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Subscribe to RSSDUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran unveiled what it said was a new, domestically built fighter jet on Saturday, local media reported.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a ceremony in Tehran that the Qaher 313 demonstrated Iran's growing self-reliance in the field of military technology.
Iran's functional air force has been limited to perhaps as few as a few dozen strike aircraft, either Russian or ageing U.S. models acquired before the 1979 Iranian revolution.
The Islamic Republic, under an international arms embargo, has long struggled to find spare parts and some military experts say the fleet is outdated.
"This advanced fighter jet with unique physical characteristics has a very low radar cross section and therefore is capable of operating at low altitudes," Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said of the Qaher 313, according to Mehr news agency.
Tensions in the region have simmered over Tehran's nuclear program. Israel has threatened to bomb its nuclear sites if diplomacy and sanctions fail to stop Iranian nuclear activity the West suspects is aimed at developing a weapons capability.
At schools, in shops, and on the streets of big cities and small towns, daily life plays out in Iran.
Iran denies the weapons charge, saying it seeks only electricity and medical isotopes.
"Now the speed of Iran's development in science and technology does not depend on circumstances, it depends on our will," Ahmadinejad said on Saturday in remarks carried on state television. "We should set higher targets. We see that it is possible, we have the capabilities."
"This project carries the message of brotherhood, peace, and security and it doesn't pose any threat to anyone. There is no intention to interfere in any other country's affairs," he said.
Iran often holds military drills and announces weapons advances that it says are for purely deterrent purposes, though some analysts are skeptical of such reported advances because they cannot be independently verified.
Western sanctions levied on Iran's energy and banking sectors have damaged its economy and limited oil sales, a major source of revenue for the government. But Tehran has shown no sign of backing down from what it says is its right to enrich uranium for civilian uses.
Iran is commemorating the 34th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah in 10 days of events that began on Thursday.
Related:
Full coverage of Iran on NBCNews.com
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Why WOULD there be a picture?
Goto this link if you want to see what it looks like: http://www.emirates247.com/news/iran-unveils-domestically-built-fighter-jet-2013-02-02-1.493417
Way to go, MSNBC...Half-ass as always...
:-\
Some Middle Eastern news sources are more reliable than you'd think. Check out al-Jazeera America.
thats funny. here's the flying version:
http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2013/2/2/20132211327455734_20.jpg
dave, that is a different airframe...compare that airframe to the one in my link and look at the air intacts again...Or is that another indigenous fighter? It looks a LOT like a modified F-5/T-38 to me...I don't recall if we sold them F-5s back in the day...
Put this so called plane against any American fighter and it will go down.
You know that each USAF, USN, and USMC pilot are just chomping at the bit to splash one over the Persian Gulf...They do the same thing when they hear North Korea flaring every now and then...
One more thing: By rights and doctrine, the kill will most likely be a BVR shot using an AMRAAM, but you know each American pilot wants to see what the Iranian pilot has for training and see how many Gs the pilot can take. I wouldn't be surprised if we see some good ol' fashioned dissimilar air combat gun footage on the 7 o'clock news one night...
Before the Shah was ousted, we were great friends with Iran. We gave them F-14s and the Hawk missile. I was told by missile techs who returned to the states that the average Iranian was a technical maladroit, more apt to shoot himself as opposed to the opponent. I find it very difficult to believe that Iran could build a decent jet engine, much less the entire weapon system. The aging F 14 is likely the best they have. Against the F 18 or a Raptor, make sure your ejection seat is in good order! Just think, Persia was an advanced society...until the muslim hordes sacked them.
I heard a rumor that they tried to mount a HAWK missile on the rail of an F-14 but I am not sure of their success. By rights, technically, it SHOULD work since the HAWK missiles of old use continuous wave radar technology and the old F-14s use CW radar tech as well. That could serve them well to attack our high value air assets at best, but any F-18, F-15, F-16, F-22, and definitely F-35 can splash these old crates as soon as they gain take off speed while they are rotating on the runway...
I also wouldn't be surprised if those old F-14s have some G-load restrictions after all these years of wear and tear and infrequent maintenance...
Iran have developed their own fighter plane ? Engine from China , developed by the Russians. Armament developed by Russia , made in China. Fuselage developed by LEGGO, made in China. GPS developed in the US, made by China. Ejector seat developed by IKEA, made in China. Landing gear, second hand Walmart shopping trolley adaptation. Ashtray developed and made under licence by Iran from China.
The first one will be availalbe in all good toy shops in 2020.
Don't forget the cup holder and evacuation system.(made by Matell)
You are living in a dream world indulging in wishful thinking, blurring reality with fantasy. Typical Yank.
That jet will blow you to bits.
Just because you bold everything "quarant", this does not make it more accurate or true. I have grand-children who are more knowledgeable than you regarding aviation weaponry.
Quarant doesn't understand the concept of an AESA radar...The nose cone is too small to house decent radar. I wouldn't be surprised if they can only track and engage one target at a time.
My personal assessment is that it looks like either one large engine or two small engines (as small as a T-38's engines). The short wingspan aids in speed but reduces maneuverability. Also small wings and small fuselage reduces fuel storage so it will either need to carry extra bags of fuel or it will have a limited range. I can't tell if it has refueling probe so that too will limit its combat effective range.
Someone in their infinite wisdom gave our Jets and tanks to Egypt,we'll be needing those rubber bands.
wolfhound27 I don't think Iran is interested in what we have to say nor are they trying to push our buttons, I think the message is to the neighboring countries in the region: Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc... and so they can rally friends behind them Syria, possibly Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, a show of strength gives confidence to the weak, the weak will believe that Iran will have their backs and leave the old-school US/Soviet backing way behind... Iran has so far continued their nuclear research, strengthened their military, downed a drown or two, invaded Iraq politically, and who knows what else. Don't under-estimate Iran they are slowly becoming a super power in the region right under our noses because we make fun of them and dismiss the important news that comes out. Nuclear is not the real danger, it's the backing of Iran's neighbor that is and this is the real reason why Israel is worried.
I am not sure what you are getting at but we (I was living in Iran back then) were friendly and in peace with all governments including all muslim neighbors around us, Israel, Soviet Union as well as the US. So Iran had no annumosity towards Israel or its neighbors. All that changed when the mullahs came to power and became threatening towards most countries, including its own neighbors - and you think Israel is the threat? I wish some people look at real history and stop being an apologist for the theocratic dictators in Iran.
I am amazed at the idiot responses. This is the same racist, moronic under-estimation of a potential adversary that was prevalent before Pearl Harbour. Americans don't learn. The jet is advanced, it is real, it does fly and it can blow your freakin head off.
the flying version is as good as a relic. the non-flying version doesn't have the the cfm intake capacity to power any world class air superiority anything.
The adversary you refer to is moronic, barbaric and low-tech. It treats women as animals, and religious freedom as heresy. Screw them all!
You are also describing the US of A with our pop culture....Rap / Gangsta sub culture. Hmmmm.
I'm just waiting for someone to post that Iranians can't fly jet fighters 'cause they don't have large enough brains like Americans. Typical racist stupidity.
please refer to MIke N's post above. Let's have a history lesson! Ready? In 1980, what percent of Iran's qualified military pilots were EXECUTED by the Ayatollah because they had been trained "in the West"? Another one: When Iran and Iraq got into a war in the early 80's, which side swept mine fields by pushing large groups of 14-15 year old children in front of their vaunted Guards regiments. These are not the actions of small brains....more like the actions of real sick brains.
Hmmm, if you start mumbling any denials, I'll do ten minutes of internet research and bury you in news articles documenting these events. So finish your thoughts about racist stupidity. Just keep your facts straight. Typical moron.
Of course, the Arabs and Persians have been repeatedly and decisively beaten by the West, and the Israelis, time after time, for the last 300 years. Something is going on. What is your explanation?
I think maybe "quarant" should be quarantined... I once worked for the manufacturer of some missiles we gave Iran during the Shah's regime. They could not meet operational standards or the readiness expected of any defensive group. I think if we gave them Raptors, they would screw them into the ground! F 14s? Good luck with the F 18 Hornet!
Rebus: minor historical correction. The Persians conquered a pretty significant fraction of the world. Their inheritors, the Parthians used to scare the hell out of the Romans in the 1st/2nd centuries. Pre Ayatollah, of course. It's a tragedy that such a historically proud culture could be brought so low by a bunch of medieval Islamist barbarians. Really unfortunate that the Arab Spring failed to free Iran from the idiots.
Absolutely correct! Persia was an advanced society...then islam fell on them...back to the stone age! So sad that the many intelligent Arab people can't throw off the yoke of islamic... or any religion!
Hey "Moderation" moron, "Woodsyr" fool check out Anglo-Soviet invasion of 1941 and Operation AJAX on you tube and google. Or just google SAVAK and find out what they were all about. Put yourself in THEIR PLACE ! You are damn ignorant.
I get most of my information from sources other than the internet, I have a library of real old fashioned books. Second, I rarely call anyone an idiot, moron or a fool. (Uncivilized behavior) You seem like a religious fanatic in that if you scream loud enough, people will believe and accept your horse biscuits. You seem also overly opinionated. Fortunately, I can ignore you. Bye now....
In my opinion, Iran is learning from North Korea how to super hype fake achievements so we may lift any sanctions against them (or in the case of NK, get more $ from the west in exchange for shutting up). Or may be we should take them more seriously, they bark too much.
good post, farideh. But I would not make the mistake of underestimating the Iranians. Good, capable, hardworking scientists, evil government willing to fund them. I worry about their bark suddenly being backed by a 12 KT atomic bomb. With North Korean help, since you mentioned it...combine a nuke with their monkey-powered space vehicle, and you got yerself a global thermonuclear war. The Israelis are armed to the teeth, and a lot of innocent Iranian civilians will get caught in it. Not to mention everybody that's downwind from Iran, since most of Tehran will be settling 1000 miles downwind, in the form of a very fine, very radioactive ash.
I do not underestimate them. I agree.
@ Quarant, i know many iranians. they are very intelligent people and would dis-associate themselves from comments like yours.
Iran has announced the development of world's first squirrel-powered stealth egg crate. The international embargo has hit them so hard they can't even distill their own gasoline any more, despite holding ~15% of the world's oil reserves. Highly unlikely that they've suddenly matched the technological prowess of China and the US. Not sure who they think their audience is for an announcement like this, but I, for one, needed a good laugh this afternoon. Mike N, yer killin' me. Keep up the good work.
Iran unveils new fighter jet - and no images of it....?
As some have suggested, this jet looks very cool and futuristic, but until they
show non-CGI footage of the plane flying and preforming maneuvers, its hardly
believable Iran could muster the know-how to develop such a warplane. If you
haven't seen the jet yet, it looks like something out of a futuristic movie,
and "appears" more advance than the F-35 in some regards...but in a
"corn-ball" way.
Iran needs to learn to stop embarrassing themselves with stunts such as this. No one
takes them seriously for this exact reason. Anyone can put together a full sized model jet like this.
I gotta admit, I got curious so I swept the net and found pictures and articles. Looks like a hoax or some kinda weird propaganda stunt by the Iranian geek squad. Air intakes too small. No wing loading. Airplane itself is tiny. Cockpit appears to be strictly a mockup. I think it's a stage prop from a Transformers movie. Quarant, sorry to disappoint you, old buddy, but you got nuttin'.
Not even Iran's space monkey could get this one in the air...although somebody in Tehran may have a future in Hollywood. They're always on the lookout for imagination.
...i would imagine their much ballyhooed space monkey was key to the development of this aircraft..................
"Advanced." What, it can get off the ground?
So that's why there's a monkey shortage..... you need pilots to fly those birds.
Why are there no pictures? I wonder who actually designed it for them. China just ripped off our f-16 fighter plane with their new fighter.
China does not make anything but cheap toys and contaminated food. They stole the stealth technology from the US as well as their fighters and aircraft carrier technologies.
nuke em
@Ducklow: All of 'em? kinda broad, dontcha think? you wanna narrow that down to a time zone or two?
Gee, it might be as good as the F-86, or even, heaven forbid, the F-4. The worst American (or British, or Israeli, or even Saudi) pilot, in the crappiest reserve aircraft, could still blow the crap out of any Iranian-built, Iranian piloted airplane. Unless it's used as a Kamikaze, I'm not concerned.
Fighter jets are for fighting like Trix are for Kids, not brotherhood.
Is this the same country who fought Iraq? I hope for everyone s sake the religious leaders in Iran remember what happened to Iraq. The Doves won't be in office forever so keep playing around and everyone will lose in the end.
These ragheads fought Iraq for 10 years and got nowhere. We brought Saddam's glorious Army to the surrender table in four days. Achmadinnerplate would be wise to remember this...when we get rid of Barry!
"Barry" hasn't shied away from using some very Lethal Drones.
Achmadinnerplate should have named the jet the Fakir 313.
It's a fake. The photos of it in flight aren't even the same aircraft. It's a photoshopped F5.This proves two things: any sentence containing the words, "Iranian" and Scientist" possesses all of the essential elements of an oxymoron. and achnadinnerplate could be replaced by a button that doesn't work.
@notafan: dude, yer killin' me. Achmadinnerplate! which, by the way, failed spell check!
Jets have advanced so far that a human can no longer withstand the G-Forces that can be achieved. It would be wise of Iran's Religious leaders to remember that America is now training more Pilots to fly drones then conventional fighters and their capability is becoming more and more lethal everyday and that's just the drones. The F-22 Raptor is far more capable then anything the Iranians can put in the Air.
Some food for thought for Iran's Religious Leaders.
Hmmm. A secret jet. If the Iranians made it, it must run on camel dung. They should test it by trying to fly it to Tel Aviv. That should settle any question in their minds.
Bet it's a crop duster.
All hot air. May be monkey can pilot the new F-133.