Iran Nears Completion of Simorgh Transport Aircraft Tests Developed from Ukraine’s An-140

Iran is completing final tests of the Simorgh military transport aircraft, developed from Ukraine’s An-140 regional turboprop.

So far, the aircraft has logged about 100 hours of flight testing as part of its certification program, according to the state news agency IRNA.

The tests aim to meet airworthiness standards set by the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran. Once certified, the Simorgh will enter service for military and humanitarian missions.

Presented domestically as an indigenous product, the Simorgh is derived from the IrAn-140—a licensed version of the Ukrainian An-140 designed by the Kharkiv State Aircraft Manufacturing Company. Before cooperation ended, Iran assembled ten IrAn-140 passenger aircraft from Ukrainian components.

Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA) in Isfahan now converts these passenger models into transport variants featuring a rear cargo ramp for oversized loads. Key components, including fuselage and wings, were originally produced in Ukraine, while final assembly and modifications are done by HESA engineers.

Managed by the IAMI Design Center, the project aims to replace the Iranian Air Force’s aging Fokker-27 fleet. The Simorgh was first unveiled in May 2022, built using Ukrainian-supplied parts delivered before sanctions and the suspension of Tehran–Kyiv cooperation.