The Iranian Defense Ministry announced on Friday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will unveil the second indigenized Iranian jet fighter named ‘Qaher 313’ on Saturday.
Last week, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi had announced that his ministry would display several defense achievements in the next few days.
The new achievements will be unveiled during the Ten-Day Dawn ceremonies from January 31 to February 10, celebrating the victory of the Islamic Revolution back in 1979.
The Iranian defense minister announced at the time that Iran would unveil the latest home-made fighter jet in the coming days, and said, “The aircraft will be different from the other fighter jets Iran has already made.”
Iran has also taken wide strides in designing and manufacturing different types of light, semi-heavy and heavy weapons, military tools and equipment. Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.
Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country’s military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.