Iran Unveils First Indigenously-built Fighter Aircraft

Iran today unveiled country’s first homegrown fighter aircraft dubbed “Kowsar”, a day before the National Day of Defense Industry, which will be marked on August 22.

The advanced fighter jet has been manufactured following extensive research and efforts by the Iranian Defense Ministry’s experts. 

According to Tasnim news agency, the fighter aircraft has capabilities such as a highly integrated architecture and a fire control system using the fourth generation of the digital data networks. It is capable of carrying various weapons and is used for short aerial support missions.

State television showed live pictures of a ceremony in Teheran in which the fighter jet flew in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani.

Iran unveiled in 2013 what it said was a new, domestically built fighter jet, called Qaher 313, but some experts expressed doubts about the viability of the aircraft at the time.

Iran has developed a large domestic arms industry in the face of international sanctions and embargoes that have barred it from importing many weapons.