Iran starts designing, constructing indigenous chopper - commander

Commander of the Iranian Army’s Air Force Brigadier-General Yousef Qorbani on December 8 announced the beginning of the design and construction stages of the domestic helicopter using domestic technical know-how.

Today, Iran’s Army Air Force has achieved high capability that, in addition to constructing the most sophisticated combat helicopters, it is able to create its combat power on other helicopters, Mehr news agency reports.

Stating that the Army Air Force has increased the combat power of its helicopters, Brigadier General Qorbani said that the Force has also been able to arm its logistics helicopters in order to use them in its missions.

Turning to the salient specifications of the logistics helicopters, he said that the logistic helicopters of the Army Air Force are able to carry out their missions round-the-clock and in the best way possible.

He then pointed to the overhaul of choppers of the Army Air Force. He added that 100 per cent overhauling and repairing operations of all helicopters are fully done inside the country, so there is no need for any foreign country to do this.

Benefitted from the expert manpower and specialists, Iran’s Army Air Force has managed to provide all necessary equipment needed in this sector in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and also competent knowledge-based firms, especially after the eight years of Sacred Defense (Iraqi imposed war against Iran in 1980-1988).

Giant steps have been taken in manufacturing parts and equipment needed, so that the Army Air Force, benefiting from expert engineers, has been able to manufacture its required parts and equipment with the cooperation of academic centres and knowledge-based companies.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Commander of the Army Air Force pointed to the construction of missiles at the Force and emphasized that “Shafagh” Missile was constructed by Iran’s Army Air Force using the most experienced manpower and engineers.