A video of the new version of Iran’s Qaher F-313 stealth fighter has made an appearance showing the aircraft performing taxi trials. Although there appears to be improvement over the last iteration of the Qaher, this new version of the alleged stealth fighter is probably just a model, according to Dave Majumdar in his article for the National Interest.
On Feb. 2, 2013, Tehran originally showed off the Qaher F-313. Many believed this debut to be a poorly executed propaganda stunt. It seemed that the purported fifth-generation stealth fighter was merely subscale mockup with dubious aerodynamics. Majumdar writed, “Indeed, the ‘aircraft’ was too small for a normal-sized human pilot and lacked a nozzle for an engine. That’s of course assuming Iran had access to a propulsion system that could fit into something so tiny. Quite simply, it was a farce.”