drmeson
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2016
- Messages
- 2,002
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
f-4 and f-14 are also old . , j-7 newer , f-5 oldest of all .the circus airplane pieces (J-7 m Su22, Mirage F1, F-5 ) must be retired and the money that will be saved must be into developing the next generation kowsar .when that become ready we can retire F-4, Mig-29 , and if its what i think it will be , hopefully even F-14 and Su-24 .
meanwhile we can replace these airplane with current generation Kowsar as light fighter and when next generation of kowsar become ready the current generation of kowsar can be phased into the role of advanced trainer for IRIAF and IRGCAF
60 x Kowsar-I and 10 x Kowsar-I Trainers can replace the entire prop fleet of the following:
- 23 x Mirage F-1Q/EQ/BQ, that have no Cyrano radar, let alone missiles it has no Pylons to carry missiles. It's a true prop fighter that IRIAF should use at Kish for fighter jet tourism to raise $. The plane has no RWR, no E-Warfare, TDL, or BVR.
- 43 x F-7N has a radar range of 30 KM with its puny Sy-80 radar. Its longest-range missile is 18 km ranging PL-7C which according to two authors use Iranian seekers because Chinese seekers failed. It has the highest crash rate in the IRIAF service. It has no RWR, no E-Warfare, no TDL, and No BVR.
- 60 x F-5E/F fleet has legacy APQ-153 radars that can track a F-4E size fighter at 34 km range. They have no e-warfare, Look down shoot down or BVR capability, and no TDL either. These planes should be dismantled and go into the formation of a repository of parts for the Kowsar-I fleet.
These ~130 airframes are a burden on IRIAF's budget and are only alive because of lobbyism by cult groups that make $ off maintenance, and overhaul of these jets. Same case I am suspecting will happen if SU-35S will replace F-4E/D and SU-24MK. Esp the resistance that will come from F-4E/D infrastructure runners in Iran. In case of war, they will be butchered in sky at the hands of EF-2000, Rafale, F-18E/F of the enemy. Their retirement will pave the way for saving $$ for following:
- F-14AM upgradations (40-45)
- MIG-29 upgradation to MIG-29M standard (23)
- Kowsar-I/II production (100+)
- SU-35S integration (66)
- Kaman-12/22, Fotros, Shahed-171 UCAVs (300) total fleet
A not so bad IRIAF if you ask me.