Iran Stealth Fighter

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21310958

Iran unveils Qaher F313 'stealth fighter' plane

Iran has unveiled a new home-made combat aircraft, which officials say can evade radar.

The single-seat Qaher F313 (Dominant F313) is the latest design produced by Iran's military since it launched the Azarakhsh (Lightning), in 2007.

In an unveiling ceremony on Saturday, President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said he ranked the aircraft as "among the most advanced fighter jets in the world".



(continued)

[pErvinalia]

funny looking thing.

[cronus]

funny looking thing.

Doesn't look like its designed to fly very far. Probably only enough fuel for a quick sortie into the gulf or the side of a US aircraft carrier?

[Faithfree]

funny looking thing.

Designed by committee, by the looks of it.

[pErvinalia]

More seriously, though... I wonder why they don't just import Chinese and Russian stuff.

[cronus]

More seriously, though... I wonder why they don't just import Chinese and Russian stuff.

They are Persians. You can fault their lineage.

[PsychoSerenity]

Any evidence that thing actually flies? It looks like an empty shell revolving on the spot, with a short clip of flight that's less convincing than most UFO footage.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaher-313

The Qaher-313 (Persian: قاهر-۳۱۳‎; also Ghaher-313, Conqueror-313, Q-313, F-313) is an Iranian single-seat stealth fighter aircraft publically announced on 1 February 2013. It was presented to the press by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on 2 February 2013, as part of the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies.

According to Iranian government sources, the F-313 Qaher was designed and is indigenously produced in Iran. The aircraft is said to be a stealth fighter with low-altitude operations capability. Qaher is said to be built with "advanced materials" and to have a very low radar signature. It was also claimed that the Qaher can take off and land on short runways and has "easy maintenance".

A prototype version of the Qaher-313 has been portrayed to have test-flown at some point before the presentation although, according to Haaretz, the "blurry video published by the Iranians purporting to show the Qaher 313 in flight seems to show not a manned fighter jet but a small radio-operated drone."

Media sources outside of Iran have raised the possibility that the demonstrated aircraft would not be able to meet stated performance and/or that it may be a scale prototype or mockup, with BBC News noting that the aircraft "looks like a copy of the American F-22". Iran does not release technical details on its arsenals, so many of its claims about the aircraft are impossible to verify.

Flight Global noted that the Qaher-313 resembles the Boeing Bird of Prey prototype, but with a a more faceted design similar to the 1970s-era Lockheed Have Blue that was developed into the now retired F-117 Nighthawk. Flight Global also said, "given the apparent small size of the aircraft and its single engine design, the Qaher 313 could be powered by reverse engineered variants of the General Electric J-85 turbojet that Iran is known to have in its possession."

Um... ..yeah.

[cronus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qaher-313

The Qaher-313 (Persian: قاهر-۳۱۳‎; also Ghaher-313, Conqueror-313, Q-313, F-313) is an Iranian single-seat stealth fighter aircraft publically announced on 1 February 2013. It was presented to the press by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on 2 February 2013, as part of the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies.

According to Iranian government sources, the F-313 Qaher was designed and is indigenously produced in Iran. The aircraft is said to be a stealth fighter with low-altitude operations capability. Qaher is said to be built with "advanced materials" and to have a very low radar signature. It was also claimed that the Qaher can take off and land on short runways and has "easy maintenance".

A prototype version of the Qaher-313 has been portrayed to have test-flown at some point before the presentation although, according to Haaretz, the "blurry video published by the Iranians purporting to show the Qaher 313 in flight seems to show not a manned fighter jet but a small radio-operated drone."

Media sources outside of Iran have raised the possibility that the demonstrated aircraft would not be able to meet stated performance and/or that it may be a scale prototype or mockup, with BBC News noting that the aircraft "looks like a copy of the American F-22". Iran does not release technical details on its arsenals, so many of its claims about the aircraft are impossible to verify.

Flight Global noted that the Qaher-313 resembles the Boeing Bird of Prey prototype, but with a a more faceted design similar to the 1970s-era Lockheed Have Blue that was developed into the now retired F-117 Nighthawk. Flight Global also said, "given the apparent small size of the aircraft and its single engine design, the Qaher 313 could be powered by reverse engineered variants of the General Electric J-85 turbojet that Iran is known to have in its possession."

Um... ..yeah.

Thanks for the WIKI very conclusive.

[Jason]

Actually.. it looks sorta awesome.

[klr]

There is no such thing as a 100% ability to "... avoid radar". There are just designs that are better than other, and even then a lot depends on circumstance.

I suspect this announcement is more for domestic consumption than to frighten The Great Satan.

[Jason]

I have to wonder at the forward aelerons though.. Wouldn't they create turbulence for the rear wings and disrupt their laminar flow?

[Jason]

1:42 in the video.. apparently he's flying maneuvers with the landing gear down.

[klr]

I have to wonder at the forward aelerons though.. Wouldn't they create turbulence for the rear wings and disrupt their laminar flow?

Canard foreplanes ... not unknown in jet designs, e.g.:

Saab Viggen
Dassault Rafale
Saab Gripen
Eurofighter Typhoon

I'd be more concerned about their affect on "stealthiness".

[Jason]

Yes, but those are all staggered so they won't disrupt the flow over the wings.