I think Impressive is a gross overstatement . What are the acheivments that make it impressive ??

Oh did i mention Simorgh, the F-5A to F-5B conversion by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI) at Shahin Shahr Isfahan with the help of Pakistani Engineers. 😀

The numbers are conflicting when it comes to numbers in service the Iranian’s are rather sensibly for them keeping their cards close to their chests.

true. Iran has always been very secretive regarding its aircraft inventory. There are various versions of the “numbers” in inventory.

Love their Fencers and their latest Su-39’s !

So all in all a sensible move for Iran, their aerospace industry will benefit from the input of advanced technology and a trainer is always a good starting point when you want to improve your aerospace industry.

It certainly fits in with Irans drive for self reliance in this area and for Russia they get a discreet influx of cash and work as well as increased influence in the region.

Iran is really on the clock now they can only maintain their fleet of T-33, F-5, F-4 and F-14 for a finite amount of time. An aircraft like this would allow them to start retiring their training aircraft and possibly even some of the F-5.

Iran already has quite an impressive aerospace infrastructure thanks to the warm relations the Shah had with the U.S. He was a keen aviation enthusiast too.

Iran Aircraft Industries(IACI) was setup by Northrop Grumman in the 70’s. Bell Textron also set up a facility where Iran’s entire chopper fleet can be rebuilt/manufactured.

So yeah, they already have a “few” things that give them a headstart.

Sweden focuses on Erieye fleet changes , Janes IDR, Aug 2006

Sweden may put four of its Saab S 100B Argus airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft (Saab 340Bs equipped with the Ericsson Microwave Systems-developed Erieye radar system) up for sale if plans currently being discussed become reality. The plans call for an extensive upgrade of just two of the six Erieye-equipped Saab 340s in the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) to a new standard that will include three permanently installed operator workstations. That would change the role of the platform from pure AEW (which in the Swedish concept has been limited to downlinking the radar picture to ground-based command-and-control [C2] centres) to airborne surveillance and control (ASC) — hence the new designation of S 100D ASC.

In this new capacity, the platform will become capable of functioning as an airborne C2 asset, not just in Swedish airspace within line-of-sight to the country’s national air-defence ground environment, but worldwide in support of international crisis response operations. Negotiations between the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Ericsson Microwave Systems and Saab (the latter company is expected to take over the former by September 2006) are continuing and could lead to a contract for the S 100D ASC conversion programme by the end of this year (2006). The ASC-capable platforms will then become available from 2009.

The more comprehensive ASC system for the two S 100D aircraft is known by the Swedish military as the ASC 890 system, replacing the original FSR 890 configuration (FSR standing for Flygburna Spaningsradarsystem or airborne reconnaissance radar system). In addition to the three operator consoles, new capabilities to be installed include a NATO-standard Link 16 tactical data link and Have Quick II secure radio communications, which will enable participation in networked operations with coalition fighters, helicopters, ground-based air-defense systems and naval forces. There will also be a satellite communications capability to link with strategic headquarters at home or beyond the horizon in the theatre of operations.
Furthermore, the system will be compatible with NATO IFF (identification friend-or-foe) Mode 4.
According to information presented on 16 June 2006 at an event at Såtenäs Air Base to mark the 80th anniversary of the SwAF, the ASC 890 equipment suite will include the following:
• the Ericsson Erieye radar with 2×150š coverage to beyond 250 n miles (450 km)*;
• a Thales IFF Mk XII interrogator system with 360š coverage to beyond 250 n miles (Mode 1, 2, 3/A, 3/C and 4);
• five Rockwell Collins Talon 8105 VHF/UHF radios for tactical voice communication with Have Quick II (one also covering the tactical 30-88 MHz VHF band);
• two radios supporting Link 16; and
• it will be fitted for but not with satcom equipment.

Sources in the Swedish armed forces told Jane’s that finding a customer for the four Erieye-equipped Saab 340s (or two customers buying two aircraft each) will not be impossible because there will be “a lot of interest from countries who require an AEW capability but for whom existing systems, including Erieye integrated on the Embraer EMB 145 twin-jet or the Saab 2000 larger twin turboprop, are simply too expensive”.

SwAF operators at Malmen Air Base outside Linköping have already been gathering some experience in the ASC role over the past two years, using two aircraft — which were returned from Greece after being employed by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) — equipped with two operator workstations each, as an interim capability prior to the delivery by prime contractor Ericsson of four Erieye-equipped Embraer EMB 145 aircraft to the HAF during 2004-05.
The two modified aircraft, known as S 100D by the SwAF (the original workstation-less configuration is the S 100B), have kept their operator consoles in order to give the SwAF the chance to gather operational ASC experience, operators told Jane’s. As an example, the S 100D participated in the German Air Force flying exercise ‘ELITE 2005’, working in a networked set-up with a German ground control centre and Swedish ground-based air-defence forces.

Despite these more or less firm plans, the next step is already on the horizon. It will involve porting the complete ASC 890 system from the current Saab 340 platform to the larger and more capable (in terms of endurance, operating ceiling and hot-and-high performance) Saab 2000.
According to S 100D Argus aircrew at Malmen, the upgrade to the Saab 2000 could happen as early as 2015, although no official plans have been presented. “We will continue with just two platforms, but with the Saab 2000 all our current operational deficiencies would be solved,” a crew member told Jane’s, referring to the altitude and mission endurance restrictions that are inherent to the Saab 340.

Such a SwAF upgrade to the Saab 2000 will benefit significantly from the Saab 2000 Erieye programme for Pakistan. That country has signed a contract for six Erieye-equipped Saab 2000 ASC aircraft with prime contractor Saab, coming into effect on 22 July 2006. The Pakistani contract allows the SwAF to take maximum advantage of experience gathered by Saab in installing the Erieye suite in the Saab 2000, an aircraft that is no longer in production but will be taken out of the commercial market.

“There are approximately 60 Saab 2000s left in service, of which Saab owns approximately 50 per cent through its aircraft leasing business activity,” Saab officials told Jane’s. “Most of them are in operation with civilian airlines but the regional commuter market is very fluid, which means it will not be a problem to have the aircraft available when we need them. The six aircraft for Pakistan are all part of the Saab lease pool, so we know all the details about them. The aircraft will be fully zero-houred and will receive new engines.”
According to Saab spokesperson Marinette Radobo, the Saab 2000 ASC platform will have an operational endurance of more than nine hours and “excellent performance in hot-and-high environmental conditions”.
The six-aircraft package for Pakistan has been dimensioned to allow the country to maintain 24/7 surveillance of its airspace. The ASC capability will be used for national air defence as well as for C2 of air operations, for example during contingencies such as the earthquake disaster of October 2005. At the time, it proved difficult to provide air traffic control for the many humanitarian aid flights in the remote part of Pakistan that was struck by the disaster.

As far as acquiring new aircraft for IAF is concerned, Air Marshal MM Singh (retd), former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, says IAF would be better off buying more MIG-29s or Mirage 2000 instead of F-16s. “SU-30 and MIG-29 can match F-16 if not prove their superiority over it,” he says.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1770180,0008.htm

A wise decision, no doubt.

Ok guys cut it out all of you. You dont wanna lose the Navy forums like the Army ones.

Cool videos containing footage of the Indo-Pak air wars :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjZ4t8urIn0

http://www.pakdef.info/multimedia/guncamera_ata.wmv

http://www.pakdef.info/multimedia/groundattack_65war.wmv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twHSpQfbiZk&mode=related&search=

Enjoy.