WANA (Oct 30) – The Iranian Ministry of Defense has designed, produced, and operationalized a domestically built aircraft with functionalities similar to an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

 

The Iranian aircraft, named Simorgh, has successfully completed its flight tests and began certification trials on Tuesday in Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, according to official reports.

 

The development of the Simorgh comes after years of Iran’s need for an airborne early warning and control aircraft—a system capable of acting as a “flying radar” to enhance the country’s airspace surveillance and border security alongside its ground-based radar network.

 

For comparison, the radar system installed on a Boeing E-3 Sentry, equipped with the AN/APY-1/2 radar, weighs around 3,600 kilograms (3.6 tons), with some systems reaching up to 20 tons depending on the model.

 

Reports indicate that the Simorgh can carry up to 6 tons of payload and has an operational range of 3,900 kilometers with that load—suggesting it could potentially accommodate an airborne radar system within its weight capacity.

The Simorgh transport plane. Social Media / WANA News Agency

The Simorgh transport plane. Social Media / WANA News Agency