Iran has officially started testing flights of their domestically built transport aircraft, Simorgh. This marks a culmination of approximately 15 years of research and development work by domestic aircraft builders. IRNA English/Press TV
On 3 November 2025, Iranian state media reported that Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced that Simorgh aircraft have successfully entered flight testing phase. Flight test flights must last 100 to 150 hours over roughly 70 sorties to assess stability, control systems performance, engine performance and structural loads before certification can be granted for certification purposes. IRNA English
Official estimates state that Simorgh is a twin-engine turboprop transport with a maximum take-off weight of 21.5 tons, cargo capacity of 6 tons and range up to 3,900 km (IRNA English).
IRNA English reported that its design is said to be inspired by an earlier IrAn-140/An-140 platform but incorporates modifications specific to India, such as redesign of fuselage rear section and empennage.
Iranian officials underscore the significance of this project not only as an aircraft development achievement, but also as a display of technological self-sufficiency amid longstanding international sanctions and import restrictions. Over 200 experts from Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation (HESA) and 40 experts from Civil Aviation Organization have participated in its development over 15 years.
IRNA English A test program of Iran’s experimental aircraft Simorgh, named Shahin Shahr Special Aviation Zone in Tehran, is underway. Experts predict that once certified, this plane could serve both civilian and military transport needs — moving troops, cargo, light vehicles or wounded personnel among them – supplementing Iran’s older fleet of heavier transports with this modern solution. Press TV has reported on these reports as well.
From a strategic viewpoint, these aircraft could help reduce reliance on foreign-built aircraft while cutting operational costs associated with daily logistics operations in remote or mountainous regions where shorter take-off/landing performance would be advantageous. Press TV reported on these plans.
Still, several questions remain. While performance figures appear promising, operational reliability, maintenance logistics, spare-parts supply and long-term serviceability will ultimately determine its significance; certification will test these capabilities under various flight conditions; export potential remains undetermined due to Iran’s limited access to certain aviation markets.
WANA Iran’s aerospace sector faces many hurdles during development: overturning decades of sanctions, limited access to global supply-chains and domestic production or reverse engineering of key components are some of the obstacles it must surmount in order to become self-sustaining and ready for full operational deployment. With flight tests now complete on Simorgh aircraft, some barriers may have been cleared away – yet substantial hurdles still lie in front of its production and deployment on an operational scale.
As such, Iran’s aviation ambitions took an important step forward with the unveiling of Simorgh aircraft on January 16. While its exact impact for domestic logistics and air mobility remains to be seen during test flights, for now its domestically developed transport aircraft taking to the air carries significant significance both domestically and internationally.

As this next phase unfolds, aviation watchers will closely follow how many flight hours are logged and how the aircraft performs under load and environmental stress, how well its maintenance and supply system holds up, as well as whether Iran seeks to deploy or offer it externally. Iran has certainly shown with Simorgh’s maiden sortie that they are keen on decreasing their reliance on imported air-lift platforms while strengthening their domestic aerospace sector from within.