The specialists used home-made equipment and domestic industries to update the mechanical and electrical parts of the fighter as well as its warfare systems after 35,000 men-hours of efforts.
The aircraft joined the Iranian Air Forces operational fleet after flight and final test.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and gained self-sufficiency in manufacturing essential military hardware and defense systems and overhauling different equipment.
In October 2013, Russian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev said he was surprised at the Iranian Air Forces capabilities in overhauling different types of airplanes.
I witnessed the efforts made by the Iranian technicians in overhauling fighter jets and cargo planes and as an air force expert I was happy and surprised to see such progress, Bondarev said after visiting Irans Shahid Babayee Air Base in Isfahan province at the time.
The Iranian Air Forces capabilities in building parts and equipment and overhauling different types of planes and helicopters indicate that the international sanctions have not affected the activities of the Force, he added.
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