HESA Saeqeh
| HESA Saeqeh | |
|---|---|
 HESA Saeqeh |
|
| Type: | Light fighter aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
July 2004 |
| Number of pieces: |
24 (as of Feb. 2010) |
The Saeqeh ( Persian صاعقه; dt .: Donner ) is a fighter aircraft of the Iranian Air Force , which is manufactured by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company . It was developed on the basis of the F-5E Tiger II , which Iran received from the United States during the time of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi .
history
Development probably began in the 1990s. A prototype of the single-seat aircraft with double vertical tail was shown for the first time in July 2004 in a video recording and was first shown to the public on September 22, 2007 at a troop parade in Tehran . The machine is believed to have arisen as a result of various arms embargoes that forced Iran to modernize the existing designs as it was not possible to import new fighter jets. Iran states that the Saeqeh's combat power is comparable to that of an American F / A-18 Hornet and that the range is around 3000 km. Western experts, however, strongly doubt this information.
construction
The few photos of the machine published so far show that the basic structure of the F-5 has largely been preserved. However, the simple vertical tail was replaced by a slightly angled double tail.
Technical specifications
Exact technical information has not yet been published.
Web links
- Report at GlobalSecurity (English)