Iran Overhauls MiG-29 Aircraft

The Iranian Air Force technicians have overhauled a MiG-29 aircraft and the aircraft is back into service after it was grounded for five years.

Last August, a senior Iranian Air Force commander had announced that the country attained self-sufficiency in overhauling military aircraft despite the sanctions imposed by the western countries.

"We have become self-sufficient in airplane overhauling, pilot training and many other fields," Head of Shahid Sattari Aviation Science and Technology University Brigadier General Mehdi Hadiyan was quoted as saying by Tasnim News agency Monday.

He reiterated that the Air Force is now self-sufficient in all areas while all its planes fly in accordance with the required standards.

Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

In June, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces for Logistics Major General Mostafa Izadi announced Tehran's preparedness to overhaul the most advanced jet engines in the world.

"I can say that we are able to provide the infrastructures to overhaul the latest version of any engines within 3 to 4 months," Izadi said in Tehran.

"We have worked with many countries and have overhauled their planes and we have even overhauled planes in the African continent and South America," Izadi said.

In August 2013, Iranian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Hassan Shah Safi underlined the need for long-term planning in the field of parts manufacturing and indigenizing production of the parts and components needed for his force’s fighter jets and aircraft.

“We should pay heed to (airplane) parts manufacturing more than before by adopting long-term planning in the field and looking at the far-away horizons,” Brigadier General Shah Safi said.

“We have fully supplied all the parts needed by the air force through expediting a parts manufacturing movement, cooperation with defense ministry’s aviation industries organization in manufacturing testers and utilizing veterans’ experiences,” he added.