February 8th, 2013
11:55 AM ET

Iran's newest warplane something from 'GI Joe?'

First it was monkeys in space (or not) and now it’s “GI Joe” fighter jets. Not the best of times for Iran’s aviation and aerospace programs, at least if you listen to the skeptics.

First there were doubts about Tehran’s claim it sent a monkey into space in late January.  After photos of two different monkeys that were aboard the alleged one-monkey space shot surfaced, Iran media said there was a photo mix-up and, yes, there was just one Iranian monkey in space.

Then this week Iran unveiled what it said was its new high-tech stealth fighter plane. The jet shown in pictures on the website of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been the butt of jokes all week from aviation bloggers.

“This aircraft looks a lot like an old GI Joe toy,” wrote one blogger.

And from another, “This has to be a joke, right?”

Click through the gallery above to see the bloggers' comments and evidence in the photos.

Iran unveils "flying boats"

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Filed under: Aviation • Iran • Military
soundoff (1,349 Responses)
  1. leonid7

    Well, that's what you get for hiring the engineer who designed the Ford Pinto.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:03 am | Report abuse |
  2. leonid7

    Hey, it really is a fly-by-wire system!

    February 9, 2013 at 2:04 am | Report abuse |
  3. Wakeupnow

    Their desire to have western technology is so great, they resort to making non-working sad mock-ups of fake aircraft. They fake alot of other stuff too. Perhaps if they didn't oppress their people so much, they would have a larger demographic of educated scientists who might be able to design and build real things. They will always be in the stone-ages, trying to buy other nations technology, while enslaving their people with a disgusting false religion. The more they rattle their sabre... the more foolish they look.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:05 am | Report abuse |
  4. leonid7

    They would have shown pictures from the back, but then you would have seen the guy shoveling coal into it.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:08 am | Report abuse |
  5. Realist76

    Go home Iran!
    You are drunk!

    February 9, 2013 at 2:11 am | Report abuse |
  6. Sam

    If we Iranian are stupid and powerless , so why you are worry about your RQ-170 spy drone !!!
    We must say thank you because now the RQ-170 and it's family are in mass production in Iran 😀

    February 9, 2013 at 2:15 am | Report abuse |
    • Mike

      lol, go to bed, kid.

      February 9, 2013 at 3:18 am | Report abuse |
    • Joe369

      Drones are expendable, that's why they are unmanned.

      February 9, 2013 at 4:24 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Patrick Burns

    It does not have sidewinder missiles. Instead, it launches SHOES at it's target.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:26 am | Report abuse |
    • MADDmike

      *Thumbs Up!

      February 9, 2013 at 3:30 am | Report abuse |
  8. Kevin

    Everyone knows that Muslims can't land planes.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:37 am | Report abuse |
    • Matt

      Oh SNAP.. That is funny!

      February 9, 2013 at 3:58 am | Report abuse |
  9. danmiami

    So if this plane is made/designed in Iran then why does it have English writing all over it. Does Iran not have mechanics from that speak Farsi? It upsets me that other countries try to steal our ideas. "Stealth" is our idea. That jet looks like an F-35 knock off.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:45 am | Report abuse |
  10. Patrick Burns

    Looks pretty! But so does an 8'th graders model plane. Lets see it actually FLY. I don't believe it can. And if it CAN, Iran – go ahead and engage a western fighter in a dog fight to demonstrate your air prowess to the world!!!

    February 9, 2013 at 2:47 am | Report abuse |
    • Jake2055

      They will release in-flight photos when they figure out how to make the strings disappear and add clouds in the background!

      February 9, 2013 at 5:56 am | Report abuse |
  11. Patrick Burns

    Anyone else notice the rubber band in back?

    February 9, 2013 at 2:49 am | Report abuse |
  12. danmiami

    This thing is so fake. The canopy doesn't even have a means to lock shut. I hope they don't think that one actuator in the back is going to keep that canopy closed. The canopy would rip right off if they tried to fly this thing.

    February 9, 2013 at 2:57 am | Report abuse |
  13. stracyshank

    Good Job Iran .................Israel what have you built own your own ????????????

    February 9, 2013 at 3:01 am | Report abuse |
  14. Matthew Firth

    Seriously: blogger posts are now considered news?

    February 9, 2013 at 3:07 am | Report abuse |
  15. SURESHOT

    this thing cracks me up...well first look at the pilot he is like " yeah right . just dont hurt my family if i crash this thing"

    February 9, 2013 at 3:10 am | Report abuse |
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