VEVAK
SENIOR MEMBER
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- Oct 24, 2013
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I agree that the American narrative regarding cannibalising is to paint Iran as weak and incompotent. Which is complete horse sh!t. Even though Iran has the capability to produce all the parts, especially the ones that require machining operations, it is still much more preferred to get them from black market. Simply because it is such a damn hassle to produce everything internally. The issue is not that the parts or components are too advanced for Iran. The issue is that in order to get the overall CoG correct, the size and the weight distribution of each part needs to match 100% the original part. Basically, even if Iran could for example produce a much more effective hydraulic actuator for lets say the aileron, if that actuator does not match the weight distribution of the original part exactly, then it will mess up the CoG. And it's not even advanced components that are a hassle. Even simple tubes can become a nightmare because not matching weight distribution.
Personally I have always admired the F14, but it is a completely useless design to pursue today. Even Sweden's gripen can perform the same job today and much more cost effectively.
Furthermore, I think the way to go is UCAVs. Manned aircraft is a thing of the past. They are expensive and quite possibly much less capable even with current AI-tech level.
Without an advanced AI system that you can trust Fighter Jets especially Air Superiority Fighters will remain a requirement for the next 2 decades at least.
UCAV's may be a great tool to go up against weaker enemies but just imagine if we were able to hack American stealth UAV's our UAV's aren't really going to have a chance against a country capable of building UCAV's with AI systems that can take on human pilots in dogfights.
And whether we produced manned fighter jets or not at the end of the day producing larger manned Aircrafts are a requirement and I don't think there is a single country on the planet that can produce large reliable passenger jet with all its parts and components but at the same time can't produce its own fighter....
As for the F-14 fact is if we had chosen to reverse engineer the F-14 from the start today we could have used many of the same equipment and infrastructure to produce our own 4.5 gen fighter...
If they had chosen the F-14 to reverse engineer 2 decades ago they would have been forced to invest in Ti composites they would have been forced to invest in large vacuum ovens and large oven presses.....
In terms of engine they would have been forced to invest in an engine that could have been improved on and upgraded to be used on domestic design fighter...
As for weight distribution and center of gravity so long as your cutting down on weight it could easily be adjusted and countered however if you think you can take a Ti part and replace it with a stainless steel and call it better then of course your going to have CoG problems...
The Su-22's the IRGC overhauled where nothing but a shell and somehow they managed to refurbish them and upgrade them and equip them with PGM's meaning if Iran had chosen the F-14 to reverse engineer today the infrastructure needed to produce a more capable Iranian designed airframe instead would have been cheaper and faster
And investing in a gharashmeesh of design like the Q-313 is most definitely not the way to resolve the issue! It is absurd to me for a country who came up with designs like the Sofreh Mahi to go ahead and chose that ridicules design to invest in. To me whomever is at fault for pushing that program should be investigated on suspension of treason... And I don't blame regular Iranian pat's that love it because it looks cool but ppl that know better should know better and call out a dumb donkey of a design for what It truly is!