Iran Unveils Locally Made Fighter Plane

Associated Press by way of Forbes ^ | 06SEP06 | NASSER KARIMI

[familyop]

Iran unveiled its first locally manufactured fighter plane Wednesday during large-scale military exercises, state-run television reported.

The report said the bomber Saegheh is similar to the American F-18 fighter plane, but "more powerful." It also said the plane was "designed, optimized and improved by Iranian experts."

State TV said the Iranian air force had commissioned the Saegheh plane after many test flights in the past year.

Television footage showed the airplane taking off and launching two rockets. The plane had a small cockpit and only one pilot.

"Saegheh is capable of launching both rockets and bombs," the report said.

General Karim Ghavami, commander of Iran's air force, told state-run television that the war games were being held "to show the trans-regional forces that we are ready to defend our country up to the latest drop of our blood."

The Islamic republic is concerned about the U.S. military presence in neighboring Iraq and Afghanistan at a time when the international community has threatened to impose sanctions against Tehran because of its disputed nuclear program.

During the war-games, which began Aug. 19 and have been dubbed "The Blow of Zolfaghar," Iran has test-fired short-range, surface-to-surface missiles, submarine-to-surface missiles, a new air defense system and laser bombs.

Iran's military also test-fired a series of missiles during war games in the Persian Gulf in March and April, including a missile it claimed was undetectable by radar and could use multiple warheads to hit several targets simultaneously.

After decades of relying on foreign weapons purchases, Iran now says it is increasingly self-sufficient, claiming it annually exports more than $100 million worth of military equipment to more than 50 countries.

Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers and missiles, the government said. It announced in early 2005 that it had begun producing torpedoes. The government has not said how many warplanes it will build.

[kinoxi]

Persia should try to grow into the current century first.

[LeoWindhorse]

yummmm , fresh meat ......

let's go take these people out and get it over with .

[Dallas59]

"The Blow of Zolfaghar"

*snicker*

[Pro-Bush]

Need pics!!

[familyop]

Here's a little more information (excerpted).

Iran deploys locally-manufactured warplane
Associated Press by way of The Hindustan Times
Tehran, September 6, 2006

Television footage showed the takeoff and flight of the airplane. The plane had a small cockpit and only one pilot.

It launched two rockets. "Saegheh is capable of launching both rockets and bombs," the report said.

[Crazieman]

More food for the Raptor.

They won't even slow the F22 down.

[familyop]

I looked at quite a few versions of the report and didn't find pics, yet. But there's a little more information in the comment right after yours (and more good reason for the "humor" topic choice).

[Dallas59]

Iran Unveils Locally Made Fighter Plane

[schwing_wifey]

Hope it performs as well as the North Korean Missile tests... heh heh heh heh...

[Personal Responsibility]

I bet it looks a bit more like this:

[familyop]

Thanks! The front of the wing looks very much like a recent Russian plan. I might try to find that.

[Dahoser]

The report said the bomber Saegheh is similar to the American F-18 fighter plane, but "more powerful." It also said the plane was "designed, optimized and improved by Iranian experts."

We are smart. We are powerful.

[John Carey]

Persia is a modern WESTERN nation. They just gor hijacked in 1979 by a bunch of Islamic extremists. They ARE NOT a backward Arab nation.

See: http://peace-and-freedom.blogspot.com/

[Pro-Bush]

It looks all jacked up, thank for the pic though!

[kinoxi]

How does my statement conflict with yours?

[familyop]

Ah...here it is--from an old post of mine.

from warfare.ru (Russia) - "Russia's Military Analysis" http://warfare.ru/?catid=255&linkid=2280 ...see the resemblance?









PAK-FA Sukhoi T-50

Engines: AL-41F1 2*15500 kgs.
Weight:
VSTOL 21000 kg
max 32800 kg (runway 160m)/31600 kg
Fuel (int) 7000 /10800 kg
Dimensions 20.6 x 14.4 / 7.82 x 5.84 м
Sq 54.6 /77 sq.m

Max speed 2250 km/h
Alt.: 18800 m

Load balance: 0.95
Flight range: 4200-5500/7400 km

Armament: 2x30mm gun
Hardpoints: 8 (conf.), 2*4

Development of Russia's LFI (logkiy frontovoi istrebitel)
lightweight tactical fighter has been dramatically accelerated after the Russian Air Force decided its priorities for the next 10 years. Revealed here exclusively as the I-2000 (Istrebitel {fighter} 2000) project, the aircraft is due to become operational in 2005 as Russia's basic front-line fighter. It is also likely to become the leading export product of the Russian aircraft industry. Available information on the I-2000 indicates that it will be closely comparable to the US Joint Strike Fighter, operating in both the air-to-air and air-to-surface roles.

The aircraft comes from a long line of Mikoyan lightweight fighters, such as the MiG-15 and MiG-21. It is about the same size as the MiG-21 (shorter by 1.3m but wider by 4.5m), but noticeably smaller than its immediate predecessor, the MiG-29. Take-off weight is estimated at around 12 tonnes; maximum take-off weight at about 16 tonnes. [1]

In early 2002 Sukhoi was chosen as prime contractor for the planned Russian fifth-generation fighter is called the PAK FA [ Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsyi - Future Air Complex for Tactical Air Forces]. This intermediate class twin-engined fighter will be larger than a MiG-29 and smaller than a Su-27.

The aircraft will feature a long combat radius, supersonic cruise speed, low radar cross section, supermaneuverability, and the ability to make short takeoffs and landings. In accordance with the technical requirements, the PAK FA will have a normal takeoff weight of 20 tons, which is close to the average normal takeoff weight of the two American airplanes, the F-35 JSF (17.2 tons) and the F-22 (24 tons). The new fighter (a medium version) will have a traditional wing form, though the experience gathered as a result of Berkut's test flights will be taken in consideration when designing the fighter. It is supposed that it will be created using the Stealth technology, and equipped with two AL-41F engines by the Saturn scientific and industrial enterprise, a radar system with an active phased array (to all appearances, it will be produced by the Fazatron-NIIR corporation), and high-precision weapons.

The government commission decided on 26 April 2002 to choose the Sukhoi holding company as the head company to develop and produce the fighter of the fifth generation. The prototype of the PAK FA would take-off in 2006 and that in 2010 the aircraft would be ready for series production. The first deliveries, both for Russian armed forces and for export, would be possible in 2011-12.

The new airplane is being proposed to be brought from the concept design to a prototype series in less than 9 years. Historically, fourth and fifth generation fighters have not been created in less than 15 years. The Russian government has promised to allocate 1.5 billion dollars for the PAK FA through 2010. But the Russian Air Force is receiving less than 200 million dollars a year during this period, and will spend it primarily on other needs.

The prices and sources of funding will determine the destiny of the whole program. To date officials agree that the program will cost $1.5 billion. However, $1.5 billion is the sum needed for creating a new generation of avionics for the fighter (considering the fact that pre-production models of the phased array have already been produced, and will soon be tested). Completion of the AL-41F engine (present readiness is 30 percent) will require, in the opinion of the boss of Rosaviakosmos, 600 - 800 million dollars. Saturn said that launching of production of the AL-41F engine would take $150 million. An improved version of the AL-31F will be used on the aircraft originally (though it is not clear how these heavy motors are reconciled with the concept of a 20-ton fighter). The upgrade of these engines will require expenditures of 1.2-1.5 billion dollars. And finally, designers will have to spend several hundred millions of dollars on creating a new airframe. According to some reports, India and Russia have agreed to jointly develop this fifth-generation fighter, under a scheduled with entery into service in 2009. This would be the first such joint development venture between the two countries. [8]

[Bullish]

Bye bye rodents!

[American in Israel]

They ARE NOT a backward Arab nation.

Now they are. They were Persian, but then so was Egypt. Now they are just another Islamic Hellhole.

As for their technology, they have the finest money can buy, and Russia and China are selling. We however, are not. This is nothing but a trainer modified to hold two missiles, which is as powerful as a UAV, only with a much larger radar cross section. God help the pilot that goes against an F18 with that, cause Allah certainly won't.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

General Karim Ghavami, commander of Iran's air force, told state-run television that the war games were being held "to show the trans-regional forces that we are ready to defend our country up to the latest drop of our blood."

As you wish.