Iran Military Forum

Well this might sound pointless but their is this game called H.A.W.X its an aircraft game.
I use the A 10 in a mission of multi-role, you have to take out tanks, aircraft and SAM sites it is the best of all the planes available even the F-22, and I repeat multi role.

Dariush

Basically, the reason is because the F-35 is sexy and they've already spent truck-loads of money on it, so they have to do something with it.

Also because it's more of a multi-role, it's got stealth, better maneuverability, better A2A, that sort of thing.

But really i think it's mainly the first one.

  Yeah your right, A-10 is an ugly plane and the F-35 is a beatiful airplane. But i thought the costs of the Joint Strike Fighter Program were decreased because so many countries were involved in the project?

I like air defences which can shoot down those 100+ million dollar planes, with missiles that are 500,000 USD max.. 

Economical warfare. 

  Yeah your right, A-10 is an ugly plane and the F-35 is a beatiful airplane. But i thought the costs of the Joint Strike Fighter Program were decreased because so many countries were involved in the project?

Originally that was the the plan, but the fact that many countries are involved means that every process gets drawn out because instead of, for instance, Lockheed Martin, being able to engineer the plane, they now have to consult with Turkey, Australia, UK, etc. .

Any savings that might have happened have long been absorbed the the clusterfvck its become.

F-22
Unit cost   US$142.6 million (2009 fly-away cost)
Source: http://armedservices.house.gov/pdfs/AL052009/Darnell_Shackelford_Johns_Testimony052009.pdf

F-35
Unit cost   US$83 million (fly-away cost in Then-Year dollars FY-2009)
Source: http://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-080204-081.pdf

Expected to increase significantly.

The competing Sukhoi PAK-FA is stated at around USD 100 million (fly-away unit cost), however, this information is not verifiable. 

This is the price that they hoped for it to be. Realistically, it will be near the 200 million figure, especially as it is being dropped by countries like Japan, South Korea and quite possibly Turkey, if they decide to go for the Euro fighter.

Here is an article saying that its cost increased by 90% to ~$135million http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/03/19/339714/f-35-cost-estimate-grows-up-to-nearly-90.html and here is one saying that it will cost $200 million each for Israel http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/israel-plans-to-buy-over-100-f35s-02381/#more-2381

Those are old version of su-25s, they need buy newer versions of su-25T, that has advance targeting systems both at night and day, and many different advance air-to-ground weapons for any target.

Iran has already installed modern night vision targeting system in these aircrafts.

Any evidence for that

I read it on IMF that Iran has overhauled the Russian aircrafts with new night vision.

I try to find it.

Are you thinking of the Su-24?

Maybe. My point was that Iran has already started overhauling her Russian aircraft radar systems and night vision systems. Can you please post the link for ALPHAKILLER.

If washed and with a fresh coat of paint, it could look much nicer!  At last estimates that I could remember, the numbers of Su-25's active with IRGC Air division was placed at 7.  Are there any reliable sources which show new acquisitions of this jet?

The current thinking is 10-13 ... all stationed in Shiraz

7 x  SU-25T  -  1991 from Iraq  (refurbished/overhaul 1996 by Geogian Technicians)
3 x SU-25UBK  -  2003 from Russia
3 x SU-25 ? - 2006 from Russia


observed tail (from various sources) #'s
15-2451, 15-2454, 15-2456 Su-25T; 15-2457, 15-2459 SU-25UBK


Source: excerpt from 12.02.06, ARMS-TASS (Moscow)

Iran will purchase three twin-seat Su-25UBT attack aircraft from Russia, the publication Middle East News Line has reported with a reference to a source in the Russian defense industry. According to the publication’s information, the contract was concluded in 2005 and will be fulfilled during 2006. The total of the contract still has not been mentioned.

According to information of the Russian information agency NewsInfo, Iran has confirmed the fact of this deal.

According to ARMS-TASS information, the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant delivered three new Su-25UBK airplanes to Iran in 2003. Originally it had been a question of the delivery of 12 aircraft, but the contract was signed only for three airplanes. In this connection, the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant management expressed at that time the hope for continuation of work with Iran on this subject.

That will be a fact soon with the S-300's coming to Iran the west will think twice before losing their pretty birds.

The US was flying against S-300 SAM sites with F4-G's in the 1970's.  I think the Weasels all have been used as drones by now.

The Tonopah Test Range (area 52)  maintains a S-300PS SAM site for training, every current USAF aircraft in inventory ( and most of the pilots) has trained against this system for years.

Interesting. So the F-4Gs were already flying against S-300s during the Vietnam war (I don't recall any F-4G engagement over the Soviet territory 1978 onward). Interestingly enough the first S-300 were put into service in Russia after 1978 and vietnam ordered an upgraded version (PMU) which appeared after 1992 (the ordered was placed sometime around 1994).

The only SAM system the Vietnamese had in hand during the 70s was the SA-75M (SA-75)!

Who said anything about vietnam?   They were installed at three USAF test ranges in 1979.  Lets see if you can tell me which three? (only 2 were CONUS)

They were installed at three USAF test ranges in 1979.  Lets see if you can tell me which three? (only 2 were CONUS)

Be more specific,

Does that mean you give up?  (Hint) the aircraft pictured is an F4 G  90TFS, 3rd TFW Clark AB, RPI