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. bobcat (in a hat)©

    Does it really fly, or is it a "we said it flies so take our word for it ?"

    February 8, 2013 at 1:54 pm | Report abuse |
  2. OldPilot

    Funny how it is named "F" 313 like an F16 or F18. I think a more appropriate name should be the BS-313.

    February 8, 2013 at 1:54 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Carl Pitts

    Body reminds me of a poorly-made Soap Box Derby car...............

    February 8, 2013 at 1:57 pm | Report abuse |
  4. b. Krasne

    A number of years back, I mae a model airplane exactly like that. It didn;'t fly either

    February 8, 2013 at 2:03 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Gaucho420

    They should've stuck to flying carpets.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:04 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Bill Peterson

    Is the pilot real, or does he have kung-fu grip?

    February 8, 2013 at 2:04 pm | Report abuse |
  7. W. Barnes

    Awww, it's too cute. I want to get one for the grandkid.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:05 pm | Report abuse |
  8. John

    I would tell any Iranian pilot who flies this thing to make sure that there is an American made ejection seat under their rear end because if they pick a dog fight with an American fighter jet, the ejection seat is all that will be left.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:10 pm | Report abuse |
  9. SamT

    If I were a despotic regime, my biggest weapon would be deceipt.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  10. joe

    Definitely fly by wire. You can see both of them in the back of the instrument panel.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Joe Z.

    They should've gone with the flying saucer design.

    February 8, 2013 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Whatever

    Those downswept wingtips on flat wings... is there even a Persian word for "dihedral effect"?

    February 8, 2013 at 2:15 pm | Report abuse |
  13. DaveE

    If Iran built it, why are the painted-on warnings in English and not Arabic?

    February 8, 2013 at 2:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • Patrick

      I'm not sure, I know that English is the official language in flight... I don't know if that applies to the plane's markings as well. Maybe they cobbled it together from pieces of other aircraft they had laying around.

      February 8, 2013 at 2:25 pm | Report abuse |
  14. HobartSchmenge

    Shame on you, Hasbro, for aiding and abetting the enemy!

    February 8, 2013 at 2:15 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Smokey

    The signs in back read "Do not lean against the plane, it may fall over"

    February 8, 2013 at 2:15 pm | Report abuse |
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