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Iran unveiled indigenous "kowsar" fighter jet with 4th gen avionics

Well, after finding what really happened with this unveiling, I have to say I overreacted. Yes, I was angry when they unveiled an F-5 and called it "New" but thanks to western journalism I read Sebastian Roblin's article and it turns out they were supposed to unveil a Kowsar-88 jet with these new avionics packages but Kowsar was not ready and they instead used the F-5....well Kudos to the Iranian engineers and shame on the commanders for botching up yet another unveiling.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/iran’s-new-fighter-jet-isn’t-new-all-there-more-story-29722
PS: I will bet a 1000 bucks Mr. Roblin is in this very forum....

This guy is talking smack and has no clue what he's talking about. The defence minister stated clearly in his interview a week or so before unveiling that the jet to be revealed has nothing to do with the trainer they showed last year. The reason they revealed this jet as "indigenous" is quite simple...because almost all it's parts ARE indigenously build. They never said the F-5 is an Iranian design... One needs to have an IQ above 60 to understand this but obviously these people don't.
 
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Time line

All the different prototypes we saw were , technology development phases for a brand new Jet in Iran for which we might not have seen it's final form


Simrogh (Persian origin , mythical bird , Western world calls it Pheonix ! Airforce revival Project)
2090720.jpg


Azarakhsh (Persian origin , Lightning / Speed engine System)
image.jpg


Saeqeh (Origin Arabic , means thunder bolt , falls from sky to ground i.e Weapons system)
Saeqeh_Azarakhsh-2_fighter_aircraft_Iran_Iranian_Air_Force_aviation_defence_industry_640.jpg



Kowsar (Kausar origin Arabic , means plenty)
i.e Serial Production
Considering 88% plane is made in Iran , it is plenty of good bounty

* Avionics (Check)
* Engine (Check)
* Weapons System (Check)
* Serial Production (Check)

iranianf5.jpg





What have Iran accomplished during this time to revive their Air force?

  • BVR FAKOUR
Di0I-lYWsAAt2D1.jpg



F14 Parts manufacturing Program
2125557.jpg



Modrenization of Mig 29
25991_1460997969.jpg




S-300 is inducted in Iran Military
maxresdefault.jpg


Syyad Air defence is completed
Iranian+Talaash+Medium+Range+Air+Defence+System+Fires+Sayyad+2+Talash+(struggle+high-altitude+air+defense+system++flying+targets,fighter+jets+bombers+(14).jpg
 
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. .
Time line

All the different prototypes we saw were , technology development phases for a brand new Jet in Iran for which we might not have seen it's final form


Simrogh (Persian origin , mythical bird , Western world calls it Pheonix ! Airforce revival Project)
2090720.jpg


Azarakhsh (Persian origin , Lightning / Speed engine System)
image.jpg


Saeqeh (Origin Arabic , means thunder bolt , falls from sky to ground i.e Weapons system)
Saeqeh_Azarakhsh-2_fighter_aircraft_Iran_Iranian_Air_Force_aviation_defence_industry_640.jpg



Kowsar (Kausar origin Arabic , means plenty)
i.e Serial Production
Considering 88% plane is made in Iran , it is plenty of good bounty

* Avionics (Check)
* Engine (Check)
* Weapons System (Check)
* Serial Production (Check)

iranianf5.jpg





What have Iran accomplished during this time to revive their Air force?

  • BVR FAKOUR
Di0I-lYWsAAt2D1.jpg



F14 Parts manufacturing Program
2125557.jpg



Modrenization of Mig 29
25991_1460997969.jpg




S-300 is inducted in Iran Military
maxresdefault.jpg


Syyad Air defence is completed
Iranian+Talaash+Medium+Range+Air+Defence+System+Fires+Sayyad+2+Talash+(struggle+high-altitude+air+defense+system++flying+targets,fighter+jets+bombers+(14).jpg

There is no proof Kowsar is ment to be a serial production aircraft.

At best Iran has 50-60 F-5’s that could potentially be upgraded to Kowsar standard.

I would be surprised if Iran doesn’t just upgrade those first before ever considering an Kowsar serial production.

I view Kowsar project in the same way I view Karrar T-90 project, they are ment to upgrade and modernize an existing asset to acceptable standards.
 
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There is no proof Kowsar is ment to be a serial production aircraft.

At best Iran has 50-60 F-5’s that could potentially be upgraded to Kowsar standard.

I would be surprised if Iran doesn’t just upgrade those first before ever considering an Kowsar serial production.

I view Kowsar project in the same way I view Karrar T-90 project, they are ment to upgrade and modernize an existing asset to acceptable standards.

Its 88 % domestically built and I believe them because production of parts has been thoroughly shown this time. Older Saeghe I and II were lesser domestically produced.

It would make no sense and they wont do it for sure, but for sake of argument, Iran can produce 400 of these for like 3-4 bln $ (just manufacturing cost). They would need to use the larger nose of Saeghe 3-7366 to fit in a KLJ-7A AESA paired with IRST (in built) paired with Chinese ARH BVR and you get 4.0 generation lighter fighter that can provide better air coverage than having nothing. If supported by multiple AEW, even such light fighters can wreck havoc on intruders.

It would not happen for sure because such a short ranged light fighter doesn't suit Iranian air doctrine. I am rather more interested in next version of this series. Realistically, IRIAF needs 4+ generation MRCA's in Su-30SME class with TOT. At-least like 12 squadrons.
 
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iran__kowsa_fighter_plane_210818__(2).jpg


Heard Tiger shark , F-20 lost out to F16 in late 70's

So would imagine with technology upgrade the F20 clone is perhaps

Same level as F16 A/B at least

Most likely

  • 2 Fakour BRV missiles (If 3 Missiles are fitted that would be ideal scenario)
  • 2 Close range missile

Total 4 hard point setup for their Serial Production


Iran does their Production Underground these days so we won't know if they had produced 50 planes or 150 planes already
 
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iran__kowsa_fighter_plane_210818__(2).jpg


Heard Tiger shark , F-20 lost out to F16 in late 70's

So would imagine with technology upgrade the F20 clone is perhaps

Same level as F16 A/B at least

Most likely

  • 2 Fakour BRV missiles (If 3 Missiles are fitted that would be ideal scenario)
  • 2 Close range missile

Total 4 hard point setup for their Serial Production


Iran does their Production Underground these days so we won't know if they had produced 50 planes or 150 planes already

Not sure what you are smoking if you think a F-5 can carry not 1 but 2 Fakour missiles. Not realistic at all.

And no there are not 50 or 150 Koswars.

Dear lord people just use common sense. It is a modernization package for F-5 as well as an avionics package for potentially other Shah era fighters.

This is merely a stop gap measure for the real fighters that are to come in 2030.
 
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Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,745 lb (7,157 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,722 lb (11,214 kg)

Hardpoints:
7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed):

2× wing-tip AAM launch rails
4× under-wing
1× under-fuselage pylon stations

Weapon Capacity -> 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)

Weight of the Fakour Missile
1,000–1,040 lb

DlGpiXmX0AA6h5X.jpg

I am imagining 3 FaKourX missiles on planes and 2 short range missiles

Most likely Iran should target 300 Fighter Jets
 
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Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,745 lb (7,157 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,722 lb (11,214 kg)

Hardpoints:
7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed):

2× wing-tip AAM launch rails
4× under-wing
1× under-fuselage pylon stations

Weapon Capacity -> 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)

Weight of the Fakour Missile
1,000–1,040 lb

DlGpiXmX0AA6h5X.jpg

I am imagining 3 FaKourX missiles on planes and 2 short range missiles

Most likely Iran should target 300 Fighter Jets
3 Fakour? Lol this Fighter aircarft at best has KLJ-6/7 radar which is 80-90 km range and Fakour is reversed engineer version of AiM-54 and has range of 160 km and also it needs radar possibly as strong as AWG-9 and i even is it possible for NO19 Niir Baz radar on MiG-29 could carry it
 
.
Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,745 lb (7,157 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,722 lb (11,214 kg)

Hardpoints:
7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed):

2× wing-tip AAM launch rails
4× under-wing
1× under-fuselage pylon stations

Weapon Capacity -> 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)

Weight of the Fakour Missile
1,000–1,040 lb

DlGpiXmX0AA6h5X.jpg

I am imagining 3 FaKourX missiles on planes and 2 short range missiles

Most likely Iran should target 300 Fighter Jets
the question is how much strain each hard point can sustain without ripping of the wing , and how much those fakour missiles affect the aerodynamic of the airplane .
the only hard point that remotely maybe able to carry the missile is central one under the belly of the plane and we use it for fuel tanks

by the way have you ever seen any F-5 with such big missile

3 Fakour? Lol this Fighter aircarft at best has KLJ-6/7 radar which is 80-90 km range and Fakour is reversed engineer version of AiM-54 and has range of 160 km and also it needs radar possibly as strong as AWG-9 and i even is it possible for NO19 Niir Baz radar on MiG-29 could carry it
fakour is more based on MIM-23 internally , let say its a heavily upgraded MIM-23 inside the shell of Aim-54 so yes mig-29 radar can in theory control it
 
.
Empty weight: 9,558 lb (4,349 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,745 lb (7,157 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,722 lb (11,214 kg)

Hardpoints:
7 total (only pylon stations 3, 4 and 5 are wet-plumbed):

2× wing-tip AAM launch rails
4× under-wing
1× under-fuselage pylon stations

Weapon Capacity -> 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg)

Weight of the Fakour Missile
1,000–1,040 lb

DlGpiXmX0AA6h5X.jpg

I am imagining 3 FaKourX missiles on planes and 2 short range missiles

Most likely Iran should target 300 Fighter Jets
You are right, capability is there, even if we don't use it for now. and it will be a damn surprise for any foe who wants to ignore it.

Northrop_F-5F_%28Tail_No._00889%29_in_flight_061006-F-1234S-084.jpg
 
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