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HESA Shafaq

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Shafaq
General information
TypeTrainer / Attack aircraft
National originIran
ManufacturerIran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA)
Designer
StatusPrototype
Primary userIran
Number builtOne prototype
History
First flight2017 (forecast, but not achieved)
Developed fromM-ATF

The HESA Shafaq or Shafagh (Persian: هواپیمای شفق, "Twilight" or "Aurora") is an Iranian subsonic stealth aircraft project being developed by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA).[1]

Development

According to reports, the Shafaq will be a subsonic aircraft, but this might be changed. Additionally, Iranian officials have reported that the Shafaq will have a skin of radar-absorbing material.[2]

This two-seat advanced training and attack aircraft appears to be based[3] on the Russian-Iranian "Project Integral" and is fitted with Russian ejection seats. Reportedly, there are plans to produce three versions—a two-seat trainer/light strike version and two one-seat fighter-bomber versions.[1]

The Shafaq is designed by the Aviation University Complex (AUC), part of the Malek-Ashtar University of Technology (MUT). At the start of the program, Iran received help from Russia[3] and the aircraft was known as Integral. Russia later backed away from this project for several reasons[citation needed] and Iran carried on the project by itself renaming it Shafaq. The Shafaq is designed as a sub-sonic aircraft,[3] and made of radar-absorbing material. It has a large leading edge root extension (LERX) and a root aft of the wing which gives it an unusual circular sub-section.[1]

A 1/7 scale model of the Shafaq has already completed testing in the AUC's wind tunnel and pictures have already been revealed which show that a full-scale model has already been built.[3] The Shafaq will be built in different configurations including a two-seater trainer, a two-seater light Attack and a one-seater light attack variants. Roll-out of the first prototype was scheduled for 2008.[2] The Shafaq's advanced cockpit features color MFDs and a Russian-made K-36D ejection seat.

According to AIO (Aerospace Industries Organisation), the aircraft was expected to be flight tested during 2017, and featuring twin, outwardly canted vertical fins. This type of a tail design has become a favoured aerodynamic feature of Iranian designers that dates back to the development of the reverse-engineered Iranian version of the Northrop F-5, the HESA Saeqeh.[4]

Specifications

Data from Trend[5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 or 2
  • Length: 10.84 m (35 ft 7 in)
  • Wingspan: 10.45 m (34 ft 3 in)
  • Height: 4.26 m (14 ft 0 in)
  • Empty weight: 4,361 kg (9,614 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 6,900 kg (15,212 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Klimov RD-33 turbofan engine, 50 kN (11,000 lbf) thrust

Performance

  • Service ceiling: 16,780 m (55,050 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 110 m/s (22,000 ft/min)

Armament

  • Missiles: Sattar, Shahbaz or Fatter missiles

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

  1. ^ a b c "Shafaq". globalsecurity.
  2. ^ a b Johnson, Reuben. "Iran struggles to field a fighter". ainonline. Archived from the original on 26 February 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d Larkins Dsouza (22 September 2007). "Shafaq- Iranian Stealth Plane". defenceaviation. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Iranian Shafaq jet trainer nears prototype testing | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Iran unveiled new indigenous fighter jet". Trend. 2 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
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