Do you have any proof that the Qaher cannot be picked up by 5th gen radars among the “ground scatter”? Or are you just making this up?
Qaher at its current iteration does have not have that low of an RCS as its design still is not optimized based on true stealth characteristics. Also RCS is based on a frontal hit of radar waves from ground based radars not from above from an aircraft flying much higher than it.
Thus the RCS of Qaher being hit by radar waves from the top is vulnerable and likely detectable especially due to lack of radar absorbing skin. Add to the fact if it were to fly without external tanks it’s range is likely limited and by adding external tanks will only increase RCS further.
Furthermore, for F-313 to be an ultra low terrain fighter similar to F-117 it would need to have a completely automated ground avoidance system as no human pilot can be readily relied on to make split second decisions when flying that close to the terrain while in combat during fog of war.
Lastly, if Qaher DOES get detected by an F-22 (and it will) it will face extreme difficulty in its current design iteration from disengaging and avoiding BVR A2A missiles. Correct me if I’m wrong, If I remember correctly one of the main criticism was the current size of air intake which would make climbing difficult.
Add that to the fact the last iteration of F-313 had a FLIR and no Radar, this doesn’t seem to be a fighter with a real defined role, which is troubling. But even adding a optimized Kowsar radar will still make it at a major disadvantage against large air superiority fighters.
So no F-313 being an air superiority fighter is unlikely as it neither has the size, radar, nor long range BVR Missile to be able to do that.
F-313 is at best a light weight CAS fighter and advanced trainer with some stealth characteristics and at most somewhere between a 3rd and 4th gen capability. It’s similar to a “stealthy” upgraded F-5 which makes sense given that Iran has been obsessed with reverse engineering that plane.
Now ask yourself this, will Air Force put in an order for such a plane with limited operational capabilities? This is the same Air Force that passed on Borhan.
The reasons I mentioned above plus Iran’s meager military budget means that F-313 is up in the air in terms of development. If Air Force can acquire foreign planes they will pick those over Iranian. Sad but it is what it is.
