Military Knowledge: Examination Of Prototype Of Yasin Training Jet

The prototype production of a fighter jet is the last step before mass production of the same jet. Hence, we examine the prototype of Yasin fighter jet production.

The examination of the different pictures of the fighter jet that have been published thus far, several transformations in the final prototype of the Yassin fighter jet are obvious. The first change is visible in the training fighter jet’s landing gear.

Change in landing gear
The above photo is the landing gear Yasin jet in its final design and the below picture shows Yasin fighter in its first type; so, the images indicate appropriately that the front landing gear of the final design has been reinforced and the way it folds is similar to the way that the landing gear of Kowsar fighter jet folds. The position of the landing gear has been transferred from the left side to the middle of the jet.

Change in canopy of fighter jet
As it can be seen in the photos, the prototype possesses a cabin with a greater arc in comparison to the fuselage of the jet, but in the final design it has an angle, which is such that two pilots are being placed in the cockpit in a stepped way and they enjoy the maximum angle of view. Furthermore, the cockpit doors, which could be opened totally in the prototype, can be opened in two pieces in the final design.

Changing air intake, exhaust of hot gases in engine
As it can be seen clearly in the photos, the air intake of the engine has become smaller, which is perhaps linked to shifts in the engine of the fighter jet. Moreover, some changes have been made in the exhaust component of the hot gases of the engine, because its exhaust section is located outside a cover.

The Iranian engineers also added VHF and UHF antennas, which are being used for secure communications. They also added an air brake under the fuselage and in front of the rear landing gear of the jet that helps reduce the speed of the jet in the landing process.

Change in tail of the fighter
The manufacturers of the fighter jet also changed its vertical rudder in order to reduce aircraft dragging, and it seems that they have changed the location of the horizontal rudder as well, and the horizontal rudder is slightly smaller than the prototype.

We can mention to the following aspects of the training aircraft among other important points:

In accordance to the photos released of the banner available in the production line of the Yasin combat training fighter jet, its various parts will be manufactured by different organizations in Iran. The cockpit displays are going to be produced by Sairan (Iran Electronics Industries), which was producing cockpit displays for the Kawsar fighter jets in the past.

The canopy glass and its door, the ejection seat and the landing gears are going to be produced by the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation. The wings as well as horizontal and vertical rudders will be made by Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Industries (PANHA). And the radome and the cockpit will be manufactured by the Owj Aviation Industries. The manufacturers of the fuselage and the engine of the jet are not visible because of the angle that the picture is located.

Given the available pictures of the engine, the Owj Aviation Industries will utilize engines without afterburner for the fighter jet, which is being produced by the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO). It is known as the Owj-Y engine, which is a light turbojet engine without afterburner, possessing a thrust of 3500 lb-ft equivalent to 16 kilonewtons. The engine possesses a maximum speed of 16,600 rpm and it can provide the Yasin fighter jet with a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and a maximum altitude of 40k feet.

Furthermore, a single-seater model of the jet is going to be manufactured for close air support (CAS). The Yasin jet has three spaces, including the central space, which can be applied to carry an external fuel tank and the other two spaces can be utilized to carry arms. In the training prototype of Yasin jet, the two spaces are used for all sorts of training armaments.

For instance, the Yassin fighter jet can carry and apply arms, including the Yassin advanced precision-guided smart bomb, the Maverick missile, various types of Iranian SDB bombs, and the Shafaq missile for the close air support operations.

The Yassin fighter jet does not need any radar in order to utilize the weaponries and it can conduct close air support operations to defend ground forces.

The production of the Yassin fighter jet is considered a step forward concerning the training for Iranian pilots, because they have been using a propeller plane such as Bonanza, and after that they fly a PC7 plane, and it would be better for them to get trained by an advanced fighter jet, when they are accepted in the fighter squadron.

The fighter jet can meet all requirements of the Iranian air force, including all sorts of training drills and firings. The Yasin fighter can be categorized in the Yak-130 class and it seems to be very essential and functional for the training pilots to fly by using the new generation of fighter jets.

Read more: Video: Iran unveils Yasin training jet