TEHRAN (Iran News) –Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani has launched the production line of homegrown Yasin training jet, which could also be tasked for close air support (CAS).
“Among our main concerns is training fighter pilots, because the process is of paramount significance and requires training aircraft in different classes,” Ashtani said at ceremony in the capital Tehran on Saturday morning.
He stated that experts and specialists at the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) started designing Yasin training jet years ago, and its second prototype was unveiled Saturday.
“The homegrown characteristics of the training jet make it suitable to be utilized for close air support (CAS) of military aircraft” against hostile targets as well, the Iranian defense chief said.
Ashtiani said most of the military gear and equipment of the advanced aircraft have been localized, expressing hope that it will perform assigned tasks and prove effective in reducing training duration and improving training quality.
Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi also said, “Previously, our fighter pilots used to be trained abroad. The first sector affected as a result of the sanctions against our country was this field, which created difficulties for us in terms of training.”
“Utilization of the new aircraft will make training duration more complete and shorter,” he said.
The new version of Yasin training jet that was unveiled on Monday appears to have been much more upgraded and developed in tactical terms compared to the first prototype unveiled during a ceremony in Shahid Noje Airbase in Iran’s western province of Hamadan on October 17, 2019.
The Iranian jet trainer is now furnished with a homegrown ejection seat, avionics, engine, and landing gear.
The airborne weather radar installed on its radome has been manufactured by domestic knowledge-based companies.
Yasin reportedly weighs 5.5 tonnes, and is able to fly up to 1,200 kilometers.
Its wing design enables the jet to land and take off at a speed of at least 200 kilometers per hour.
Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.
Officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never open for negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, decrying enemies for questioning the country’s missile program.
