On November 3, Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami participated in a ceremony marking the start of the mass-production line of the domestically-designed fourth-generation fighter jet Kowsar at Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company in Isfahan Province.
“Soon the required number of these planes will be produced and put at the service of the Air Force,” Brigadier-General Hatami said during the ceremony.
He hailed the accomplishments of Iranian engineers, which had been made in the face of “the enemies’ psychological warfare, propagandist blackmail, and economic sanctions.” The defense minsiter added that Teheran will “spare no effort” to develop further “peaceful defense technologies” to protect its sovereignty.
According to the Iranian government, the Kowsar fighter jet boasts “advanced avionics”, a multipurpose radar and a fire control system linked to a digital military data network as well as an independent radio navigation system.
The Defense Ministry’s Public Relations Department stated that the production of each Kowsar jet would save the country around $16.5 million.
Brigadier-General Hatami described the jet as “the very symbol of fighting the [global] arrogance and standing against the excessive demands of the imperial system, which is being led by the Great Satan, the United States.”
Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi added that Iran’s defense capabilities have grown to such a level that no power can withstand them and challenge the state.
While Iranian official statements are as always loud, the Iranian military faces signficiant issues with its conventional capabilities, especially the Air Force, because of the sanction regime imposed on the country. Teheran responded to this situation by boosting its asymmetrical warfare capabilities. The US and its allies as well as independent expert see the Quds Force, a special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps respponsible for their extraterritorial operations, as one of the most capable clandestine warfare units around the world.
On November 2, the White House announced that the US is re-imposing all sanctions lifted from Iran in the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal and is even expanding the list of sanctions. The official statement said that “this will be the toughest sanctions regime ever imposed on Iran“. The sanctions, which enter force on November 5, will target over 700 individuals and entities, including major Iranian banks, oil exporters, and shipping companies. This will further complicate the work of the Iranian defense and energy companies.
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Wow, an F-5 clone. I’m sure the Pentagon will be scared shitless and running out of toilet paper at the sight of this. Couldn’t the Iranians at least have cloned something more modern? Like their MiG-29’s and SU-24’s? They really seem determined on making their old US aircraft either still work, or making new ones. Since they operate both I wonder what that says about their Russian made aircraft?
Thankfully Iran is hard enough already to crack for the US militarily. Which is why they are resorting to sanctions instead.
its to complex to clone more modern aircraft like the MiG29 F14 and SU24.
Not really, every feat of engineering is incremental and there is no need to reinvent the wheel. US morons thought that Iran would not be able to maintain the complex F-14A, but IRIAF managed even to upgrade than and refurbish the airframes, avionics and weapons systems and the Persian Cats will now fly to 2030 without any problem. Not one of the 48 or so F-14A has crashed since the end of the war and they even escorted Russian bombers all the way from the Caspian to Syria on several occasions. Iranians are the masters of improvisation.
yea but maintenance and manufacturing are 2 very diferent things.
good enough flying launch platform… no need for high tech crap…. start, climb, deliver long range missiles within own border limits and done. no need for more sophisticated flying stuff.
Iran had over 225 F-5’s of various configurations since 1972. It was the training and workhorse of Iranian airforce along with F-4E.
Not good enough at all – they lack range, carrying capacity and have too small radars – by the look of it…
what range do you need? you want to fly to Yemen and back?
you have no clue, mate
Original F-5s are light fighter planes designed for air to air combat that could perform some light CAS. They simply were not designed to be cruise missile launch platforms – they couldn’t launch nothing bigger then a pair of Mavericks . For reference compare them with Su-24/34s, planes that were actually designed for something like that…
you explained by yourself. do you think that this version is the same like the original platform from the 50ies?) and do you think somebody will launch a 3 ton CM from an F-5? )))
Similar power plant = similar performance. Iran can’t make miracles with reverse engineered and/or upgraded General Electric J85s from 1950s. BTW did anybody ever attempted to launch AS missile (or anything heavier than a Maverick derivative or a Penguin) from a light fighter/trainer aircraft. F-5 is a poor launch platform for any missile that can hope to make a dent in potential Iranian enemy- US navy, Saudis (military target and tankers) let alone Zios…PS when was Mark84 2.000 lb dropped from an F5 in real combat???
Exactly. Some people think there are still ‘ dog-fights’ in the skies between fighter jets. Cheap, effective for stand-off weapons, EW systems and guidance platforms.
However, Irans real power is in its ballistic missile arsenals. Anti-ship missiles too.
Iran is moving towards self-reliance and this is a good sign for Iranian nation. Iran should focus on to develop 200 KN jet engine to power their future fighter jets and commercial jets. Also for keeping eyes on the sky they should develop 8m large diameter mirrors for telescopes.
IIAF and later the post revolutionary IRIAF has had extensive experience with US aircraft. At one time Iran flew more Phantoms and F-5 than any other airforce, except US. Iran and USN were the only operators of the F-14 also. So developing a F-5E clone based on 50 years of war and operational experience is natural progression for Iranian aircraft industries. The quality of metallurgy, build and avionics on the Kowsar (THUDERBOLT) are pretty good. As a mechanical engineer, I observed that the riveting and welding of alloys is excellent, the fuselage weight distribution and aerodynamics are good, perhaps frontal canards would have given it more maneuverability, but this is basically a light attack trainer like the T-38 Talon which Iranians are quite experienced on. From closer inspection of the assembly line it seems that the Kowsar is using the tested Russian made K-36D ejection seat which has a 95% successful ejection history, even in Syria all downed Russian pilots ejected safely, however unfortunately the CIA headchoppers killed them on ground, only one was saved by Hezbollah special units. Anyway, good beginning for a country under embargoes and sanctions for over 40 years now. Iran should seriously negotiate with Russia or China for the SU-35 or Chinese J11 which is an advanced version of the Flanker L with many enhanced western copied avionics.
Iran need not invest too heavily on building a kickass air force. Too expensive. Irans main power is in its ballistic missiles and anti-ship missiles. Those, and the latest advanced technologies that go with them is what Iran needs from China and/or Russia.
Btw, China secretly supplies Iran with advanced satellite imagery of the region. And has supplied Iran with advanced ballistic missile guidance technologies.
I think you may be right, China is a better bet in the long run as Russia is heavily penetrated by Jews and that was the reason such mild reaction to the downing of the IL-20. Putin is not trustworthy and the Russian military is pretty much hog tied in Ukraine and Syria. Iran had no choice but to build missiles as a deterrent since no country was willing to sell it airplanes. The drunk Yeltsin even cancelled MIG 29 deal and Putin took eight years to deliver 1980’s vintage S-300 which have never been tested under battlefield conditions. There is 100% probability of US morons miscalculating and taking on China in the next two decades as AmeriKKKans are racist anti-Asian, with Russia they think it will implode from within by using the Jews like in the USSR.
so much waste of raw material and man hours.
When we see the 7 or 8 of these in formation above a parade in Tehran we’ll be sure.
But I think, seeing the photos and watching the video, that they have one old American plane, and staged this production line with low cost materials.
And putting their real money into drones and missiles. If they save $16.5 million per plane, imagine what they save using drones.
Very good againt own unarmed civilians.
typical US stereotype of stupid approach – all the iranians need are some aereal launch plattforms, e.g LRAA missiles against AWACS or som supersonic anti-ship missiles. those f-5 clones will be never used for air-superiority …. and the iranian industry can produce that type of machinery pretty easy, after having decades of studying and reverse-engineering…. anyways, those planes will be more reliable than any overdeveloped and underperforming F-35 crap
“anyways, those planes will be more reliable than any overdeveloped and underperforming F-35 crap.”
Amen
Paragliders too.
“Paragliders too” what?
They are mroe reliable than F-35´s?
Trainers to what. The rest is close to musem.
Trainers are in no way meant to be the newest ans shiniest, if you understand the purpose of a training aircraft, you would know that a training aircraft SHOULD be a back-to-basic frame with analogue instrument and “stick and rudder” controls.
Well, the danish fighter pilots start by small trainers in USA, so I do know. But they get F16 after that(and in 2030 or somrething F35).
So you are Saying that theres nothing wrong with small trainers?
IRIAF dont have MiG-21s, the pilots most likely go on to the MiG-29, Su-24, Mirage, F-4 or F-14.
The F-16 we have in Denmark, is developed back in the 70s, so the same period as the the IRIAF, yes the RDAF F-16 have been updated, but so have the Iranian planes.
Yes, because Iran used fighter jets to attack “unarmed civilians” numerous times. The headlines were all over the news.
Or, maybe I’m mistaken and it was Israel that attacked “unarmed civilians” using F-16’s.
Damn it! Israel and Iran are so close in alphabetical order.
Try harder, earrrn that paycheck dammit! Why not saying “it’s fake”, like all the times your ilk said about Iranian missiles, UAVs, other planes, rifles, etc?
LMAO !!
Then they just have learned from the western World, after all, we have close to 80 years of experience in that field.
History have shown that civilian casaulties in war is damn close to impossible to avoid, no matter how high-tech your side is, and any one who believes that hightech can replace mistakes and accidents, is just ignorant.
Often the “dumber” the weapon, the more reliable and predictiable it is.
Not often.
“Not often” what?
Finish your sentences Jens
We use that where I live not wasting time. This is no official goverment communication or lawyers court.
What?
You are speaking in tounges jens.
If you type your answer here in Danish, i would gladly Translate it for you
its avionics systems seem qutie modern.
Interesting “assembly line” – plane no. 7 in parts, plane no. 1 already being painted, in the same general area with the other 5. Total no. of workers – a dozen. Some of these Iranian childish PR stunts really annoy me…
you can be sure, that this location is not the real production facility. iranians will never show how they are working. this is just for display. the real factory will be deeply buried in the iranian mountains…
So they could have filmed the “real” plant then – not that anyone could’ve guessed under what mountain was it situated, right. Anyways, these Iranian “home made” planes in “serial” production rarely go more then 2 dozen specimen. Iranians do miracles in servicing 40 year old machines and keeping them in decent conditions despite the embargo. But they lack know-how and capital to start building new stuff – and that’s a fact.
ah ok, they lack know-how, but can build multi-stage ballistic missiles… all clear. another post without brain content, my dear
Multi stage ballistic missiles, on average, are not flown by people and are not expected to fly back home – for starters. Comparing ballistic missile technology with the ability to develop and build 4th gen fighter plane is like saying that wheelbarrow factory has know-how to build a formula 1 car…knobhead
oh i see, you are a multi-talented undiscovered precious arms specialist) you dont have any job? or just sit here all day posting BS?
you dont have any job? or just sit here all day posting BS? – you do understand that after posting 7 comments on the subject yourself this particular comment makes you look really stupid. BTW Sunday is day off where I come from…
maybe because you not thinking correctly about it .
pls explain…
They are trying to better themselves. In many areas have succeeded in some are still in infant territory.
I agree. In missile and drone technology they are one of the world leaders. But tank and plane production – both of which they like to advertise – they simply lack knowledge, resources, industrial base. You name it – they don’t have it. But the problem is even worse. Iranian officials bought their own propaganda so much that they’ve let their air force – once mightiest in the ME – to deteriorate beyond repair. In stead of dreaming about “home made serial production” planes, they should’ve bought 50-100 modern Russian machines together with licences for production of certain systems they could’ve use to upgrade domestically their older hardware.
that is their decision. I don’t think in case of war iranian air force would play a major role in what needed to be done. I am sure they survived so many years of war against them and embargo with out our advice, I am sure they can manage.
Without proper AF to supplement it’s AD, Iran would fight the war on US terms and in the only environment US operates well – total air inferiority from Iranian standpoint. That means that US/Israel will be able to pound them day-in-say-out for as long as it takes to achieve all their strategic and tactical goals without sustaining any significant casualties. And that means destroying Iranian civilian and military infrastructure, setting back it’s missile programs for a decade and most importantly – current Iranian government would lose prestige both home and abroad, maybe to the point where some kind of “Persian spring” might be organized by CIA. Iran’s only chance is being able to inflict heavy casualties on US/Israel the way Hezbollah did in 2006.
You underestimate Iran. If U.S./Israel decide to get completely silly and attack Iran, all U.S. assets, bases etc will be bombarded by ballistic missiles in a 2000km radius, at least that’s what they claim, I believe they have longer range now.
Israel will be bombarded in redundancy by way of ballistic missiles.
The Persian Gulf will be a graveyard for shipping, essentially devastating the Petro-dollar.
Iranian forces would overrun the region, along with their allies. And Iran could muster millions of armed men. The Iranian Basij are est. to number 17 million, all committed to the annihilation of Israel and U.S. assets. And that’s not even including the Iranian Armed forces.
Iran has a ‘Fatwa’, or religious ruling / edict against nuclear weapons. This is a fact, but another fact is that ‘ Fatwa’s’ can easily be reversed, annulled or canceled. So if the U.S. and/or Israel decide to go nuclear, Israel would be annihilated. Iran has all the components for nuclear warheads, and the delivery vehicles nd the ingredients. For such a scenario. Or did you think the shrewd Iranians are just sitting on their hands? Since 1979, Iran has been preparing for the coming showdown
If Hezbollah is est. to have 150,000 missiles, how many do you think Iran has by now. Equipped with very sophisticated and accurate guidance systems.
Are international Jews willing to sacrifice 7 million of their people? They control the U.S. but they know they cant win a war against the Iranian nation. But if there is one, it will remain conventional, and a kick-ass air force will not make a difference on the ground. They can bomb Iran all they want, but who’s going to stop the millions of fighters rolling up the acres all the way to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv? How far did the Israeli air force get Israel during the 33 day war in 2006 with Hezbollah, where Israel had total air supremacy, with some of the worlds best fighters and bombers?
I don’t underestimate Iran, but i also don’t underestimate US/Israeli ability to bomb the place silly if unopposed. Stockpile of ballistic missiles – especially those more sophisticated – get depleted fast when your facilities to produce more are destroyed. AD networks not supported by AF can be destroyed or bypassed – look at Syria. Land part of the war would be limited – attack on US interests in Iraq – so 17 mil Basij would be sitting on their asses useless. I’m not sure what would Hezbollah in Lebanon do. If Zios had any brains they would refrain from attacking on 2 fronts (plus they don’t have resources) and even ignore minor provocations. And people of Lebanon wouldn’t tolerate Hezb’s unprovoked attack on Israel just to help Iran. As for nukes – Ahmadinejad once famously said that if a country possesses only 1 or 2 warheads all it can do is – polish them regularly. Only a hint
Like syria fight the war alone and with out air support? Your assumption that iran is alone, is also the mistake in your thinking. You also go a step farther thinking that who ever attack Iran will remain untouched by irans air defenses, as well untouched on the ground that it is the most important assets of their enemies, or in the sea.
Keep thinking this way and you be wrong in your thinking always.
I never said Iran was alone. It’s just that current state of Iranian AF and AD leave them open to easy US and Israeli attacks. And these PR stunts don’t help. If the war is limited to air/missile strikes and counter-strikes Iran will suffer much more causalities then they’ll be able to inflict. US and Israel will make sure that land based fighting is kept at absolute minimum. Which leaves Quds force to try and attempt some asymmetrical strikes. Don’t get me wrong, you read and commented my previous post and you surely know that i’d really like the Iranians tear a new one to the Empire…
with out wanting to be rude I am telling you that an attack against Iran air force will not matter much from Iran side is their air defenses that will matter and their missiles for retaliation. And they have both.
When someone will attack another country, like Iran, first they ask themselves if the cost they pay is worth it. Because Iran can inflict on them unbearable damage to any one attack them in ME and not only. So the question is can the attackers can afford the damage and lose their bases around ME as well untold number of attacking air planes?
The moment Iran is attacked Israel will be attacked on their own grounds from Hez and not only and only that fact is enough for the FUKUS/israel forces to stay on farting threats and nothing else. Now if Iran want to attack another country then they may need very strong air force. At the moment they are defending their own borders and the missiles they have need no air planes to be launched from and have enough S300 and their own anti air missiles that are enough to make every one stay very cl;ear of them.
Clearly these look like 1970’s F-5 Freedom Fighter knock-off’s. But worth bearing in mind that 4th gen warplanes like Eurofighter/Typhoon are actually stuffed full of off-the-shelf US technology – ie, reason why Britain can’t sell off its fleet without US approval of secondary market client – the Iranians simply cannot get their hands on any of that sensitive material. Hanging onto and messing about copying their various1970’s legacy US warplanes seems self limiting, budgets aside, buying Chinese or Russian would appear their best way forward.
I hate to say this, but I think it is just Iranian propaganda. It looked like an old film’s mock up.
Good effort for starters, it will be a good platform to move on to more sophisticated fighters. In the meantime Iran should get Russian SU-35.
Russian will not give it – coz of sanction and relations with US and europe.
they should just buy Pakistani JF-17 since relation with US is not good. Jf-17 is pakistani-China F-16 technology (israeli lavi 2000)
From what have read JF-17 is Chinese export product, from Chengdu Corp, originating in very convoluted and longstanding 1980’s project initially involving both Chengdu and Grumman to upgrade Pakistani J-7’s, on account of Soviet Mig-29’s operating over Afghanistan. So JF-17 is essentially hybrid-fusion of Mig-21 air-frame and F-16 flight surfaces and technology. With a reliable imported single Russian MiG Klimov engine. It’s certainly a cheap and simple option.
The F5 clone is cheap to maintain, has a low radar signature, very maneuverable, it was used as an aggressor plane for US navy pilot training, so it can give you a run for your money in WVR scenarios, I am not sure what missiles the Iranian Air Force would use for BVR engagements, buying some sophisticated fire and forget K77M from the Russians would give them a reach of almost 200kms.
Fakour 90 missile a reversed engineered Phoenix missile might be a weapon that could be deployed as well,
They can also be used as platforms for firing cruise missiles.
The body is similar to F5 but radar and avionics systems are quite modern with latest technology in this regard. Btw the Air-to-Air missiles are used with range up to 300 km.
Yeah, why not, where as this kinds of air combat wet dreams, is basically just that, and to day, they are more and more an platform, or suport for other platforms, easy to use, easy to fix, and can have an versitylity that can cover an wide range of tools, and not only weapons, others to, like EW componets etc.
And to be of an defencive platform, etc.
Tanks, well, again, light armored missile systems is their main foe, and can be used from an longer range, and backed up by visual systems as drones, they are mere an offencive tool, to punch thru with speed and firepower, and fire power is whats regarded to have to hit back as their armores evolve to, incl EWs.
Tell me, if you wanted to drive all the way down to cap horn in SA, what four weel driving car would you pick, an brand new, Range rover or BMW, against what I would do, an 10 year old Toyota.
Of course, the two mentioned are nice to drive, but most of the road is our back tracks, and I mean real bad roads if any at all.
You see, like the Houti Missile attack just an day old, was an choice between max damaging of equipments, or killing people, the attack witch many claimed was an miss, is based upon the presumtion of wanting to wack personels, against hampering a lorge amount of weapons and systems.
In an strategic choice, they did the right thing, and they also know this costs mooney, suck em dry.
The new era fighter plains will be platforms, with feedback loops to the ground in real timme, and the platforms are there mainly to guide missiles or drones, or fire their own weapons.
But, all wars are eventually ground wars, Syria have shown you that as Yemen do, but this time, air superiority is not that lightly, because of missile tech, they are getting better and better, the poor mans defence systems, and I like am small, and the speed, could depend more in what to hit, sommething needs only the physics, aka kinetics, the shere speed is enought, to penetrate anything.
The truth is wankees, you are out dated and out gunned, and done have the man power to do anything other then hold some shitholes because of Oil and dope.
Thats it.
And now you morons want an war with Russia andor China.
peace
Agree, Well said.
Iran is handling the know how, know what in aerospace industry. Very good news.
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