'' was a big secret.but if iranians have access to it its good development 2.

 

[JK!]

You have to admire the Iranian reverse engineering efforts as they have also done it with helicopters, TOW missiles and other equipment.

I'd love to see them do it with the chinooks or CH53 helicopters in service cos that would be something we could look at.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i doudt that. They dont have access to sophisticated radar that we have. secondly its design is based on 1960's aircraft. i think that jf-17 has some sort of fly by wire technology, it would be a great miracle if this aircraft has this.

 

[Cheetah786]

i doudt that. They dont have access to sophisticated radar that we have. secondly its design is based on 1960's aircraft. i think that jf-17 has some sort of fly by wire technology, it would be a great miracle if this aircraft has this.

Actually they have access to chinese and russian tech.and iam willing to bet they using russian radar.

 

[Contrarian]

Its a freaking F-5 remodelled that looks like an F-18.

 

[Janbaz]

No one knows what Iran has or does. Their F-14's are so called capable than F-16's and this mastepeice now is F-18 *** kicker! Wow!