Iran has successfully tested a new fighter plane named Azarakhsh (Thunder), confirmed Minister of Defense Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar Monday morning. "Thunder" has been manufactured in cooperation with experts from the Army, Defense Ministry and HESA aircarft manufacturing industries in the central province of Isfahan, the minister told reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony held on the eve of 'Journalist Day' (August 8).
"The Azarakhsh fighter plan is now at the stage of industrial production and its mass production will start in the future," said the minister, according to IRNA.
He added that the fighter's successful test would lead to plans for "manufacturing of the fifth generation of Iranian aircraft." Army and Defense Ministry experts are currently working on the second type of Azarakhsh fighters called Sa'qeh (Lightning) which would be also tested in the near future, Mohammad-Najjar added.
Referring to the manufacture of 'Sky-Guard' 35mm shells by the Defense Ministry experts, the minister said the experts have also succeeded in manufacturing 2000-km-range surface-to-surface rockets as well as various types of cruise sea rockets.
He added that the ministry's experts have successfully managed to manufacture various types of air-defense missiles and anti-missile rockets too.
http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/Iran/215760
On display near Teheran in September, the the Saeqeh is also reported to be ready to go into production.
Commentary August 7, 2007
A psychic with a sound track record told this web site that Iran was more technically advanced than generally acknowledged. The above report seems to confirm this.
Although the Azarakhsh has been likened to an F-18 by senior Iranian commanders, more recent reports have compared it to the American made F-20, which flew in the 1970's and 80's and was likely used as a template for the new fighter.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, the commander of the Iranian army General Attollah Salehi said: "The fighter jet is "similar to the F-18 fighter jet, but it is more capable and has been manufactured domestically".
Even if the if the Azarakhsh isnt a state-of-art weapon however, the fact that Iran is developing it along with ground attack aircraft, long range ballistic missiles, armoured vehicles and other sophisticated weapons systems is probably triggering alarm bells in London, Washington and Tel Aviv.
All of which points to the fact that Iran is rapidly developing into a regional power that may soon be able to challenge Israeli dominance in the Middle East.
Whatever happens however, Iran is not going to be a replay of Iraq. If anything, it is going to be much worse: in effect a potential gateway to Armegeddon.
