Is Iran’s Qaher-313 Stealth Fighter a Joke?

Maya Carlin, Warrior Contributor, Weapons

Iran’s Qaher-313 Stealth Fighter – Just Fake News? The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force is comprised of very outdated airframes, including its arsenal of 40-year-old F-14 Tomcats, F-5 Tigers and F-4 Phantoms. The U.S. sold the Shah these formerly top-tier and superior fighters prior to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, back when Iran was still an ally. These jets, largely retired by the U.S. and its other importers, remain a mainstay of the Iranian Air Force.

While Iran’s ability to maintain and even improve these aging airframes is remarkable, its lack of a stealth fighter has troubled the regime.

In an attempt to compensate for its underdeveloped, aging fleet and appear more formidable, Iran unveiled its own version of a stealth fighter several years ago. The Qaher “Conquerer” 313’s two public appearances in the last decade confirmed the stealth fighter was nothing more than a mirage crafted for propaganda purposes.

Long Time Coming

A mock-up of the Qaher-313 was first revealed in February 2013 by Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and was reportedly designed by Iran’s Defense Ministry’s Aviation Industries Organization. According to the regime’s former Defense Minister, the stealth fighter has a tiny radar cross-section, is capable of flying at low altitudes, and can be armed with domestic-made weapons.

The prototype was immediately dismissed by aviation experts across the globe. In the U.S., analysts pointed to Iran’s lack of analytical and sensor technologies to emphasize why its development of the jet would be impossible.

The prototype’s minuscule frame was actually too tiny to fit any weapons or even a pilot. In fact, it would be impossible to fit an engine small enough to fight in the fighter and power the size of the aircraft.