…was unveiled in Tehran on 9 February 2015 by the Iranian Deputy Defence Minister Brig.Gen. Amir Hatami. On the sideline of the unveiling ceremony, Hatami thanked the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), and the Aviation Industries Organization of the Armed Forces, who achieved what he described as: “This new advanced supersonic trainer-fighter jet named SAEGHEH-2 (Thunderbolt) is ready for mass-production to be delivered to Iran’s Air Force (IRIAF). It bolsters the MoD’s strategy to reinforce the air fleet by relying on domestic capabilities, self-reliance and indigenous production. Being similar to the F-18, the new SAEGHEH-2 benefits from a much higher combat-power than its previous model and provides the possibility for advance training for existing or new heavy-fighters. This undertaking is also emphasized by the Supreme Leader, who remarked that the Islamic Republic was among a few countries in possession of this kind of jet…“
These kind of jets are of course NOT similar to the HORNET, except externally around their twin-tail end. They are all siblings of the venerable Northrop F-5E, of which over 450 are still around in more than a few countries worldwide. Kenia is right now bombing Al-Shabab in Somalia with F-5Es.
On the occasion, IRIAF spokesman, Brig.Gen. Hossein Chitforoush mentioned some capabilities of the – sometimes also called SAEGHEH-90- twin-seater, which was fitted with two wing-tip AAM launch-rails, four under-wing and one centreline pylon-stations. He pointed to new unspecified NAVAIDS and new Russian ejection seats by Zvezda. The parallel mentioning by an Iran MoD-website of the Russian PHAZOTRON-NIIR N019 fire-control radar as being carried, has however be to taken with good deal of scepticism, as the nose diameter of SAEGHEH/F-5 seems much too small to accommodate an antenna-size developed for the MiG-29.
The presented serial 3-7182 indicated markings of the Tabriz/Shaheed Fakouri airbase TAB-2, but are there already more than 3-7182? Probably not yet. It’s single-seater sibling SAEGHEH-1 fighter-bomber in a distinctive blue-angels style paint-scheme was unveiled back in September 2006 during a wargame, has officially joined the IRIAF and is definitely in the inventory of 23rd TFS, also at Tabriz.
While the single-seater however has enlarged and box-shaped re-designed air-intake/inlets – a feature the twin-seater lacks - well informed sources from within Iran however tell another story behind the project. According to them on 21st October back in 2000, during engine run-ups at 4th TFB, one of the technicians mistakenly jettisoned the two canopies of an F-5F. They heavily damaged the airplane‘s tail cone and horizontal stabilizers, forcing it to be withdrawn from service and cannibalized for its parts. In 2004, the IRIAF HQ decided to send the airplane to Tehran for restoration at Mehrabad's Overhaul Center, but due to – the IRIAF is suffering under a US-embargo since 1979 – the lack of many parts, its fuselage remained in Dezful. Finally in 2011, the fuselage of this F-5F was used to become the first twin-seat SAEGHEH...
Iran’s pre-revolution IIAF has received approx. 180 F-5E/F from 1975 on – not counting a further +100 F-5A/B from 1965 on. Thus there is enough of - at least - knowledge on the type and it looks like all the current ‚twin-tail‘ F-5s are earmarked for upgrade to SAEGHEH-2-level, yet even the entire fleet of +/60 IRIAF F-5E/Fs is said to be converted to SAEGHEH-types - by 2030! If accurate, despite hopes of breaking international isolation by reaching a nuclear-deal with the west, this looks like a long-time planning for maintaining a status quo. At least for the IRIAF, which continues to get no access to new deliveries of foreign-imported combat-aircraft.
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| Iran Air Force SAEGHEH-2 |
These kind of jets are of course NOT similar to the HORNET, except externally around their twin-tail end. They are all siblings of the venerable Northrop F-5E, of which over 450 are still around in more than a few countries worldwide. Kenia is right now bombing Al-Shabab in Somalia with F-5Es.
On the occasion, IRIAF spokesman, Brig.Gen. Hossein Chitforoush mentioned some capabilities of the – sometimes also called SAEGHEH-90- twin-seater, which was fitted with two wing-tip AAM launch-rails, four under-wing and one centreline pylon-stations. He pointed to new unspecified NAVAIDS and new Russian ejection seats by Zvezda. The parallel mentioning by an Iran MoD-website of the Russian PHAZOTRON-NIIR N019 fire-control radar as being carried, has however be to taken with good deal of scepticism, as the nose diameter of SAEGHEH/F-5 seems much too small to accommodate an antenna-size developed for the MiG-29.
 |
| Iranian F-5 derivatives. |
The presented serial 3-7182 indicated markings of the Tabriz/Shaheed Fakouri airbase TAB-2, but are there already more than 3-7182? Probably not yet. It’s single-seater sibling SAEGHEH-1 fighter-bomber in a distinctive blue-angels style paint-scheme was unveiled back in September 2006 during a wargame, has officially joined the IRIAF and is definitely in the inventory of 23rd TFS, also at Tabriz.
While the single-seater however has enlarged and box-shaped re-designed air-intake/inlets – a feature the twin-seater lacks - well informed sources from within Iran however tell another story behind the project. According to them on 21st October back in 2000, during engine run-ups at 4th TFB, one of the technicians mistakenly jettisoned the two canopies of an F-5F. They heavily damaged the airplane‘s tail cone and horizontal stabilizers, forcing it to be withdrawn from service and cannibalized for its parts. In 2004, the IRIAF HQ decided to send the airplane to Tehran for restoration at Mehrabad's Overhaul Center, but due to – the IRIAF is suffering under a US-embargo since 1979 – the lack of many parts, its fuselage remained in Dezful. Finally in 2011, the fuselage of this F-5F was used to become the first twin-seat SAEGHEH...
Iran’s pre-revolution IIAF has received approx. 180 F-5E/F from 1975 on – not counting a further +100 F-5A/B from 1965 on. Thus there is enough of - at least - knowledge on the type and it looks like all the current ‚twin-tail‘ F-5s are earmarked for upgrade to SAEGHEH-2-level, yet even the entire fleet of +/60 IRIAF F-5E/Fs is said to be converted to SAEGHEH-types - by 2030! If accurate, despite hopes of breaking international isolation by reaching a nuclear-deal with the west, this looks like a long-time planning for maintaining a status quo. At least for the IRIAF, which continues to get no access to new deliveries of foreign-imported combat-aircraft.
Georg Mader
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