The HESA Shafaq or Shafagh (, "Twilight" or "Aurora") is an Iranian
subsonic stealth aircraft
Stealth aircraft are designed to avoid detection using a variety of technologies that reduce reflection/emission of radar, infrared, visible light, radio frequency (RF) spectrum, and audio, collectively known as stealth technology. The F-117 Ni ...
project being developed by the
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company
Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA), () or Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation, is an Iranian aircraft production company. Established in 1976, it belongs to the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) an ...
(HESA).
Development
According to reports, the Shafaq will be a subsonic aircraft, but this might be changed. Additionally, Iranian officials have reported that the Shafaq will have a skin of radar-absorbing material.
This two-seat
advanced training and
attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pr ...
appears to be based
on the Russian-Iranian "Project Integral" and is fitted with Russian ejection seats. Reportedly, there are plans to produce three versions—a two-seat trainer/light strike version and two one-seat fighter-bomber versions.
The Shafaq is designed by the Aviation University Complex (AUC), part of the
Malek-Ashtar University of Technology
Malek Ashtar University of Technology (MUT) ()
is a public research university of engineering, science in Iran. Founded in 1984, MUT's main campus is located at Tehran, the capital of Iran. Its other campuses are located in Isfahan and Urmia. The ...
(MUT). At the start of the program, Iran received help from Russia
and the aircraft was known as ''Integral''. Russia later backed away from this project for several reasons and Iran carried on the project by itself renaming it ''Shafaq''. The Shafaq is designed as a sub-sonic aircraft,
and made of radar-absorbing material. It has a large leading edge root extension (
LERX
A leading-edge extension (LEX) is a small extension to an aircraft wing surface, forward of the leading edge. The primary reason for adding an extension is to improve the airflow at high angles of attack and low airspeeds, to improve handling a ...
) and a root aft of the wing which gives it an unusual circular sub-section.
A 1/7 scale model of the Shafaq has already completed testing in the AUC's
wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is "an apparatus for producing a controlled stream of air for conducting aerodynamic experiments". The experiment is conducted in the test section of the wind tunnel and a complete tunnel configuration includes air ducting to and f ...
and pictures have already been revealed which show that a full-scale model has already been built.
The Shafaq will be built in different configurations including a two-seater trainer, a two-seater light Attack and a one-seater light attack variants. Roll-out of the first prototype was scheduled for 2008.
The Shafaq's advanced cockpit features color MFDs and a Russian-made K-36D ejection seat.
According to AIO (Aerospace Industries Organisation), the aircraft was expected to be flight tested during 2017, and featuring twin, outwardly canted vertical fins. This type of a tail design has become a favoured aerodynamic feature of Iranian designers that dates back to the development of the reverse-engineered Iranian version of the Northrop F-5, the
HESA Saeqeh
The HESA Saeqeh ( ''Sâ'eğe'', "Thunderbolt"), alternatively spelt Sa'eqeh; Saegheh, or Saeqeh-80, is an Iranian-built single-seat jet fighter, derived from the American Northrop F-5. A joint product of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force an ...
.
Specifications
See also
References
External links
* GlobalSecurity.org
Shafaq (''Before Dawn'')* ainonline.com
Iran struggles to field a fighter
* aeronautics.ru
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hesa Shafaq
Stealth aircraft
Proposed aircraft of Iran
Shafaq
Single-engined jet aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft
Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear
Military equipment of Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Iranian attack aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft
Iranian military aircraft