How Strong is the Islamic Republic of Iran?Catastrophic Iranian air and naval mishaps reveal severe military shortcomings. Tue Jun 2, 2020 Ari Lieberman The Islamic Republic of Iran frequently boasts of its military prowess. Periodically, the regime will showcase what it characterizes as an indigenously produced piece of military hardware, bragging about its supposed sophisticated features and uniqueness. But it’s often the case that the unveiled weapon system is either a painfully obvious, unworkable plastic model dressed up to look like something really cool or a poor replica of vintage American hardware, readily apparent to anyone with rudimentary knowledge of military hardware.
In 2013, Iran showcased its Qaher F313, which it touted as a fifth generation fighter with stealth capabilities similar to the American F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Military experts immediately identified the aircraft as a fake, and a poor one at that. Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute dryly noted that “It looks like it might make a noise and vibrate if you put 20 cents in.â€
In 2018, the Iranians tried to pull off a similar hoax with their unveiling of a purportedly domestically produced twin seat fighter jet called the “Kowsar.†The Iranians boasted that the aircraft was “completely indigenously made,†and featured “advanced avionics.†The plane was showcased before Iran’s “moderate†president, Hassan Rouhani, who boasted that the United States is fearful of Iran’s power.
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https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/06/how-strong-islamic-republic-iran-ari-lieberman/
