Iran has unveiled what it calls a “new domestic fighter jet” with President Rouhani saying Iran’s military strength is aimed at creating “lasting peace”.
The problem? The jet which Iran says is “100-percent indigenously made” is a 40 year old American designed F-5F Tiger.
My sources in #Iran Aviation Industries Org. say what #Iran‘s Islamic Regime president unveiled as domestically made fighter is a #US made F-5F but rebuilt under project “Azarakhsh-II”. 70% of the airplane is manufactured in #Iran. It is testbed of Kowsar-88 & Saeghe’s avionic. pic.twitter.com/Bs6Sc0E3xu
— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) August 21, 2018
According to Reuters, the President said:
“When I speak of our readiness to defend, it means we seek lasting peace. If we lack readiness, we welcome war. Some think when we increase our military power, this means we seek war. [But] this is peace-seeking because we don’t war to happen. If we don’t have a deterrent… it gives a green light for others to enter this country.”
According to Justin Bronk, a research fellow specialising in combat airpower and technology in the Military Sciences team at the Royal United Services Institute:
“The airframe appears to be an externally unaltered, two-seat F-5 Tiger. Whilst it may be domestically manufactured, it’s an entirely foreign airframe.”
This isn’t the first time this has happened, remeber this notable example?
Speaks volumes to me.
Their president is right though. “If we lack readiness we invite war”. Never has a more true statement been said. Anyone in the government reading this should take note. Still I hardly think anyone will worry that Iran has modernised F5 aircraft, they would last precisely 10 nanoseconds against a Typhoon or F35
Was it Teddy Roosevelt who coined the term ‘speak softly and carry a big stick”?
I support that statement! If you want peace. Prepare for war is another.
Not nano-seconds…..Just however long it tales the missile to get to the F5…..:)
No shit Sherlock?
It really would be comical if they weren’t genuinely serious in the threat they pose to the region if that regime continues. The Persian people are cultured and intelligent. I’m surprised they’ve let this little sideshow to their history go on for so long…
Cheers!
We can take most of the blame their Helions with operation boot/Ajax.
I saw a video on twitter the other day of an Iranian women scolding a cleric for saying he will have her arrested for not having her face covered.
She had support of local young men by the looks of it, removed her whole headscarf and chucked it on the floor.
I think if there is not more reform the Iranians will rise up again and return to being a secular democracy.
Which will only be good for the region.
Agreed Sole.
Think they have done well to be fair.
70% of a fighter jet manufactured in Iran, that’s 70% more than a lot of ther countries.
And I thought this site was ment to be “impartial”? Hardly a professional way of reporting defence news is it, by taking the piss.
I really, really doubt that 70% of it was built in Iran….
This must be the chief in charge of the project.. fresh from Iran.
Hush little one.
Hi folks, yes its does speak volumes.
I would not expect anything else really, however having said that, has anyone else seen the Sun newspaper, making reference to Gavin Williamson’s ideas of landing craft and tractors? Once again the tabs are at it again. Couldn’t find much about QE carrier, so had to no doubt misinterpret the minister’s comments.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs/the_papers
Shia exteremeism poses the most fundamental threat to our security.
The majority of Iranians are not extremist.
?
Where do you get that from?
ISIS, Al-QAEDA and Boko Haram are Sunni extremists.
How many British have been killed recently by Shia terrorists groups?
Iran potentially developing nuclear weapons, Iran has developed ballistic missiles, Iran actively supporting Houtis in the Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Assad in Syria. Threatening western oil supplies from the Gulf by destabilisation of Gulf states.
How British military personnel were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by Iranian supplied weapons?
If you look at the big picture Iran is the threat.
And you think Iran will attack us with Nuclear weapons?
Iran has developed ballistic missiles, so why haven’t they attacked us with them yet.
Even a deranged N Korean leader would not be stupid enough to randomly attack us with Nuclear weapons why do you think Iran would?
You’re naming regional conflicts that we shouldn’t really have anything to do with, Yemen? Complete shitstorm over who has influence in the country, but who’s weapons have killed most civilians in Yemen? Certainly not Iranian.
Hezbollah in Lebanon, yeah they are a terrorist group, also a political party, Hezbollah are most definitely not in the same mould as ISIS etc. I would not regard them as a threat to the U.K. they are a regional threat that could probably be dealt with through diplomacy as part of the Israel Palestinian conflict.
Assad in Syria? So he’s a terrorist now? He was staying in our Queens spare bedroom not long ago, Syria has been a monumental regime change F**k up. The Syrians are not a threat to the U.K.
Afghanistan? And the reason being of course that Sunni terrorists flew a plane into the WTC, the Taliban are Sunni.
Iraq? I don’t think the Iraqi Army can be classed as terrorists jeez, and that was was not about Shia extremism.
Ok my turn.
9/11, 7/7, Madrid bombing, Charlie Hebdo shooting, Bataclan attack, Manchester bombing, London stabbing, Lee rigby, Westminster bridge attack, Orlando shooting. Kidnapping of schoolgirls in Africa, atrocities like slaughtering entire villages in Africa, raping, pillaging and murdering across half of Syria and Iraq, desecrating historic sites, selling tens of thousands of women into sexual slavery, mass murder of infedels.
All commited by Sunni extremists, and the majority funded by the Sunni extremist absolute monarchy’s of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Sunni extremism is responsible for over 75% of all terrorist related deaths in the world.
I think you need to read a bit on Sunni and Shia, it’s the Sunni extremist ideology that hates western life, regards anyone not Sunni as infedels and apostates that need to be wiped out.
You can believe what you like, but Dan Coats Director of National Intelligence USA says Iran poses the greatest threat to global security. I would rather believe him rather you.
Worldwide threat assessment 2018
The Iraqi Army was not composed of terrorists. The militias and insurgent groups that infested places like Basra and Baghdad were Shia terrorists. Often funded, armed, and trained by Iran.
As for a play list of terrorism?
Beirut –
Twin barracks bombings in Beirut resulting in the deaths of 241 US Marines and 58 French Paratroopers along with 6 civilians. Bombing of the US embassy in Beirut 63 dead. Bombing of the French embassy 12 dead.
Kuwait- Attempted assasination of the Emir of Kuwait 3 dead. Attempted destruction of multiple oil refineries.
Bulgaria – Bus bombing in Burgas.
Iraq looting, raping, and murdering their way across the country just as badly as ISIS did to Shia they did to the Sunni. When ever they reached the Sunni areas.
The list goes on.
If you are looking to differentiate between two forms of extremism to find out which one is worse or more threatening your are arguing a lost cause. The only form of extremism that should ever be tolerated is that in defense of the Nation.
SS wrote:
Hezbollah in Lebanon, yeah they are a terrorist group, also a political party, Hezbollah are most definitely not in the same mould as ISIS etc. I would not regard them as a threat to the U.K. they are a regional threat that could probably be dealt with through diplomacy as part of the Israel Palestinian conflict.
In 2005, Lebanon was party to the cedar revolution , this came about after the former PM Rafik Hariri was assassinated. This resulted in the kicking out of the Syrian occupation forces who had occupied Lebanon for 30 years . This was followed by a move to see Iranian proxy Hezb-allah disbanded. Instead of doing as the people demanded, Hezb-allah ignited a war with Israel, knowing that if they managed to hurt Israel, they would respond in kind. This happened in june 2006 and the carefully planned terrorist attack on Israel resulted in Israel kicking Lebanon back into the stone age allowing Hezballah to remain as defenders of Lebanon. After that bunfight, they bullied their way into parliament (Lebanon used to have alternating Christian,Muslim power sharing) where they are now the major power.
Currently they are building up their forces for an attack on Israel along with their Iranian masters. Which explains why Israel has been taking out Iranian assets inside Syria.
Finally a point about Yemen.
The war in Yemen has been going on for 3 years. It was precipitated by Iranian support for Ali Abdullah Saleh the former dictator for life who stood down in February 2012, following the Yemeni Revolution (Arab spring) He decided that he wanted to rule again and so he went to the former country of North Yemen (a shia country) in which to take control. However that backfired last year when his Shia pals assassinated him. (ironically the advances made by the Saudi run forces this past 8 months have been by his clan who have switched sides)
Anyway in the past 3 years around 13K have died due to the war. Whilst that figure is bad, it pales into insignificance in each and every war fought in Yemen since the 60s
civil war 1962-1970 over 200K dead
Civil War in 1979 (1 month) over 1000 killed
Civil War in 1986 ( 1week and 4 days) 10K killed
Civil war in 1994 ( 2months) 10K kileld
How about the Houthi insurgency in Yemen which lasted from 2005-2015, over 25K killed.
Whilst one death is one too many for me, the simple fact remains this latest conflict has been less damaging to the country than nearly all the others since 1962. Yet nobody bothers to mention that.
Elliot
“The only form of extremism that should ever be tolerated is that in defense of the Nation.”
And you honesty believe the Shia militias in Iraq and elsewhere don’t believe that’s exactly what they are doing?
The Brookings institute thinks so
“The rationale for terrorism by Shi’a groups over that time frame was tethered tightly to Iranian state and Hezbollah organizational objectives, especially that of state/group survival.”
You’ve listed attacks against military personnel and government staff in middle eastern countries, I’ve listed attacks against civilians in our own countries, You can’t see the difference?
“If you are looking to differentiate between two forms of extremism to find out which one is worse or more threatening your are arguing a lost cause.”
No it’s not a lost cause at all, think tanks, political institutes and scholars have studied it for years and it’s really important to know the difference.
Sunni extremism is a fundamentalist form of strict Islam from 1400 years ago, it regards anyone who does not follow that strict form of Islam to be infedels (including fellow Sunnis) and it’s ideology is to wage Jihad against the West, wipe out Shia, Christians and any other non Sunni.
It’s reason, method, objective and claim of attacks are inherently different.
Shia terrorists groups, are rooted in political cause, they always have been. It’s not written anywhere in their ideology to kill Sunnis or apostates.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work that out either, just look at the attacks we have listed on either side, they are massively different.
And what the Shia did in Iraq is no way near as bad as what Isis did, that’s complete rubbish Elliot.
And lastly, this is a British page and Mike Saul said “our” security.
No Shia terrorists have killed any British national for years, since the Iraq war, Sunni extremists are on our streets radicalising people everyday, all terrorists attacks that are foiled on a weekly basis by MI5 are planned by Sunni extremists.
So please let’s not just forget the Jihad that caused 9/11 and 99% of other Muslim attacks against the West on our soil just didn’t happen or even more laughably is over, and just because Iran is the new big bad in the Middle East it’s them who are the main threat to our way of life.
And breath !
Somehow I doubt the people of Tikrit would agree with your belief that the Shias were not as bad same goes for Mosul. They burned, looted, and raped their way through both those cities with militias.
As for whether a embassy is a legitimate target of war. No it roundly is not. Bombing or shooting ambassadors and their civilian staff is considered an act of terrorism whether it is done by a State or a Militia. As it is violence conducted merely to prove a political point against a civilian target.
Furthermore in order to be a Legal Combatant you must meet this standard.
A)Wear a fixed insignia recognizable at a distance B) carry arms openly C) be under the command of a person or chain of command responsible for your actions D) conduct of operations under in the laws and customs of war. Failure to meeting any of these makes the perpetrator a illegal combatant and therefore a terrorist.
Any action conducted by these insurgents was therefore terrorism. Sadly they were actually treated as prisoners. When under strict reading of the laws of war they are no different than a pirate and could be summarily executed.
Defending themselves? Iraq and Afghanistan are not Iran so funding and arming terrorists their does not fall under self defense. In Lebanon their only goal is retention of power not defense.
As for the more Sunni radicals in Britain vs Shia. That has more to do with where they have come from. Britain imported people more from Sunni area than Shia ones. So it is simply a numbers game.
Iran supplied shaped charges to the Taliban in Afghanistan which led to a LOT of western casualties.
Again Douglas, like I have already tried to explain, those attacks were against western military on Muslim soil, the Shia extremist ideology is to drive western military and government out of the Middle East.
Sunni extremists targets civilians on our own soil, it’s ideology is based on a fundamentalist version of Islam that hates our way of life.
I am just saying they are different.
And it’s mine, and a lot of other peoples opinion, Sunni extremism (75% of all terrorist fatalities) is worse.
Or you could believe the facts..
That usually works
What do you class as worse Mike?
Two Sunni extremists butchering a serving British soldier on our streets?
Or Iran’s geopolitical aims on a different continent?
What does “Dan Coats” think?
Iranian supplied weapons killed and injured LOTS of UK and US personnel in Afghanistan.
Jour weapon supplied to Iraq killed many Iranian civilians during Iraq attacak to Iran. Your military troupes thousand kms from your lands near our ear are more important than our civil people in our land?
I would love to see Iran come in from the cold. As has been said, the Persian people have a rich culture, very bright and industrious and make great business people in general.
Their hard line regime is looking nervously over their shoulder at an increasingly inpatient population that demands social reform and an end to sanctions…
I personally hope that the Islamic jackboot they live under gets peacefully lifted from their necks and democracy flourishes … God forbid a civil war in Iran, it would be truly disastrous!
This a wonderfully bad example of political spin!! I am quite surprised that trump has not tweeted about this!!
My pennies worth of the subject at hand. The mad mullahs played the victimcard amongst the masses in which to get into power. Like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt they promised that ‘Allah’ would see them right, however the rise of social media, the internet and the Arab spring (which got them into power) soon exposed them for the religious incompetents bigots they are. (prime example Morsi giving himself unlimited power) The people protested again (in their millions and in larger protests than agaisnt Mubarak. The Military said they listened to the people and removed him. (But more likely saw what was happening in Turkey and decided no way)
Now the same transpired in Iran after the mullahs took power, unfortunately for the plebs, Saddam backed by the Gulf Sunni nations (And not US and UK as the left love to scream out) invaded Iran. That action cemented the Mullahs into power.
The one thing about Islam that nobody mentions is that they love to play the victimcard in which to excuse their actions. So for the ME, the Arabs have blamed their poor economic record on either Israel or the West. FFS, they still play the crusades card in which to attack the west. Yet the simple fact remains, The Crusades was a Christian reaction to an Arab invasion of the holyland which they…won.
In Iran, the mad Mullahs love to play the victimcard (US/UK/Israel) in which to excuse their mismanagement of the country. Every month they will proclaim the latest military invention in which to protect Iran from the West (usually the US or Israel) But the fact remains the vast majority of these proclamations are nothing more than propaganda for internal consumption.
Last year Iran stated it had developed a new world beating tank, it was an M48, this was followed a few months later by another world beating tank, It was a T72.
Its entire large surface fleet is based on frigates sold by the UK to Iran during the 60s. These are deemed to be destroyers by Iran. Their so called flotillas which sail around the world righting wrongs like captain Beaky usually consist of just 2 ships. one being a so called destroyer and the other (an oil tanker sold to iran by the UK) is classed as a helicopter carrier.
Last year Iran stated it had developed a new Helicopter gunship , it was a clone of a 1970s Huey complete with 2 rotors, Meanwhile the US marines are on the AH-1Z Viper version which was introduced in 2010 and uses 4 rotors
Don’t even get me started on the F313 Iranian stealth fighter But for those who don’t know anything about this so called advanced fighter jet, here is a photo of that advanced aircraft that Tehran didn’t sanction:
https://theaviationist.com/2017/03/07/qaher-f-313-tehrans-homemade-stealth-jet-in-final-production-stage-irans-defense-minister-claims/
All of this is propaganda used by the Mullahs to remain in power, however the revolution was nearly 40 years ago. After they came to power, they actually encourage people to have babies and so the population jumped from 37 million in 1979 to 53 million by 1989. Those people are now in their 30s and they know nothing about the revolution or even the war with Iraq and they aren’t happy. They aren’t happy with the laws, they aren’t happy with the economy and they certainly aren’t happy with Iranian military adventures. You’ve heard of Iraq, Syria and Yemen, but Iranian also has troops in Eriteria who use their base their to supply weapons to Al Shabab in Somalia and funnel weapons to groups across Africa. (Which is why Nigeria has a huge militant Shia muslim problem)
It has its fingers in, Afghanistan, many Gulf countries, South America and the far east (which was exposed after terrorist attacks in India and Thailand .
The younger population have protested and the mullahs have used force time and time again in which to remain in power . Why during the 2011 uprising/protests they actually shipped in Hezb-allah to keep a lid on things.
All this is polarising the masses agaisnt the Mullahs for life, whilst some have recognised this, the majority still think that painting the west as the source of all their ills and promoting the latest weapon of war as how they are combating this attack on Iran will allow them to remain in power.
Funny enough, the Iranians have had more success with their propaganda war with Western Liberals and Muslims living in the West than with their own population. Liberals who presume that a clone of an F5 fighter which first flew in 1959 is a match for anything flown by the west.
(Note when I quote liberals, I refer to those people who when they see a white face in the mirror take offence )
Great post Farouk, a detailed and thorough assessment.
If the Iranian Regime stopped it’s terrorist backing activity overnight, the world world become a much safer place very quickly indeed.
However, If Iran catastrophy failed like Syria, the destabilising effects would ripple around the world.
We can only hope that one day a peaceful transition to democracy takes place.
Iran is a hugely important Country, due to its Geographic location and influence, both from a historical and modern perspective.
Forget the silly nonsensable cardboard steath fighters and rebuilt F5’s …. Iran does have rea and considerable soft power effect, they could make the region (and therefore the world) a lot better, or Indeed a lot more dangerous, by exerting their considerable influence on certain regional players and terrorist groups worldwide….
Iran is not to be laughed at gents..
I’m Iranian and I’m not impressed by the Kowsar-1 either but this is just poor reporting. It is not just a repainted F-5. First of all most of the components are built in Iran. Secondly, it has a new digital cockpit and radar.
But it is true that the air force in general is poorly funded and does not have good R&D programs. Iran is much better at ballistic missiles, surface to air missiles and radars. Plus a few more select areas.
I understand the desire to mock, but lets not forget they are keeping 20-odd Tomcats in service with a homegrown Phoenix replacement/improvement