Even the Saeqeh’s engines are mysterious; early reports that they were Russian RD-33 turbofans are inaccurate, as the F-5 airframe is too small to carry them.

By 2004, the new Saeqeh fighter was featured on state TV. It has also been variously named the Saeqeh-80 and the Azarakhsh-2.

Iran’s “indigenous” HESA Saeqeh is a reverse-engineered Northrop F-5 Tiger, partially disguised with a twin tail. Designers copied systems one-for-one wherever possible, substituting Russian ...