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Aircraft

Iran unveils homegrown Qaher F-313 "stealth" fighter

By Darren Quick
February 04, 2013
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Iran's domestically designed and built Qaher F-313 (Dominant F-313) combat aircraft
Iran's domestically designed and built Qaher F-313 (Dominant F-313) combat aircraft

Iranian State TV on Saturday showed an unveiling ceremony for what the Iran Defense Ministry claims is a new Iranian designed and built combat aircraft. Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the single-seat Qaher F-313 (Dominant F-313) can operate at low altitudes and was constructed from “advanced materials” that contribute to the aircraft’s “very low radar cross section.”

Iran’s state-owned English language Press TV says that although the aircraft resembles the F-5E/F Tiger II, it is said to be similar to the F/A-18. It follows in the footsteps (or flightpath) of Iran’s first domestically manufactured combat jet fighter, the HESA Azarakhsh (Lightning) and its follow up, the HESA Saeqeh (Thunderbolt).

The aircraft was unveiled by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the 34th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, who said the aircraft demonstrates Iran’s will to “conquer scientific peaks” and was built for deterrence rather than expansionism.

Independent verification of the aircraft’s stealth capabilities, or for that matter any capabilities, is unlikely to be forthcoming with Iran not in the habit of releasing technical details of its arsenal. If true, however, the Qaher F-313 would join a very select list of manned stealth aircraft.

Sources: Iran Defense Ministry (Google Translate), Press TV, BBC

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Darren Quick
Darren's love of technology started in primary school with a Nintendo Game & Watch Donkey Kong (still functioning) and a Commodore VIC 20 computer (not still functioning). In high school he upgraded to a 286 PC, and he's been following Moore's law ever since. This love of technology continues as Managing Editor of New Atlas.
61 comments
Onihikage
Can that thing even fly? It looks kind of fat.
Sean Moore
Design ques from a Klingon Battle cruiser?
Oded Ya
according to aviation experts, no it can't. it's looks like a bad mock-up
http://theaviationist.com/tag/q-313
Jeremiah Jordan-Fields
I think it looks neat.
AliSina Naghibi
it fly,and pass many tests.
Slowburn
Assuming that the engine is of a much better designed I believe it will fly and be remarkably maneuverable (In other words almost fatally unstable) and I doubt it will be even transonic. Stealth? Not a chance.
Leo_tm
Ofcourse it fly it passed a perfessional 1000-hour test
AngusP
Based on how it looks, it can't really fly, or if it does, it flies really, really fast.
Oleg Fialkovsky
Looks like one-way, suicidal mission, cruise missile. Does not need to be that much manoeuvrable, just fast and undetectable. Actually, not that bad DELIVERY solution!
Bas Klein Bog
Anything will fly, given enough power. Look at rockets, although question is whether they 'fly' in the pure sense of the word. Add some protrusions resembling wings to that rocket, and a digital flight system to overcome instability problems and you have an airplane that 'flies'. Have this done by people who have an above average understanding of aerodynamics, electronics, mechanical- and reverse engineering and you might end up with something that would pass for a modern fighter aircraft. Also, the flying capabilities of a platform for weaponry is second in importance to the weaponry itself, meaning anything that flies and can deliver an advanced weapon is valid. What is surprising is that Iran didn't go for a pilotless platform (UAV) because the pilot nowadays is more of a liability than an asset.
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