Aspahbod
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2010
- Messages
- 334
- Reaction score
- 1
- Country
- Location
The main reason Defense Industries Organizations was established, was for Iran to gain self sufficiency in manufacturing her basic military needs. During the Iran-Iraq war, Iran's military suppliers were a handful of countries that sold her low quality military equipment ten times their price.
After the war, DIO expanded by license building, reverse engineering and developing a large number of military equipment. Some heavier equipment were not totally built in the country, as some parts could be found in the global market easily.
But as years passed, western sanctions grew larger and such parts became unavailable. This pushed Iran further to manufacture as much parts as she could domestically. The problem rose when some advanced parts could not be built inside the country. This included engines, which are the heart of any moving military equipment.
There are many Iranian projects that were either cancelled, or never went further than a small number of produced units because of engine unavailability.
For example, Shafaq project stopped before a prototype could be built, as Russians refused to deliver the intended RD-2000 engines (a version of RD-33 without afterburner) due to American pressure. The same engine was to be used in another fighter jet project that didn't went further than some small models.
Shafaq project was cancelled with only this mockup being built
Shahed-278 and Shahed-285 will not be produced in high numbers as sanctions stopped Iran from buying the engines (Or as some sources say, an improved version of them) legally from Canada. The smuggler that had been supplying Iran with the engines was caught, limiting the total production of the said helicopters to 17, which is the number of delivered engines.
Zulfiqar tank, Raad-2 SPA, and many other projects faced the same problem. Perhaps the most famous of the cases is that of Jamaran frigate. Even the Iranian officials, which tend to insist that 100% of such equipments are produced locally, admitted that they faced such a problem for the first frigate. Reportedly, German company of MAN refused to deliver the two 10000 hp naval engines to the country due to US pressure, forcing Iran to buy them from France, probably at a much higher price. When the engines were delivered, US prevented the French from sending the shafts. This delayed the project further until a private company was able to build the important part for the navy.
These cases motivated the defense ministry to establish its own engine manufacturing infrastructure despite the high price of such an act.
The first successful project of this kind has probably been done by SAHA, or Iran Aircraft Industries, which was able to make small 25hp piston engines for drones. Over the years, other projects came to fruit. Among them are Tolue-4 and Tolue-5 mini turbojets, Bonayn-1 and Bonyan-4 naval diesels, and a variety of UAV engines by SAHA and more interestingly, PANHA (Iran Helicopter Renewal and Support Company)!!!
UAV engine parts by SAHA, Kish Airshow 2012
Still, a long way remains. It is known that a project to manufacture IrAn-140's TV-3 engine fully in Iran has been completed by around 50% in 2004. There have been many reports of an Iranian turbofan engine under development for fighter jets, and a small one for UAVs (my own guess is for Sofreh Mahi). The first one was to be shown in Army Parade in 2012, a promise that was not fulfilled.
Also according to slides, one of the main purposes of Armita flying laboratory is to test aircraft engines.
Armita's different configurations, the one in the bottom for engine thrust test
As developing turbine engines is not a task to be done in a short time, I doubt that we'll see an operational engine in near future. The fact that Iran has just recently showcased some crucial techniques like single-crystal blade making, further increases the chance that there is at least 10 years remaining for an Iranian medium thrust turbofan engine.
Tolue-4 engine
Also there was a report about making Wankel engines for drones, which could refer to the engine used in Shahed-127, as the original British drone used a Wankel.
The gap of numbers between Bonyan-1 and 4 could mean that there are other naval diesels under development, probably filling the 4150hp gap between the two. Some suggest that Iran may use MAPNA built gas turbines for her warships, especially the proposed 3000 tonnes frigate. But I doubt that Iranian officials risk sanctions on the private company. Still, I may be wrong.
Bonyan 4 engine, four of these are to be used in Sahand frigate
With the direction both Iran's defense industries and the sanctions are going, I think we'll hear more news of engine developments from Iran.
Omid.D (Aspahbod)
After the war, DIO expanded by license building, reverse engineering and developing a large number of military equipment. Some heavier equipment were not totally built in the country, as some parts could be found in the global market easily.
But as years passed, western sanctions grew larger and such parts became unavailable. This pushed Iran further to manufacture as much parts as she could domestically. The problem rose when some advanced parts could not be built inside the country. This included engines, which are the heart of any moving military equipment.
There are many Iranian projects that were either cancelled, or never went further than a small number of produced units because of engine unavailability.
For example, Shafaq project stopped before a prototype could be built, as Russians refused to deliver the intended RD-2000 engines (a version of RD-33 without afterburner) due to American pressure. The same engine was to be used in another fighter jet project that didn't went further than some small models.
Shafaq project was cancelled with only this mockup being built
Shahed-278 and Shahed-285 will not be produced in high numbers as sanctions stopped Iran from buying the engines (Or as some sources say, an improved version of them) legally from Canada. The smuggler that had been supplying Iran with the engines was caught, limiting the total production of the said helicopters to 17, which is the number of delivered engines.
Zulfiqar tank, Raad-2 SPA, and many other projects faced the same problem. Perhaps the most famous of the cases is that of Jamaran frigate. Even the Iranian officials, which tend to insist that 100% of such equipments are produced locally, admitted that they faced such a problem for the first frigate. Reportedly, German company of MAN refused to deliver the two 10000 hp naval engines to the country due to US pressure, forcing Iran to buy them from France, probably at a much higher price. When the engines were delivered, US prevented the French from sending the shafts. This delayed the project further until a private company was able to build the important part for the navy.
These cases motivated the defense ministry to establish its own engine manufacturing infrastructure despite the high price of such an act.
The first successful project of this kind has probably been done by SAHA, or Iran Aircraft Industries, which was able to make small 25hp piston engines for drones. Over the years, other projects came to fruit. Among them are Tolue-4 and Tolue-5 mini turbojets, Bonayn-1 and Bonyan-4 naval diesels, and a variety of UAV engines by SAHA and more interestingly, PANHA (Iran Helicopter Renewal and Support Company)!!!
UAV engine parts by SAHA, Kish Airshow 2012
Still, a long way remains. It is known that a project to manufacture IrAn-140's TV-3 engine fully in Iran has been completed by around 50% in 2004. There have been many reports of an Iranian turbofan engine under development for fighter jets, and a small one for UAVs (my own guess is for Sofreh Mahi). The first one was to be shown in Army Parade in 2012, a promise that was not fulfilled.
Also according to slides, one of the main purposes of Armita flying laboratory is to test aircraft engines.
Armita's different configurations, the one in the bottom for engine thrust test
As developing turbine engines is not a task to be done in a short time, I doubt that we'll see an operational engine in near future. The fact that Iran has just recently showcased some crucial techniques like single-crystal blade making, further increases the chance that there is at least 10 years remaining for an Iranian medium thrust turbofan engine.
Tolue-4 engine
Also there was a report about making Wankel engines for drones, which could refer to the engine used in Shahed-127, as the original British drone used a Wankel.
The gap of numbers between Bonyan-1 and 4 could mean that there are other naval diesels under development, probably filling the 4150hp gap between the two. Some suggest that Iran may use MAPNA built gas turbines for her warships, especially the proposed 3000 tonnes frigate. But I doubt that Iranian officials risk sanctions on the private company. Still, I may be wrong.
Bonyan 4 engine, four of these are to be used in Sahand frigate
With the direction both Iran's defense industries and the sanctions are going, I think we'll hear more news of engine developments from Iran.
Omid.D (Aspahbod)
