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Iran Expands Fleet of Home-Made Fighter Jets
14-5-2012
TEHRAN (FNA)- Three more home-made Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) fighter jets joined the Iranian Air Force fleet, Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi announced on Monday.
Speaking to FNA in Iran's Northeastern province of Khorassan Razavi, Vahidi said that the new aircraft can play a key role in protecting the countries' airspace.
The minister announced that production the new fighter jets and their delivery to the Air Force is done exactly on the drawn timetable.
In September 2011, the Iranian Air Force's first squadron of home-made Saeqeh fighter jets started operations during the large offensive air drills codenamed "Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Vellayat III" in Northwestern Iran.
In September 2010, Iran displayed the first squadron of Saeqeh in an air show staged during the military parades at the beginning of the Week of Sacred Defense, marking Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s.
As regard the development of Sofreh Mahi (flatfish), Iran's first home-made stealth Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Vahidi told FNA, "The design and manufacture of the prototype plane is underway on schedule."
Iran successfully tested the research model of Sofreh Mahi in early 2010.
"The research model of this plane which staged a successful flight passed all radar-evading tests that we desired," Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Aziz Nasirzadeh told FNA in February 2010.
The General said that the flatfish-inspired shape of the aircraft as well as the materials used in its structure have provided the aircraft with the radar-evading capability.
Iran has recently made good progress in the air industry and has succeeded in gaining the technical know-how for producing stealth aircraft and drones.
Iran successfully tested a home-made radar-evading UAV with bombing capabilities. Also in 2008, the country's Defense Industries launched production of two well-known home-made fighter jets, namely Saeqeh and Azarakhsh (Lightening).
Sofreh Mahi:
Saeqeh: