Iran to build new fighter jet

Senior Iranian defense ministry officials announced that Tehran is working on a new warplane to expand the fleet of its home-made fighter jets.Speaking to reporters, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said production of hi-tech and advanced military tools, weapons and equipments displays Iran's might and power and proves that sanctions against the country have been futile. Iran has recently made good progress in the air industry and has succeeded in gaining the technical know-how for producing stealth aircraft and drones. Iran successfully tested a home-made radar-evading UAV with bombing capabilities in June 2009. Also in 2008, the country's Defense Industries launched production lines of two well-known home-made fighter jets, namely Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) and Azarakhsh (Lightening). In September 2010, Iran displayed the first squadron of Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) fighter jets produced by its defense industries in an air show staged during the military parades at the beginning of the Week of Sacred Defense, marking Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s. Also, the first squadron of home-made Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) fighter jets of the Iranian Air Force officially started operations during the large offensive air drills codenamed "Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Vellayat III" in Northwestern Iran this September. "The Saeqeh fighter jets came into operation during the drills," Spokesman of the wargames Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Air Force Brigadier General Hossein Chitforoush told FNA in mid September.