If It Worked For The Russians. . .

. . .then why not the Iranians?

The Russians completely copied our B-29 Stratofortress, naming it the TU-4:

Our C-5A Galaxy, calling it the Antonov AN-124:

Our space shuttle, calling it the Buran:

So why wouldn't the Iranians produce their first-ever mass produced jet airplane based upon reverse-engineering of American products, the Azarakhsh (Lightning)?

Iran has begun industrial-scale production of its first domestically manufactured fighter jet, state-run television reported Monday, part of Teheran's efforts to become militarily self-sufficient.

The plane was first tested in 2006 and was derived from the reverse engineered components of US combat aircraft.

"The airplane, Azarakhsh, was made by Iranian experts, and it has already reached the industrial production stage," the television quoted Iran's defense minister, Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, as saying.

First question popping into my fetid brain: will an Iranian jet actually fly?

(BTW, interesting article here: entitled "Why Russian Warplanes Suck.")

BZ