| | OV-10Bronco.Net - Bronco News Archive |
 | | IAMI Azarakhsh and IAMI Saeqeh fighters: Iran reverse-engineered the F-5 (along with F-14s and F-4s, all of which were transferred from the US during the 1970s when the pro-American Shah was in power) into two indigenous aircraft, the Azarakhsh and Saeqeh fighters. |
 | | The Azarakhsh (Persian for "Lightning") is believed to be essentially a reverse-engineered (but 10-15% larger) F-5F powered by two Tumansky RD-33 turbofans (these engines are also used on the MiG-29) The aircraft looks very much like an F-5, but larger, with twin tails, proportionally larger jet intakes, and two tandem seats. |
 | | Performance is speculative, but as Iran had no prior known aircraft building experience and so much of fighter effectiveness is due to good training, this aircraft is most likely not a major problem for advanced modern front-line fighters. |
| www.ov-10bronco.net /news_detail.cfm?NewsID=362 (1723 words) |