factanonverba
Banned
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=77166§ionid=351020101
Iran designs stealth aircraft
Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:07:32 GMT
Iran says it will enter the production phase for a radar-evading aircraft in early 2009. The aircraft seen in the picture is an American B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber.
Iran says it has designed a radar-evading aircraft capable of taking out high-value targets without being detected by hostile radar systems.
Chief Air Force commander Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi announced on Monday that the aircraft was designed by Iranian aerospace experts and that military researchers are now working on building a small prototype.
"The design of the aircraft has been completed and the preliminary models of these aircrafts are being constructed," the commander told Iranian state radio.
The radar-evading or "stealth" aircraft employs a combination of features to reduce visibility in visual, audio, infrared and radio frequency (RF) spectra.
The fighter is designed to be carefully coated with a secret, radar-absorbent material, as even an air bubble or a screw not tightened exactly to specifications could result in a blip on an enemy's radar screen.
"I think we will finish research on the project by the end of the year (the Iranian calendar year ending in March) and then we will enter the production phase," Brig. Gen. Shah-Safi said.
The announcement comes at a time that the Islamic Republic is pursuing a military self-sufficiency campaign directed at improving its defense capabilities after years of US sanctions and foreign threats.
Israel accuses Iran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), of making efforts to "build a nuclear weapon."
Under the allegation, Israeli officials argue that wiping out Iran's nuclear infrastructure militarily is a legitimate option.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said last week that Tel Aviv had received a green light from Washington to take any action it deems "necessary" against Iran over its nuclear program.
Iranian officials insist that the country's nuclear activities are solely directed at the civilian applications of the technology. The NPT grants Tehran and all other signatories the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
The UN agency responsible for investigating Iranian nuclear activities confirmed in its November report that it has "been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran."
CS/AA
