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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran may buy Chinese aircraft to equip air fleet |
| 2006-01-03 |
| Iranian charge d'affaires in China, Farhad Asadi said that talks are currently underway between Iran and independent states such as China on the prospect of purchasing aircraft to equip the country's air fleet. Speaking to China Youth daily, Asadi referred to US sanctions and recent crash of C-130 plane resulting in the martyrdom of a number of media persons and said that this is a historical shame for Washington to witness that a nation does not bow to its illegal demands despite attempts to suppress it. In response to a question on whether Iran will use Chinese planes in its air fleet, he noted that Iran intends to procure its requirement from independent and friendly countries. He added that talks are currently underway on the issue and that any kind of cooperation in this respect will be welcomed. Concerning collaboration and mutual relations in 2006, Asadi said that the two states currently enjoy the most favorable ties and referred to China as Iran's best trade partner. "Bilateral agreements on cooperation in the oil and gas sector will result in several-billion-dollar revenue over the next 25 years. Besides implementation of dozens of minor and major industrial projects in Iran by Chinese enterprises mark the significance of such relations in economic and trade fields," he added. He predicted that trade exchanges between the two sides will exceed 10 billion dollars in the near future. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #14 Why do the Iranians want to buy a bunch of targets? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-01-03 19:16 |
| #13 They may have been exposed to F-14s, but they're 25 years old and I would doubt they could put too many in the air. A fleet of Chinese planes that can be maintained and flown would be vastly superior to the highest tech hanger hog that gets the pilot zero flight hours. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-01-03 15:14 |
| #12 I've always hated American EP3-Orions. |
| Posted by: WangWei 2006-01-03 14:25 |
| #11 Chinese aircraft are not exactly junk, just not very advanced in avionics and counters technology. It is the Chinese pilot training that sucks so much - low hours in the air, and the old Communist practice of ground controllers absolutely controlling the flight of the aircraft. Besides, if the Iranians are looking for good ground-attack aircraft, a lot of the MIG knockoffs are stars in that area. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-01-03 14:19 |
| #10 Chinese warplanes are junk. Iranian Air Force doesn't even like the Russian stuff on offer (which is ten times better than anything the Chinese can cobble together). They've been exposed to American F-14s and look down on Ruski equipment. They won't even use Chinese stuff for target practice. |
| Posted by: john 2006-01-03 14:07 |
| #9 Recommend that the Iranian nuclear situation be dealt with sooner vs later. If both Russia and China send technicians and trainers in there, we are in the soup. I suspect they will drop the hammer on Formosa. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-01-03 13:57 |
| #8 If I were going to sell a warplane to a potential enemy, I'd have a way to push a button and watch the engines shut off, the guns jam, and the canopy stick, all at the same time. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-01-03 13:39 |
| #7 This is simply Saddam Iraq redux. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-01-03 12:44 |
| #6 Just what every fighter ace wants to see emblazoned across the canopy: MADE IN CHINA |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-01-03 12:10 |
| #5 I agree with all the above. |
| Posted by: bgrebel9 2006-01-03 11:52 |
| #4 If China sells those fuckers planes they should be removed from the WTO. That is something they could understand. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2006-01-03 10:41 |
| #3 Guess they're looking for a reliable supplier of spares. Good luck. |
| Posted by: Clise Grugum5913 2006-01-03 08:16 |
| #2 Iran = China > they gotta know wid the USA dev or deploying Raptors and JSF's, etc, beside what tried-and-true assets we already have, their Air Forces are all but toast. GROUND WAR. i.e. PC ASYMMETRIC "PEOPLE'S WAR", includ escalation to no more than Limited Nuclear War, remains their preferred option unto POTUS Hillary, and "justified" anti-US AMERICAN Socialism and OWG. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-01-03 03:48 |
| #1 Well that's done it...We're cooked!! |
| Posted by: smn 2006-01-03 02:52 |