Iran's Home-Grown Fighter Jet

[Ares]

that is correct they fled during OP-DESERT-STORM. Iran also operates the IL-76 AWACS EX-BAGHDAD-1.

 

[Izzy1]

... Iran also operates the IL-76 AWACS EX-BAGHDAD-1.

No. They do not.

 

[Ares]

Its actually the A-50 Mainstay modified for Iraqi use. It fled during desert storm to Iran. If you look at google earth maps you will find it in Iran.

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/recon/a50/

Look here

In addition, Iraq also converted several former civil Il-76 aircraft with radar equipment similar to that aboard the A-50. At least one of these planes is believed to have been interred by Iran during the 1991 Gulf War and none remain in service with Iraq.

http://www.spyflight.co.uk/mainstay.htm

Iraq
Iraq Il-76 AEW

Sadam Hussein and his generals knew that the USA were unlikely to ever sell him a workable AWACS, so instead he directed various Iraqi engineers to create their own using the Il-76 Candid airframe. The first version, known as the Baghdad 1, featured a French Thompson –CSF Tiger-G radar, built under licence in Iraq as the Salahuddin G, which was the mounted right at the rear of the fuselage below the tail. This was supported by a Rockwell-Collins IFF pod slung underneath, together with various electronic equipment from Selenia in Italy and Marconi in England. Thompson acted as the systems intergrator as well as building the fibreglass and composite radome that replaced the aircraft’s belly doors. However, although the Tiger-G was a sophisticated 2-D radar, it was designed to operate from the ground and nobody ever imagined anyone would seriously consider hanging the radar upside down inside the back of an IL-76 and try to use it as an AWACS system. A French engineer who saw the system commented, “ I don’t believe in it for an instant. The Tiger-G gives out so much heat when it turns, the people manning it in the back of the plane are going to fry after half and hour”. Unsurprisingly, the Baghdad 1 proved to be a complete failure. During Gulf War 1 the Baghdad 1 was flown out to Iran and was seen in 2003 on the ramp at Tehran-Mehrabad air base. Three other Iraq IL-76 aircraft were given the Adnan conversion, consisting of a more conventional rotodome above the fuselage, but this system was also a failure. Although one of the Adnan aircraft was destroyed on the ground at Al Taqaddum airfield on 23 Jan 91 during Gulf War 1, the two other aircraft managed to take refuge in Iran where they are believed to remain in storage at Shiraz air base.

http://www.vectorsite.net/avil76.html#m6

* The Iraqis modified a few Il-76s to AWACS configurations in the 1980s. The first was the "Baghdad-1", which was a clear improvisation, with a French Thomson-CSF Tigre surveillance radar installed in the cargo bay of a Candid-A and the radar antenna fitted in a fixed composite radome replacing the cargo doors. It was use operationally late in the Iran-Iraq War; there's no information on how well it worked, but it was dubious in appearance.

The second was the "Baghdad-2", which had the Tigre radar in a conventional dorsal radome like that of the A-50's Shmel radar. It was actually not really an AWACS, instead being strictly a radar picket aircraft; the Baghdad-1 had fighter control links, but the Baghdad-2 did not. There were long strakes along the rear fuselage to compensate aerodynamically for the radome. Two conversions of Candid-As were performed, to be named "Adnan-1" and "Adnan-2" after an Iraqi general who had been killed in an air accident, with the aircraft said to have performed operational service late in the 1991 Gulf War. Their ultimate fate is unclear.

* Although the Baghdad conversions were unsophisticated compared to the A-50, the Indian Air Force is now working to obtain three Il-76-based AWACS platforms that are well in advance of the A-50. These three machines will be fitted with the Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) Phalcon radar and control system. The Phalcon system is an L-band radar with a fixed phased-array antenna using electronic steering. It is regarded as state of the art, well superior to Soviet-Russian radar systems. The IAF Il-76 / Phalcon systems will be fitted with eight multifunction operator consoles with large-screen color flat-panel displays, and two electronic countermeasures / electronic intelligence operator stations.

All these machines are being upgraded from used Il-76 airframes. The first AWACS will be delivered from IAI in Israel in 2007, with introduction to service in 2008 and last delivery of the three in 2009. The IAF also has an option for two more platforms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_Il-76#Adnan_I

# The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Air Force operates the Il-76, including some modified to carry AWACS radar.

 

[SABRE]

Few more pics of Iranian Azarakhsh. According to Iranians the aircraft is ready for production now. They say its compareble to American "F-5 but with domestic technology" (what a suprise). So its an F-5, with two engines, Iranian Tech (also Russian & Chinese I would guess), & I would say it must be BVR capable as well (unlike current Iranain F-5). However, it seems to be a good replacement for current IRIAF F-4s & F-5s.

 

[contedicavour]

Thks Sabre the pictures are excellent. What makes you think that a BVR capability exists ? Have you spotted some sort of hint on the pictures ? I only see the plane shooting unguided rockets.

cheers

 

[SABRE]

Thks Sabre the pictures are excellent. What makes you think that a BVR capability exists ? Have you spotted some sort of hint on the pictures ? I only see the plane shooting unguided rockets.

cheers

I know couple of ppl in Iran who are following the project. Although they themselves know as much as any of us do. According to them the aircraft has BVR capability. We have to wait & see the final product I guess. My own guess is its BVR since Iran has been seriously pursuing the capability.

 

[contedicavour]

I know couple of ppl in Iran who are following the project. Although they themselves know as much as any of us do. According to them the aircraft has BVR capability. We have to wait & see the final product I guess. My own guess is its BVR since Iran has been seriously pursuing the capability.

It would be good if you asked what sort of radar would fit inside the relatively small front part of the plane (called radome ? I'm unaware of the English word for that). The front of MIG29SMT or SU27/30 is much bigger for the latest Zhuk radar.

cheers

 

[Izzy1]

It would be good if you asked what sort of radar would fit inside the relatively small front part of the plane (called radome ? I'm unaware of the English word for that). The front of MIG29SMT or SU27/30 is much bigger for the latest Zhuk radar.

cheers

My money is on refurbed Emerson AN/APQ-153/7s direct from the F-5E/Fs now in mothballs with the IRIAF.

 

[SABRE]

Shafagh - Iran claims this aircraft is similar to US F-18. Note the difference of words; Azarakhsh is "Compareble" to American F-5 & Shafagh is "similar" to F-18.

Check out the cockpit.

 

[SABRE]

Iran's reveresed engineered Cobra Halicopters.

 

[contedicavour]

Damn they can reverse engineer just about anything ... although given the type of potential conflict with Western forces I doubt any Iranian Cobra would have the time to attack US tanks since obtaining air superiority is priority n°1 for any attacking force...
Separately, it's interesting that they still use Sidewinder. Back in 1979 the AIM9L version wasn't ready for export yet, so it must be AIM9G. Not really useful nowadays...

cheers

 

[kato]

Damn they can reverse engineer just about anything ... although given the type of potential conflict with Western forces I doubt any Iranian Cobra would have the time to attack US tanks since obtaining air superiority is priority n°1 for any attacking force...

On a side note, they also reverse-engineered the TOW missiles for them, and now use them quite widely as the Toophan 1 and 2 missiles

Separately, it's interesting that they still use Sidewinder. Back in 1979 the AIM9L version wasn't ready for export yet, so it must be AIM9G. Not really useful nowadays...

Iran uses AIM-9J (F-5E) and AIM-9J-1/AIM-9P (F-4D/E, F-14A), actually. Most kills in the Iran-Iraq-War were made with the latter.

 

[Izzy1]

On a side note, they also reverse-engineered the TOW missiles for them, and now use them quite widely as the Toophan 1 and 2 missiles



Iran uses AIM-9J (F-5E) and AIM-9J-1/AIM-9P (F-4D/E, F-14A), actually. Most kills in the Iran-Iraq-War were made with the latter.

Just wondering if some of these AAMs were originally sourced from Israel after the deals made during the Iran-Iraq war? I know plenty of TOW ATGWs were involved as well as parts for the Phantom fleet.

If memory also serves, IRIAF claimed several yearsback to have adapted I HAWK SAMs to be used on their remaining F-14s. If this is the case, then it certainly is a creitable technical achievement, but probably more so underlines the dire straits their air defences are in.

 

[kato]

If memory also serves, IRIAF claimed several yearsback to have adapted I HAWK SAMs to be used on their remaining F-14s.

The interesting thing is that they then supposedly went on and converted some of the Hawk launchers to fire SM1 missiles - which i personally doubt, both by the involved technical aspects and by purpose.

NTI lists as sales from USA to Iran, including domestic assembly, by December 1979:
- 26,226 BGM-71 (TOW) - domestic assembly/production in Shah times
- 9,717 FGM-77 (Dragon)
- 2,500 AGM-65 (Maverick) - domestic assembly/production in Shah times
- 2,205 MIM-23B (I-Hawk)
- 424 AIM-54 (Phoenix) - claimed inoperable by US
- 516 AIM-7 (Sparrow)
- 288 AIM-9 (Sidewinder)
- 128 RIM-66 (Standard) - claimed reengineered

Imported from Israel in 1981-1985, apparently, were about 2,000 additional TOW, some 200 I-Hawk, and, unverified, also AIM-9.

Jane's lists 120 Iranian I-Hawk launchers operational in 2003. By standard measures, this would mean at least 600 missiles still relegated to surface-to-air purposes.

 

[Izzy1]

The interesting thing is that they then supposedly went on and converted some of the Hawk launchers to fire SM1 missiles - which i personally doubt, both by the involved technical aspects and by purpose.

NTI lists as sales from USA to Iran, including domestic assembly, by December 1979:
- 26,226 BGM-71 (TOW) - domestic assembly/production in Shah times
- 9,717 FGM-77 (Dragon)
- 2,500 AGM-65 (Maverick) - domestic assembly/production in Shah times
- 2,205 MIM-23B (I-Hawk)
- 424 AIM-54 (Phoenix) - claimed inoperable by US
- 516 AIM-7 (Sparrow)
- 288 AIM-9 (Sidewinder)
- 128 RIM-66 (Standard) - claimed reengineered

Imported from Israel in 1981-1985, apparently, were about 2,000 additional TOW, some 200 I-Hawk, and, unverified, also AIM-9.

Jane's lists 120 Iranian I-Hawk launchers operational in 2003. By standard measures, this would mean at least 600 missiles still relegated to surface-to-air purposes.

Good post.

I too remember the SM1 claim now you mention it, but I didn't know they have or had Maverick domestic production capability. Interesting stuff.

 

[kato]

Good post.

I too remember the SM1 claim now you mention it, but I didn't know they have or had Maverick domestic production capability. Interesting stuff.

Iran only produced sub-components, and did final assembly during that time. Official license for this was for some 2,000 missiles in 1976-1978 iirc.
Of course if they did still have the blueprints (for assembly and components) around somewhere, you could probably bet on at least some re-engineering going on there.

As for the SM1, Iran claims to manufacture an "upgraded" version of it, and has also supposedly test-fired this missile from FACs (in 2000 iirc). Additionally, there have apparently also been attempts to mount the RIM-66 on aircraft as a AAM, with pics on the net of one rigged onto a F-4.

 

[contedicavour]

IIRC the Iranians had also put SM1 canisters aboard WW2-vintage former USN destroyer escorts (like the Taiwanese did), though the 3 DEs were retired in the middle of the '90s.
Thks a lot to Kato, very interesting data !

cheers

 

[Ajmer]

like the F-5
looks F-5
Feels F-5
Parks F-5
Fly's God knows

 

[contedicavour]

like the F-5
looks F-5
Feels F-5
Parks F-5
Fly's God knows

Except for that F18 feeling at the back
It also reminds me of the failed F20 Tigershark (that bigger variant of F5 that never was built in series production)

cheers