Aviation Experts Debunk Iran’s Stealth Fighter Jet Claims

The development of a new Iranian stealth fighter attracted a lot of attention over the weekend. But aviation experts are now questioning whether the jet is even real.

This weekend pictures and video were released of Iranian military officials surveying what looked like a fully operational Q-313. Aeronautics experts, including David Cenciotti of the blog The Aviationist, quickly pointed out some serious design flaws.

For example, the wiring of the cockpit's front panel appears too simple and the cockpit seems too small for a pilot to fit inside. Perhaps more importantly, Cenciotti claims the plane's back engine contains no nozzle for afterburners, which means the heat would probably melt the entire jet. He further speculates that the video of the plane coasting through the air was mostly likely a radio-controlled version.

The video of the plane's unveiling released to YouTube was met with mockery from viewers. There are upward of 150,000 views and counting. One person joked, "I built one of those when I was a kid. I wonder what type of glue they used?"

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