The first prototype of an lrAn-140T Simorgh ('Phoenix') light transport aircraft was unveiled during a ceremony in Shahin-Shahr, Isfahan, Iran, on May 19 this year. The aircraftwas the result of eight years of effort by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI) in converting the unsuccessful lrAn-140-100 passenger aircraft into a light transporter - an aircraft capable of meeting the needs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) as a replacement for its ageing fleet of Fokker F27-400M Troopship and F27-600 Friendship aircraft.In 1995, the Iranian Ministry of Defence held a tender for co-production of a regional passenger aircraft. Participants were Antonov from Ukraine, Tupolev and llyushin from Russia, Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (CASA) from Spain, ATR (Aerei da Trasporto Regionale or Avions de Transport Regional) from Italy and France and SAAB from Sweden.
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