What is behind Iran's progress on locally-built aircraft? - analysis

Iranian media suggested over the weekend that the country continues to make progress on a locally-made passenger plane. The article at Iran’s Tasnim suggested the plane is undergoing eight stages of testing. It was not entirely clear when the 72-seat plane would actually be ready.  

According to this report, the plane will be designed and then its systems will be examined for reliability. Then, a prototype will be built and a final assembly of all the systems before the plane will conduct 1,500 hours of flight time under various conditions.

“In this stage, the defects and problems are evaluated and corrected, and the inspectors of the highest-ranking Civil Aviation Organization [will examine it].” 

According to Iran International, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called for a new drive to build passenger planes on a visit to the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) in the city of Isfahan on June 16, 2022. He ordered the company to design and manufacture passenger planes with at least 72 seats ‘in the near future.'

Several months ago, state media Tehran Times noted that the Iranian defense ministry is in charge of producing a local plane and the Civil Aviation Organization is monitoring the process. “We think the new platform of Iran-140 aircraft will make its maiden flight by the end of this year (March 20),” the Iranian authorities said. Iran has 330 passenger aircraft, but apparently, only 175 of them actually are still flying.

Iran's aircraft knowledge informs its drone, missile capabilities

Iran has a lot of aging aircraft, including its old 747s.

“With 90 airports and a population of over 80 million, Iran requires at least 550 aircraft of all sorts and classes,” the Tehran Times report noted. “Raisi revealed that he had instructed the factory’s specialists to start producing domestic passenger planes with at least 72 seats soon after visiting HESA in June 2022...Raisi revealed that he had instructed specialists in HESA to immediately start producing domestic passenger planes with at least 72 seats,” the report said.  

Iran’s ability to manufacture aircraft is important because it helps Iran’s know-how on other issues such as building drones and missiles.

Sometimes Iran has important dual-use items that it claims are for civilian use but are actually for armed drones. Iran provides Russia with drones for Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Iran also partners with China on some manufacturing of key elements for Iran’s drones and other industries.