Harrier jump jets take off at RAF Cottesmore in Oakham, as they carry out flypasts on what was billed as their ‘final flight’ before the axe of Government spending cuts falls on them. (Photo by Rui Vieira/PA Images via Getty Images)

BEIRUT — The man who could become Iran’s next defense minister has announced an ambitious defense and armament wishlist, aiming to boost all services, notably highlighting development of “jump jets,” artificial intelligence, heavy destroyers and satellite capabilities.

According to Iranian media, Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh on Wednesday submitted a proposal to the parliament targeting to boost Iran’s defense sector, including expanding the aerospace, naval, missile and air defense sectors.

After the late President’s Ebrahim Raisi’s death in helicopter crash in May, Masoud Pezeshkian was elected president last month and proposed a cabinet to the parliament on Monday, putting up Nasirzadeh for the senior defense post.

“Nasirzadeh’s aims are high, even hyperbolic, but are also rhetorically consistent with what has been seen and heard from the Islamic Republic’s defense industry,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Breaking Defense.

He stressed that the development of jump jets, which the plan reportedly noted will be equipped with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, is one of the questionable items. It’s unclear how Iran would manage to acquire any Western-made versions of the jet, and another analyst, Sina Azodi, told Breaking Defense that Tehran doesn’t have the technology to produce engines capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

“The only place that I can think would be willing to share the technology is Russia, which itself is not the best country for the production of jump jets,” said Azodi, an adjunct professor at George Washington University who specializes in Iranian policy.

Other parts of the prospective defense minister’s plan included equipping drones with artificial intelligence for swarming, developing heavy multi-mission destroyers, stepping up air defenses, and improving the country’s ballistic and cruise missile production.

“⁠Iran can be expected to double down on long-range strike platforms like one way attack drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles of various ranges and qualities,” Ben Taleblu said.

The plan also aspires to add 20 satellites into orbit, though Tehran struggled for years to launch indigenous satellite locally. It was only successful earlier this year when it launched four satellites, according to Iranian state media.

Outside Iran’s borders, Nasrizadeh’s purported plan also aims to double the nation’s defense exports. While the timeline for this target was not stated, it detailed that these military exports are targeted to three main regions: neighboring countries, Latin America and Africa.

When asked about how Iran could achieve this plan, Ben Taleblu said, “With Iran looking to move into international arms markets and presence in global defense expos, Tehran is likely to kick up the defense budget, formally and informally for these systems.”