Iran Plans to Manufacture Fully Home-Made Helicopter This Year

Experts of Iran’s Helicopter Renovation and Logistics Company (PANHA) will build another fully home-made helicopter in the coming months, the company’s Managing-Director General Mohammad Ali Ahmadabadi announced on Sunday.
“The production of Iran’s home-made helicopter will be 100 percent complete by the end of September 2015,” Ahmadabadi said today.

On November 18, Iran unveiled a new home-made helicopter named ‘Sorena’ in the 7th International Air and Aviation Industries exhibition underway on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf.

The helicopter was unveiled in a ceremony in the presence of Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Soerna Sattari and Managing-Director of the Iranian Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) Manouchehr Manteqi.

“Sorena is a 4-seater helicopter with 300 HP power,” General Ahmadabadi told FNA at the time.

Noting that the helicopter has a flight speed of 160km and enjoys dual guiding system, he said that the helicopter is used for patrolling and training missions.

In relevant remarks in February, Ahmadabadi underlined that the country was the third biggest helicopter power in the world, but said the country was seeking even more progress in this field.

“Iran is the third helicopter power in the world; of course we are far from the heights to which we should ascend,” Ahmadabadi said, addressing the first national helicopter conference in Tehran.

He also said that there was no military equipment more complicated than helicopter and working in this field was very difficult.

The four-day 7th International Air and Aviation Industries exhibition was held on Kish Island on November 18-21.