Two J-10 fighter jets from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force fly in formation above the skies of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on Nov. 13, 2012. (Photo : REUTERS)
China and Russia are planning on bolstering Iran’s armed forces with new fighter jets and air defense systems as part of their strategy against the United States, according to a recently published report from the Beijing-based Sina Military Network.
With the U.S. encouraging its allies to gang up on China in the West Pacific and NATO pressuring Russia in the Black Sea and the Barents Sea, Beijing and Moscow are retaliating with investments in the Middle East countries, including Iran, a country that continues to be a thorny issue in Washington, the report said.
As part of this strategy, China is said to keen on providing Iran with a new fleet of advanced fighter aircraft, while Russia is considering selling a new missile defense system to the country.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) currently has around 500 aircraft, although it is comprised mostly of aging fighter jets, including the F-4D Phantom, the Su-24 Fender, the F-5E Tiger II, the Chengdu J-7M interceptor, and the Mirage F1, as well as a limited number of F-14A Tomcats and MiG-29s. Iran's air defense systems are also regarded as weak and riddled with vulnerabilities, the report said.
Russia is reportedly offering the Iranian military with an upgraded version of its S-300 air defense system, which would significantly improve Iran's aerial defenses, as it can intercept aircraft and missiles from extremely low and high altitudes and from both close and long range.
The U.S. strongly opposed Iran's earlier suggestions of acquiring the S-300, but Moscow ignored the protests and continued promoting the system to Tehran.
Meanwhile, China is close to completing a deal to sell Iran 150 J-10 fighters, according to Sina Military citing Russian media sources. Photos recently leaked online also showed what appeared to be a dozen J-10B fighters painted in IRIAF colors.
Currently part of the core arsenal of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and Navy, the J-10, codenamed "Vigorous Dragon," is an all-weather, multirole fighter known for its superior air combat capabilities against both land and air targets. The indigenously developed aircraft can also be equipped with a wide variety of air-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and other types of ordnance.
If the J-10 deal pushes through, Iran's air combat capabilities will be greatly overhauled, Sina Military said, adding that despite the small size of the IRIAF in comparison to those of the U.S. and its allies, the J-10 would provide Tehran with an aircraft that can carry out a wide array of missions with precision and efficiency.
