Greetings:-
>> a Chinese package with JL-10A radar, PL-10/12, PL5 etc. Chinese backed out and the upgrade went to the IAIO of Iran.
What I make of this is that off-the-shelf items would have been sourced where these were to be found externally, while big-ticket items, such the JL-10A, PL-10 or even PL-12 would been produced locally.
Would also be a nod to Iran's indigenous aircraft, ordinance, and electronics industries.
But nothing of this sort happened. Chinese fully backed out in ~2010 that's when IAIO took over the program so nothing in the upgrade was Chinese anymore except for the fact that some design origin/resemblance of Sea Skimming AShCM of Iran with Chinese ones. Even they got fully indigenized later with a local turbojet, seekers, ECM etc.
Would be nice to assume that AIM7 -->Arash took something off PL-10/12, PL5. Nothing concrete of course. Would also totally be dependent on China's willingness to supply meaningful data on PL10/12.
To me this "AIM-7 Arash" does not exist until I see it on an aircraft. If this is a real production project like Fakour-90 then it will be a game changer because then Iran will have its own ~100 KM ranging ARH+ECM Light BVR missile for fighters and near future unmanned platforms. But for now, it's just a project that someone showed in an airshow.
Knowing the IRIAF's reputation it could very well be an overhaul+upgrade program of IRIAF's owned AIM-7E2 stock but the journalist who attended the airshow and took pics, toldon insta himself that it was shown as a "new missile" with everything Iranian inside.
I make the assumption that the radar in the nose of the F-4, (Bayyenat-1 PESA), was based, at least partly, on the Westinghouse AN/APQ-120, JL-10A, or an as yet to be disclosed KLJ-XX radar ToTed to Iran by China.
Bayyenaat-I was built by OWJ + SAIRAN (Iran) back in 2010 when the Chinese backed out of the deal to provide JL-10A or whatever package was part fo the deal. It is a pure AN/APQ derivative with large PESA antenna (~700 T/R modules) giving it range of around 120-150 KM tracking range for a fighter and ~300+ KM for maritime strike on large targets. Its upgrades included look down/shoot down and high SAR capability for PGM strike. There are some other pics of control panels of radar inside the cockpit where TWS/RWS/ATR Multi Mode Functionality (MMF) etc options are shown. Radar has its own e-Warfare suite too to trigger ECM/chaff flares which means the ECM box they installed under the belly was not just its own item.
For its time, 15 years ago this was a technologically advanced system for a country like Iran. Here are some interesting things about this. One journalist says that IRIAF was asked to keep this radar at that time a secret because of how lethal it was turning the F-4E/D fleet for maritime operations.
With rapid progress in Iranian maritime AShBM /CM technology with Abu-Mehdi (1000 KM), Qadr-474 (2000KM), Zolfaghar-Basir (700 KM), the project became less important perhaps.
Why I came to this conclusion is because Bayyenat-11, which was unveiled with Kowsar in 2018 was based on Grifo-346.
Bayyenaat-II is a screw-by-screw replica of Grifo-346. But the journalist who made the info-slide on ISNA took information from Officials and he labeled the radar as "local radar of Grifo or Chinese origin with (track) range of 94 km (for fighters)" which also matches with Leonardo Grifo-346 brochure that lists 94-115 KM tracking range for 1-5 m2 target.
Because of the Chinese origin of the program there is a possibility that Chinese NRIET purchased Grifo-46 from Italians under the table, copied it for the F-5E/F airframe and Iranians got the tech. Chinese NRIET did the same with Grifo-S/E which became the KLJ series in Chinese fighters.
Head of SAIRAN has claimed that Iranian airborne AESA radar is ready for fighters. That IMO will be a Grifo-E (AESA) like thing.
Could the HUD shown on the F-4 be the same as that of Yasin and Kowsar.
No its different, from different companies and era.
>>it should have been considering how effective a strike platform... .
>>I personally feel that with 64 airframes in IRIAF possession and ~20 more damaged/idle ones (for spares or if some can be revived)
Agree with both of the above.
Piet
Yeah as dedicated strike platforms, F-4E/D fleet of 70-80 fully FMC'ed "Dowran" airframes means any conventional navy won't get near the Persian Gulf, but IRIAF command is stupid to the core.
