(HESA) Azarakhsh (Persian: آذرخش‎ Âzaraxš, "lightning") is Iran's first domestically manufactured^[3] combat jet fighter.

The Azarakhsh was developed in Isfahan by the Iranian army, Defense Ministry, and aircraft-manufacturing company HESA.^[4]

Design and development[link]

In April 1997 Iranian Brigadier General Arasteh, a deputy head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces declared that Iran had successfully designed, constructed, and tested its first fighter aircraft. By late 1997 Iran had begun mass producing the aircraft,^[2] but by mid-2000, four aircraft were said to be undergoing operational tests, with production proceeding at a rate of around ten aircraft per year^{[citation needed]}.

Iran has yet to release any additional information about the aircraft and its capabilities are unknown. The Azarakhsh is also said to use an upgraded version of N-019 Topaz radar.^{[citation needed]}

On May 17, 2000, Iran's acting commander of the Air Force said that Azarakhsh had reached mass-production stage.^[5] On August 5, 2007, Azarakhsh conducted a successful test flight.^[6] On August 6, 2007, Ministry of Defense Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said, "[Azarakhsh] is now at the stage of industrial production and its mass production will start in the future." ^[7]

Azarakhsh[link]

T Mass production started by late 1997 and as of 2001 there were six in inventory, with a production schedule established for 30 aircraft over the following three years.^[2]

Saeqeh[link]

The Saeqeh is a follow on aircraft, derived from the Azarakhsh fighter.^{[citation needed]} As with many previous indigenous Iranian developed weapons, no performance data has been released to verify official claims. An unknown number of this generation have built and said to have entered service with IRIAF September 22, 2007.^[8][9]

See also[link]

• Military of Iran
• Iran Aviation Industries Organization
• Iranian military industry
• Current Equipment of the Iranian Army
  

Related development

• Northrop F-5
• HESA Saeqeh
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• J-7
  

Related lists

• List of Iranian Air Force aircraft
  

References[link]

v t e Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army · Navy · Air Force · Air Defense Force · Islamic Revolutionary Guards

v t e Iranian-built aircraft Trainer aircraft Parastoo · Dorna · Tazarv · Simorgh · Fajr F.3 · Shafaq Fighter aircraft Azarakhsh · Saegheh · Shafaq Transport aircraft HESA IrAn-140 Helicopters Attack HESA Shahed 285 Utility HESA Shahed 278 Seaplane Bavar 2 UAVs Ababil · Ghods Mohajer (Mohajer 1 · Mohajer 2 · Mohajer 3 · Mohajer 4) · Nazir · Ra'd · Hodhod · Sabokbal · Saeghe · Talash · Zohal UCAVs Karrar · Sofreh Mahi (under development)

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Silje Nergaard is a Norwegian singer & songwriter and one of Norway's best sold jazz artists ever on the official sales chart in Norway. She has released more than 12 albums. She is born June 19, 1966 in Steinkjer, Norway) and is married with the singer Heine Totland. From the age of 16 she established herself as one of Norway's strongest songwriters, and her first hit single "Tell Me Where You´re going" made it to no. 1 in Japan, and great success in Norway and the UK amongst other countries. Silje´s album "At First light" is by far still the most sold Norwegian Jazz album ever entering the official sales chart in Norway at no 1 in its first week at the start of the millennium. Silje has recorded and performed songs with Al Jarreau, Pat Metheny, Toots Thielemann, Morten Harket of A-ha and many more. Silje is touring all over the world with her trio or band. The album "A Thousand True Stories" that she recored with the Metropole Ochestra of Holland in 2008 and was a great success in both Europe and Asia and received a Grammy Nomination in the US for best arrangements by legendary Vince Mendoza. In Spring of 2012 Silje will release her new album "Unclouded", based on recordings with her two great guitarists Hallgrim Bratberg and Håvar Bendiksen. In Norway it was released on March 9 - and international in March 23. Silje has written 9 new songs for "Unclouded" and has two great covers on this album "Human" By The Killers and the classical and great tune "The Moons a Harsh Mistress". For "Unclouded" Silje has also invited the great American guitarist John Scofield to contribute along with Jojje Wadenius, Knut Reiersrud, and Nils Petter Molvær amongst others. Silje is one of few Norwegian artists to have been commercially released all around the globe, on most continents and major music markets including Japan, Brazil, Germany, the U.S., and the United Kingdom.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Tell Me Where You're Going (1990)
• Silje (1991)
• Cow on the Highway (1995)
• Brevet (1995)
• Hjemmefra - From Home (1996)
• Port of Call (2000)
• At First Light (2001)
• Nightwatch (2003)
• Darkness Out of Blue (2007)
• A Thousand True Stories (2009)
• If I Could Wrap Up a Kiss (2010)
• Unclouded (2012)

Compilation album

• Be Still My Heart - The Essential (2005)

Live album

• Live in Koln (2005)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official web site
• BBC's review on At First Light, with fan comments
• Unofficial website

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