Iranian 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,� Ashtiani 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.

 

 

By PRESS TV�