Islamic
Republic of Iran Air Force /نيروي هوايي جمهوري اسلامي ايران
Credit: Roundels of the world
Last update 13-06-2017
Northrop
F-5 maintenance and modification/upgrade projects
An
US arms embargo after the declaration of the Islamic Republic of
Iran forced the Air Force toward self-sufficiency,
initially focusing in mantainance of the F-5 fleet, manufacture of
spare parts and later in upgrading available airframes/avionics and
building new aircrafts.
Maintenance goal was practically reached early, while manufacturing spare parts was only limited. They had to be unofficially imported; fictitious firms were established in several Western countries, trying to forward these spares to Iran. Some actions were blocked, like the one in February 1993 when British customs seized 7'5000 General Electric J-85-21B blades that the firm DBI Ltd. had manufactured as replacement for Iranian AF F-5s with an estimated value of USD 1m; in July 2003 US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency searched 18 US companies suspected of having exported aircrafts (among which F-5) and missile components to Multicore Ltd, an Iranian front company in London for clandestine procurement of weapons system.
Reverse engeneering of parts for all aircrafts of US
origin was organised through some existing aviation companies: HESA/Iran
Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, based at
Mehrabad and Isfahan (maintenance,
repair of all types of aircrafts), PANHA
(repairing and mantaining military helicopters and power plants,) GHODS
(electronic devices) and Bashir Basir Industy (design, manufacture and
upgrade of pilotless planes).
Mehrabad
AB houses HESA's main aircraft repair, overhaul and manufacturing
facilities; it boasted by 1995 the capability to manufacture 55% of
engine and fuselage parts for the Northrop F-5s. Important repairs to
damaged airframes considerably slowed down HESA's capability to develop
a new fighter, the Hazarakhsh (see below).
Upgradings
Initial aim on the way to self
sufficency was to manufacture an air-to-air missile, upgrade available
avionics and airframes
according to necessity. Following projects are known:
Offogh (Horizon) project
In July 1999 it was announced that this project had improved the
range of the APQ-159 fire
control radar from 32 to 64 km in search modus and 16 to 40 km in
tracking mode and the radar had been equipped with a 90 off-boresight
capability, bringing with the Raad project the
compatibility to employ Chinese CATIC PL-7, Russian R-60 (AA-8 Aphid)
and Sidewinder AIM-9P.
Earlier, at an
exhibition in Tehran during February 1996, one F-5E with
an PL-7 missile was put on show.
Fatter project
Manufacturing
an air-to-air missile was high on the self-sufficency requirement.
This was realised with "Fatter", consisting of an AIM-9P
Sidewinder body and motor and completely new Iranian avionics. The
missile is in service since 2003, reported availabe in
considerable number.
Sattar 1 and Sattar 2 project
These
air-to-surface missiles have been revealed mid-1999; the first is said
to have a 20 km range and the second is said to have a completely
indigenous
design, equipped with a Paveway-type search sensor and a range
of 30km. These two missiles are intended for use by Iran's F-4E
Phantoms and F-5E Tiger Is.
Air-to-air refuelling probe
An
air-refuelling probe equipped Northrop F-5E was seen for the first
time in April 2009 on an F-5E. This might prelude to the
modification of the fleet to extend the rather limited range of this
fighter.
Simorgh project
The Simorgh (a winged creature in the shape of a bird) project involved the
conversion of stored Northrop F-5A and RF-5As into two seaters (mentioned totally
13), needed due to
the shortage of advanced trainer in the Air Force, replacing old
Lockheed T-33As.
HESA was charged
to realise it, starting with the
conversion at its Isfahan factory from around
1991. Northrop
documentation was available and clandestine import
of avionics and cockpit transparencies from the USA was
organized; work on the
first airframe started around 1993. Seven are said to have been
delivered by the end of the year 2002.
Unconfirmed information state that former Vietnamese Northrop F-5A were received at an unknown date and, at least one, modified to two-seater by HESA for use by the 85th Squadron, renamed Advanced Training Squadron.
One of two Simorghs shown to the public
was at Kish Island air show in October 2002, serial 3_7020b ex
R-F5A. Note
8 on tail showing its home base: 8th Tactical Air
Base-Isfahan.
Photo: Holger
Müller www.mig-21.de
Photo: Shahram S.
3-7017B first
noted camouflaged Simorgh landing
at Tehran-Mehrabad on 17-06-08
Simorgh 3-7013B landing at Tehran-Mehrabad on 17-06-08, note
big "Simorgh" drawing on tail, different to
3_7020B shown above; five
Simorgh have participated at the fly-past in Tehran on 17-06-08.
Photo: Shahram S.
Development
and manufacture of "new" aircrafts
The
second aim was to develop new aircrafts and avionics; this was
realised in several projects. Each was given a name, which,
unfortunately, often changed creating some confusion.
Following projects
are based on the Northrop F-5 and are probably only ment as
technological demonstrators to help
development of a much more advanced trainer/fighter named
Shafagh, allegedly based on the Russian-Iranian "Project Integral".
Azarakhsh (Lightning) project
Photo: unknown
Fully bomb-laden double-seater Azarakhsh seen on take-off. It possibly is an Northrop F-5F
painted in Azarakhsh colours.
Saegheh (Thunderbolt) project alias "Azarakhsh-2"
Saeqheh
is the most advanced F-5 modification project known, probably realised
to learn about the effect of twin tail on the aircraft's performance
or, most probably, to gain experience for the development of the new
twin-tail fighter named Shafagh.
It was developed by MATSA Air Force Technology and Electronic Center and the Shahid Sattari Air Force University of Teheran, starting in 1998, first flight occurring on 30-05-04. Northrop F-5E airframes, rebuilt from scrap, were converted to the new configuration (at least one is a former Vietnamese aircraft). Iranian made, partially digitalized components have replaced some parts of the Emerson APG-159 radar; new platforms have replaced the navigation systems and radios.
The project was transferred to Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries for further development in 2009.
Photo: FARS Agency
First
prototype serial S110-001 in original colours. Visible is the
F-18 similar fin
and new square air inlets.
Three
prototypes were built and it seems 9 additional modifications from
Northrop F-5E were planned,
against the wishes of the Air Force. Only a
total of five aircrafts have been sighted till now.
Known
is the participation of the first prototype to the exercise
"Blow of Zolfaqar", which began on 19-08-06,
carrying
out attack
missions armed with Multiple Rocket Launcher,
as shown here accompanied by an F-5F;
the aircraft was without
Sidewinder missile rails at wing tips.
Two additional prototypes flew from
Tehran on 20-09-07. The three aircrafts
joined the IRAF on 22-09-07
when they made their appearance to fly-by at
the National Army Day. All three
aircrafts participated to the same event in
the year 2008.
Photo: FARS News Agency/Hosseini Fatemi
First and second prototype (background) S110-001/-002 landing at Mehrabad on 22-09-07.
Note second
prototype with modified pitot tube, fin attachment to fuselage, normal
round air inlets, and new, slightly
different paint for each aircraft,
reminding US Blue Angels aerobatic team colours.
Photo: Shahram S.
Saegeh participated actively at air-shows, among which the one at Bandar Abbas Naval Base on
June 02nd, the air-parade at Teheran on Semptenber 22nd, and to exercise Milad-e-Noor-e-Velayat
on June 22nd to 24th 2009 in Southern Iran.
One Saegeh equipped Squadron has been formed according to an statement made by the Commander of the Air Force made on 24-02-10, both for air defence and ground attack with bombs, rockets and cannons. It seems that this is not a new Squadron, but the aircrafts were integrated in the 23rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Tabriz AB.
Iranian medias stated in January 2015 that mass production of the Saegeh has started, unofficial sources mentioned that 24 Northrop F-5s are planned to be modified. Shown were two camouflaged two-seaters, called Segeh II, were shown for the first time at Teheran-Mehrabad in April 2015 (serialled 3-7368) and on 18-04-17 (serial 3-7182).