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Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

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Template:Short description Template:See also Template:About Template:Protection padlock Template:Multiple issues

Template:Infobox military unit

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF; Template:Langx) is the aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present air force was created when the Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed in 1979 following the Iranian Revolution. The IRIAF was heavily involved in the Iran–Iraq War, carrying out major operations like Operation Kaman 99, Operation Sultan 10, the H-3 airstrike, and the first attack on a nuclear reactor in history, Operation Scorch Sword.

After eight years of aerial combat in that conflict, the IRIAF has the second highest claimed number of fighter aces in the region, exceeded only by the Israeli Air Force; as many as seven IRIAF pilots claimed more than six kills, mostly achieved in the F-14 Tomcat. Veterans of the Iran–Iraq War formed the core of the IRIAF command.

HistoryEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In February 1979, the IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was renamed following the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The British publishing company Orbis' Warplane partwork magazine seems to indicate the renaming did not actually take place until after the Iran–Iraq War had broken out.Template:Citation needed

This "new" Iranian air force largely inherited the equipment and structure of the former IIAF, losing most of its leading officers in the course of post-revolutionary chaos, as well as due to the prosecution of those considered as loyal to the Shah, pro-U.S. or elsewhere by the new government in Tehran.

Due to strained relations with the West, Iran had to procure new equipment from Brazil, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. Since the Revolution, the exact composition of the IRIAF has been hard to determine. Many aircraft belonging to the Iraqi Air Force took refuge in Iran during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and many were put into service with the IRIAF or taken apart for spare parts.

Due to the continuous spare parts shortages faced by the air force, a decision was made in the late 1980s to develop a local aerospace industry to support the air force.

In 2002, Iran with the co-operation of Ukraine, successfully started the manufacture of the Iran-140, a licence-built version of the Antonov An-140 transport aircraft. Simultaneously, Iran began construction of two domestically produced fighters, upgraded using technology from the F-14 Tomcat and the F-5 Tiger II. The fighters have been named the Azarakhsh and the Shafaq.

Since then, Iran has also become self-sufficient in the manufacture of helicopters. Iran claims that it is capable of producing the U.S. AH-1 Cobra gunship. Iran produces Bell Helicopter Bell 212 and Bell 206 helicopters in serial production. These are known respectively as the Shabaviz 2-75 and the Shabaviz 206.

Iran–Iraq War (1980–88)Edit

File:C-130 Iran 1988 DN-SN-89-02586.JPEG
An IRIAF C-130 Hercules, 1988

A series of purges and forced retirements resulted in the manpower of the airforce being halved between February 1979 and July 1980, leaving the IRIAF ill-prepared for the Iran–Iraq War, also called the "1st Persian Gulf War". The sudden Iraqi air strikes against eight major Iranian airbases and four other military installations, launched on the afternoon of 22 September 1980, came as a complete surprise and caused a shock in the IRIAF.

On 23 September 1980, the Iranians retaliated with Operation Kaman 99, which involved 206 F-4, F-5 and F-14 aircraft. In that operation, 40 F-4 Phantoms, armed with Mark 82, Mark 83 and Mark 84 bombs and AGM-65 Maverick missiles, took off from Hamadan. After refueling mid-air, the Phantoms reached the Iraqi capital Baghdad, where they attacked the al-Rashid, al-Habbaniyah and al-Kut airbases. Meanwhile, eight more F-4s took off from Tehran and launched a second attack on the al-Rashid airbase.

Iran proceeded to launch 58 F-5E Tiger IIs from Tabriz, which were sent to attack Mosul Airbase. After the attack on Mosul Airbase, another 50 F-5Es were dispatched to strike Nasiriyah Airbase, which was heavily damaged.

As all 148 Iranian F-4s and F-5s had been sent for a bombing raid on Iraq, 60 F-14 Tomcats were scrambled to defend Iranian airspace against a possible Iraqi retaliation. Iranian F-14s managed to down 2 Iraqi MiG-21s (1 MiG-21RF and 1 MiG-21MF) and 3 Iraqi MiG-23s (MiG-23MS). An Iranian F-5E also shot down an Iraqi Su-20 during the operation. Iraqi MiG-23s managed to down 2 F-5Es, while Iraqi MiG-21s downed 2 F-5Es. The Iraqis also shot down one of their own Il-76MD strategic airlifters with a SA-3 SAM.

The Iraqis were well prepared for the attack, and had flown most of their air force to other Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia. This made sure that most of the Iraqi Air Force survived the operation.

Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi military were dealt a heavy blow when Iranian Air Force vulnerabilities failed to materialize. All Iraqi air bases' near Iran were out of order for weeks and, according to Iran, Iraq's aerial efficiency was reduced by 55%. This allowed Iranians to regroup and prepare for the upcoming Iraqi invasion.

Although the readiness rates of the IRIAF significantly increased in the following months, its overall role and influence declined, as the clerical government prioritized resources for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) militias, and simultaneously attempted to develop a separate air arm for the IRGC.

Despite limitations and sanctions, the IRIAF achieved a successful kill rate in air-to-air combat against Iraqi jets. In air-to-air engagements, Iran's kill ratio was roughly 5:1, which is was surpassed by the Israelis against Syria in 1982 and the US in the Gulf war in 1991. It got to the point where Iraq ordered its pilots to avoid air-to-air engagements, especially with the F-14.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

After the successful liberation of most Iranian areas captured by the Iraqis in the first half of 1982, the situation of the IRIAF changed completely. From an air arm that was offensive by nature, it was largely relegated to air defense and relatively infrequent bombing attacks against targets of industrial and military significance inside Iraq. Simultaneously, the IRIAF had to learn how to maintain and keep operational its large fleet of U.S.-built aircraft and helicopters without outside help, due to American sanctions. Relying primarily on antiquated equipment purchased from the US in the 1970s, the Iranians began establishing their own aerospace industry.

File:Iranian Lockheed P-3F Orion in flight over the Strait of Hormuz on 1 August 1994 (6491410).jpg
A P-3F Orion of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

From 1984 and 1985, the IRIAF found itself confronted by an ever-better organized and equipped opponent, as the Iraqi Air force—reinforced by deliveries of advanced fighter-bombers from France and the Soviet Union—launched numerous offensives against Iranian air bases, military bases, industrial infrastructures, power plants, oil-export hubs, and population centers. These became better known as "The Tanker War" and "The War of the Cities".

To defend against an increasing number of Iraqi air strikes, the IRIAF leaned heavily on its large fleet of Grumman F-14 Tomcat interceptor fighters. Tomcats were mainly deployed in defense of the strategically important Khark Island, the main hub for Iranian oil exports, and Tehran. Over 300 air-to-air engagements against IQAF fighters, fighter-bombers, and bombers, were fought in these areas between 1980 and 1988.Template:Citation needed

Confronted with the fact that it could not obtain replacements for equipment lost in what became a war of attrition against Iraq, the IRIAF remained defense-orientated for the rest of the conflict, conserving its surviving assets as a "force in being". From mid 1987, the IRIAF found itself confronted with U.S. Navy fighters over the Persian Gulf. A number of confrontations between July 1987 and August 1988 stretched available IRIAF assets to the limit, exhausting its capability to defend Iranian air space against Iraqi air strikes.

With this brutal air fight during 8 consecutive years, many Iranian fighter pilots claimed world records during the war, such as General Yadollah Khalili, who holds the worldwide record of the longest straight flight in a fighter plane, having flown an F-14 non-stop for 11 hours, aerial refuelling 8 times during the process. Fereydoun Ali Mazandarani was the first pilot to aerial refuel an F-14 in a night environment.

As a result of this war, the IRIAF developed proven tactics and skillful battle tested pilots, becoming one of the most experienced air arms in the region. The most notable Iranian fighter pilots were Fereydoun Ali Mazandarani, Fazlollah Javidnia, Jalil Zandi and Shahram Rostami. Other notable pilots include, Hossein Khalatbari, Abbas Doran, Hassan Harandi, Abolfazl Mehreganfar, Ghafour Jeddi, Abbas Babaei and Ali Eghbali Dogahe among many others.

Post Iran–Iraq WarEdit

File:Iranian Air Force Hercules Habibi.jpg
An Iranian C-130 Hercules, 2010

Immediately after the end of the Iran–Iraq War, the IRIAF was partially rebuilt through limited purchases of MiG-29 fighters and Su-24 bombers from the Soviet Union, and F-7M and FT-7 fighters from China. While providing needed reinforcement to the Iranian Air Force, these types never replaced the older, U.S.-built F-4 Phantoms, F-14s (the IRIAF is now the only air arm in the world using the fighter), or F-5s. Instead, the IRIAF continued its efforts to keep these types in service, and began a number of projects to refurbish and upgrade them.

1990sEdit

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, numerous Iraqi pilots flew Iraqi Air Force aircraft to Iran to avoid destruction by coalition forces. The Iranians impounded these aircraft and never returned them, putting them in service in the IRIAF<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and claiming them as reparations for the Iran–Iraq War. The aircraft included several Mirage F1s, MiG-23s, MiG-29s, Su-20s, Su-22Ms, Su-24s, Su-25s and a number of Il-76s, including the secret, one-off AEW-AWACS Il-76 "ADNAN 1" prototype.

Even after the cease-fire with Iraq, the IRIAF carried out several air raids against Kurdish bases in northern Iraq. The first raid was conducted using eight F-4s armed with rockets and cluster bombs on 6 April 1992 against People's Mujahedin of Iran's Camp Ashraf. During this event one F-4 was shot down by either insurgent or Iraqi military AAA. Both pilots, Lt. Col Amini and Cpt. Sharifi, were captured, and freed in 1998. Despite threats of response, Iraq was not able to retaliate due to its own fight against Kurdish separatist guerrillas and the Western-imposed no-fly zones that crippled and limited its air force's operations.<ref name="nytimes">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ejection-history">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2007, Iraq asked Iran to return some of the scores of Iraqi fighter planes that flew there ahead of the Gulf War in 1991.<ref name="reuters.com">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, Iran was receptive to the demands and was working on refurbishing an unspecified number of jets.<ref name="scmp.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="washingtonpost.com">Template:Cite news</ref> In late 2014, Iran returned 130 military aircraft to Iraq.<ref name="middleeastmonitor.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2000sEdit

In 2006, after Iranian media published a series of reports suggesting that Venezuela was interested in selling its 21 F-16 Fighting Falcons to Iran,<ref>چاوز: جنگنده های اف – ۱۶ را احتمالا به ایران می فروشیم (Aftab News)</ref> a Hugo Chavez adviser confirmed to the Associated Press that "Venezuela's military is considering selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, possibly Iran, in response to a U.S. ban on arms sales to President Hugo Chávez's government". In response, Sean McCormack, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, warned Venezuela that "without the written consent of the United States, Venezuela can't transfer these defense articles, and in this case F-16s, to a third country".<ref>Venezuela Threatens to Sell F-16 Fleet to Iran, Fox News</ref>

File:IRIAF trainings in Tehran 03.jpg
Iranian Air Forces training in Tehran, 2014

According to Moscow Defense Brief, Russia delivered 6 Su-25UBK ground attack fighter-trainers, 12 Mi-171Sh military transport helicopters, 21 Mi-171 transport helicopters, and 3 Mi-17B-5 medical helicopters to Iran between 2000 and 2006. A $700 million repair and modernization program of the IRIAF MiG-29 and Su-24 fighters was also completed.<ref name="defensebrief2006">Russia on Iran’s Market for Arms Template:Webarchive Moscow Defense Brief</ref>

On 22 September 2009, an IRIAF Il-76 collided with an F-5E<ref name=Defense>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> shortly after an annual parade in Tehran and crashed near Varamin, killing all seven people on board.<ref name=ASN220909>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2010sEdit

At the end of 2014, there was evidence that the IRIAF was involved in the 2014 military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. A video released by Aljazeera seemed to show an Iranian F-4 Phantom II bombing some ISIS buildings in Diyala Governorate.<ref>Iran Bombing Islamic State In Iraq, U.S. Official Confirms Huffington Post</ref>

On August 26, 2018, an F-5F crash-landed near Dezful, killing the pilot and injuring the co-pilot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 25 December 2019, an MiG-29 crashed in the Sabalan mountains.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2020sEdit

The IRIAF air fleet is aging, some aircraft are more than 40 years old, and this has led to several crashes.<ref>Iran’s Vintage Fighter Jets Keep Falling Out Of The Sky - Forbes May 29, 2022</ref> In June 2021, another F-5F crashed near Dezful, killing both crew.<ref>Iran TV: ‘Technical problem’ on fighter jet kills 2 pilots - AP News June 1, 2021</ref> In February 2022, a F-5F crashed into a school in Tabriz, killing both crew and a person on the ground.<ref>Iranian fighter jet crashes into school, three killed - France24 21/02/2022</ref> In May 2022, two Chinese-built Chengdu J-7 crashed east of Isfahan, killing the pilots.<ref>Two Iranian pilots killed after F7 jet crashes, IRNA reports - Reuters May 24, 2022</ref>

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Iran and Russia have formed closer relations, with Iran supplying Russia with loitering munitions such as the HESA Shahed 136. Subsequently, Russia has begun to supply Iran with more advanced weapon systems, namely the Yakovlev Yak-130 jet trainer, with the first two delivered in September 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

StructureEdit

Note: former outdated Jane's Sentinel estimate of units 1993 data (Source: Jane's Sentinel, Islamic Republic of Iran, 1993, – not complete) has now been replaced by newer 2019 data<ref name="my.ihs.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Janes 360 Military Capabilities Assessment 2019</ref><ref name="aa.com.tr">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Irans real capacity in context</ref>

The IRIAF's composition has changed very little since 1979. There were limited relocations and unit disbandments in the late 1980s (F-4D/E and F-14 fleet at Shiraz and Mehrabad). Deployments during the war with Iraq were mainly temporary. In 1985, a major reorganization of existing air-defense SAM and AAA units took place. There were not any major reorganizations in the 1990s.

Iranian airforce equipment, capabilities, and performance strongly influenced the development of the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) in the 1980s, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force in the 1990s.

In 2013, the Iranian authorities changed their command structure, relating to tactical air bases, military installations, and civil airports. Almost all airfields previously designated as being of some strategic importance for contingency scenarios, have now been made suitable for combined military and civilian usage.

This is in accordance with the IRIAF operating small composite units spread out all over Iran, easy to relocate at very short notice, instead of the former, large fixed-based units. All dual-use airfields have basic cross-service capabilities to handle all IRIAF aircraft. The main facilities for logistics and technical overhaul remain concentrated at some larger airfields.

Iran has been under sanctions since 1979, with Iran servicing and overhauling its own military and civilian aircraft. In 2015, less tension in international relations led to a decrease in the sanctions, and the Iranian government was able to order a new fleet of civilian aircraft, replacing the aged types.

Jane's 360 military capabilities assessment 2019Edit

File:Mirage F1BQ of IRIAF.jpg
A Mirage F1BQ landing
File:A Sukhoi Su-24MK of IRIAF flighting over Shiraz.jpg
An Su-24MK of the IRIAF flying over Shahid Dastghaib International Airport
Name Usage Location Aircraft
Ahmadi Reserve airfield 29°05′57″N 51°02′07″E none
Araz Reserve airfield 39°06′40″N 45°20′02″E none
Bandar Abbas Combined Mil/Civ airfield 27°13′05″N 56°22′40″E Composite unit F-4 Phantom II; F-7 Airguard
Bandar e Jask Combined Mil/Civ airfield 25°39′11″N 57°47′51″E Maritime patrol flight Lockheed P-3F Orion
Birjand Combined Mil/Civ airfield 32°53′53″N 59°15′58″E Unknown composite unit
Bishe Kola Combined Mil/Civ airfield 36°39′18″N 52°20′58″E HESA Shahed 278 light utility helicopter flight
Bushehr Combined Mil/Civ airfield 28°56′41″N 50°50′04″E Composite unit F-4;Grumman F-14 Tomcat; UAV's
Chahbahar Combined Mil/Civ airfield 25°26′41″N 60°22′55″E Composite unit Dassault Mirage F1; F-4
Darrahi Reserve airfield 29°22′33″N 51°04′03″E none
Dezful Combined Mil/Civ 32°25′57″N 48°24′07″E Composite unit Northrop F-5; F-7 Airguard
Firuzabad Army aviation base 35°31'43"N 51°30'26"E Composite helicopter unit Shahed 278
Gorreh Reserve airfield 29°54′25″N 50°25′43″E none
Hamadan Combined Mil/Civ airfield 35°12′37″N 48°39′12″E Composite unit F-4; F-7
Hesa Aircraft manufacturer 32°55′44″N 51°33′40″E tech/log/maintenance plant
Isfahan / Badr Army aviation; tech overhaul base 32°37′16″N 51°41′49″E Composite helicopter units
Isfahan / international Combined Mil/Civ 32°45'10"N 51°52'44"E Composite unt F-14; Mikoyan MiG-29
Isfahan / Sahid Vatanpour Army aviation; logistics base 32°34′09″N 51°41′12″E Composite helicopter unit
Kashan Combined Mil/Civ airfield 33°53′43″N 51°34′37″E Composite fighter flights
Kerman Airbase 30°15′57″N 56°57′34″E Composite fighter/attack aircraft
Kermanshah Airbase 34°20′45″N 47°09′29″E Composite unit Sukhoi Su-24; Sukhoi Su-25
Kharg Island Combined Mil/Civ airfield 26°31′33″N 53°58′52″E Composite unit Antonov An-74; Harbin Y-12 aircraft; Mil Mi-17 helicopters; UAV's
Kish Airbase 26°31′33″N 53°58′52″E Composite fighter unit
Manzariyeh Army aviation base 34°59′02″N 50°48′22″E Embraer EMB 312 Tucano trainer/light attack
Mashhad Combined Mil/Civ airfield 36°14′07″N 59°38′38″E Composite unit F-4; F-5
Masjed Soleyman Airbase 31°59′58″N 49°16′16″E Composite unit F-14; F-4
Mehrshahr Training base 35°46′34″N 50°52′51″E Training Pilatus PC-6 Porter; Embraer 312
Omidiyeh Combined Mil/Civ airfield 30°49′51″N 49°32′35″E Unknown composite units
Shiraz Combined Mil/Civ airfield; logistics; tech overhaul 29°32′11″N 52°35′18″E Composite unit Ilyushin Il-76 airlift; P-3F maritime patrol; Su-24 attack; Bell 214 light utility
Soga Combined Mil/Civ airfield 37°37′40″N 56°10′23″E Composite airlift unit Lockheed C-130H Hercules; Boeing 707
Tabriz Combined Mil/Civ airfield 38°07′44″N 46°14′24″E Composite unit F-5; F-14; Boeing CH-47 Chinook
Tehran / Doshan Tappeh Training/logistics base 35°42'00"N 51°28'22"E Training/conversion Chengdu F-7; Northrop F-5B; Mirage F-1BQ
Tehran / Ghale Morghi Closed 35°38′41″N 51°22′51″E None
Tehran / Mehrabad Combined Mil/Civ airfield; logistics; tech overhaul 35°41′19″N 51°18′46″E Composite unit MiG-29; Su-24; Boeing 707; C-130; Fokker F27 Friendship; CH-47
Urmia Combined Mil/Civ airfield 37°40′15″N 45°04′19″E Composite unit helicopter / transporter aircraft
Zahedan Combined Mil/Civ airfield 29°28′29″N 60°54′22″E Composite unit F-4; F-5; Su-24

<ref name="my.ihs.com"/><ref name="aa.com.tr"/>

Jane's Sentinel in 1993 (p. 27) listed TAB 1 at Mehrabad with six squadrons (F-5Es, F-7Ms, F-14/MiG-29, C-130H/Ilyushin Il-76, Boeing 707/747, and Fokker F-27 Friendship/Dassault Falcon); TAB 2 at Tabriz with three squadrons (F-4D/E "Phantom II"; F-5E, Chengdu F-7M) and a flight of C-130; TAB 3 at Hamadan with a squadron each of Chinese-built Shenyang F-6 and F-7M; TAB 4 at Dezful with a squadron each of F-4D/E and F-5E; TAB 5 was not identified; TAB 6 at Bushehr with a squadron of F-4D/E, and two flights, one of F-7M and one of C-130H.

TAB 7 at Shiraz with three squadrons (of F-4D/E; F-14/MiG-29, and C-130H/Il-76) and a flight of F 27; TAB 8 at Isfahan with three squadrons (of F-5E; F-6; and F-7M) and a flight of F 27; TAB 9 at Bandar Abbas with two squadrons (of F-4D/E and F-7M) and a F-14A detachment, plus a flight of Lockheed P-3F Orion; TAB 10 at Chah Bahar with a squadron of F-6 and a flight of C-130H/Il-76; and TAB 11 listed at Ghale Morghi (Beech F33) and Mushshak (PC-7, Tucano), the Flying Training School, plus detachments at Aghajari.

CommandersEdit

AircraftEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Current inventoryEdit

File:Iranian Air Force Grumman F-14A Tomcat (remix).jpg
An F-14A Tomcat of the IRIAF
File:IRIAF Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29A (9-12A) at Dezful.jpg
A MiG-29 sits on the tarmac at Dezful Airport
File:CH-47 Iran Air Force (remiex).jpg
An Iranian CH-47C Chinook
File:C-130E Iran Air Force THR May 2011.jpg
An Iranian C-130E
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Chengdu F-7 China fighter citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Chinese license-built MiG-21
F-4 Phantom II United States fighter-bomber D/E/RF 64<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> 16 aircraft are configured for reconnaissance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref> 1 lost in 2025<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

F-5 Tiger II United States fighter F-5E 35<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
F-14 Tomcat United States fighter / interceptor F-14A/AM<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

41<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
HESA Azarakhsh United States/Iran Light jet 6Template:Citation needed Light jet based on Northrop F-5
HESA Kowsar United States/Iran Light jet citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

HESA Saeqeh United States/Iran Light jet 12Template:Citation needed Iranian reverse-engineered Northrop F-5
Mikoyan MiG-29 Soviet Union multirole 24<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> 6 used for training<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Mirage F1 France multirole F1EQ 12<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> Obtained from the Iraqi Air Force during the Gulf War
Sukhoi Su-24 Russia attack 21<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Maritime Patrol
Dassault Falcon 50 France maritime patrol 1<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
P-3 Orion United States maritime patrol P-3F 5<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Tanker
Boeing 707 United States aerial refueling / transport 3<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Boeing 747 United States aerial refueling / transport 3<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Transport
Boeing 707 United States VIP transport 2<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> also used for electronic warfare
Boeing 747 United States VIP transport 6<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
C-130 Hercules United States tactical airlifter C-130E/H 28<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Ilyushin Il-76 Russia strategic airlifter 5<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Fokker F-27 Netherlands transport 5<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Pilatus PC-6 Switzerland utility 13<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> STOL capable aircraft
Helicopters
Bell 206 Italy utility 3<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> one used as a rotorcraft trainer
Bell 212 Italy utility 1<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
CH-47 Chinook United States transport CH-47C 2<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Trainers
Mirage F1 France conversion trainer F1BQ 5<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> obtained from fleeing IQAF pilots during the Gulf War
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland trainer citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

PAC Super Mushshak Pakistan trainer 25<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Northrop F-5 United States conversion trainer F-5B/F 15<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
HESA Yasin Iran trainer citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

IRIAF Parastu-14Template:Citation needed Iran trainer reverse-engineered Beechcraft Bonanza
Chengdu F-7 China conversion trainer FT-7 1<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
Yak-130 Russia trainer/CAS 6<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> Also armed with R-73E SRAAM<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

In 2007, Iraq asked Iran to return some of the scores of Iraqi fighter planes that flew there ahead of the Gulf War in 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, Iran was receptive to the demands and was working on refurbishing an unspecified number of jets.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In late 2014, Iran returned 130 military aircraft to Iraq.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reported future expansion plansEdit

In October 2020, a 13-year long UN arms embargo imposed on Iran was lifted. However, the poor state of Iran's finances and the threat of American sanctions on those trading with Iran made it unlikely that Tehran would make large foreign orders for military equipment.<ref> Template:Cite news </ref> In November 2023, deputy defense minister Mehdi Farahi said that plans had been finalized for the Iranian armed forces to receive Sukhoi Su-35s, Yakovlev Yak-130s and Mil Mi-28s.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

There have been reports that the IRIAF would be interested in the following aircraft for its modernization program:

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> The purchase of this fighter would improve Iranian air force capability significantly, as it would be able to cover almost the entire Middle East from Iranian territory.

  • Su-35: In 2016, Iran was reportedly interested in this aircraft in order to obtain a crucial edge over its potential rivals in the region.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • J-10: In 2007, the Russian news agency Novosti reported that Iran had signed a deal with China to buy two squadrons/24 of J-10 fighter planes, with Russian-made AL-31FN engines. The total cost of the planes is estimated at $1 billion, and deliveries are expected between 2008 and 2010. China denied that it had agreed to sell its home-grown fighter jets to Iran, saying no talks had taken place. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters: "It's not true, it is an irresponsible report, China has not had talks with Iran on J-10 jets."<ref>Yossi Melman. "Iran to buy from China 24 fighter jets based on Israeli technology" Haaretz, 24 October 2007.</ref>

FacilitiesEdit

Template:See also Template:Location map+

In the last several yearsTemplate:When several new airfields have been constructed in central- and eastern Iran. Some of these facilities have since seen full-scale deployments of IRIAF units, and it now appears that at least two became permanent "Tactical Fighter Bases" (TFBs). These are the first such bases established since 1979.

Except new airfields, with Chinese support, the IRIAF constructed a number of new early warning radar sites around Iran. Its ability to control the national airspace remains limited—mainly due to the rugged terrain and lack of airborne early warning assets.

Aside from maintaining 17 TFBs, the IRIAF operates numerous temporary detachments on several minor airfields around Iran. Ex-Iraqi Mirage F.1EQs, usually based at TFB.14, near Mashhad, were frequently seen over the Persian Gulf in 2005 and 2006.

Major operationsEdit

  • Iran–Iraq War
    • Operation Kaman 99, Iran's biggest air raid during the Iran–Iraq war, with a strength of more than 140 aircraft.
    • Operation Scorch Sword, a 1980 Iranian airstrike on an Iraqi nuclear reactor under construction.
    • H-3 airstrike, The IRIAF's boldest operation in Iraq.
    • Operation Morvarid, a successful joint operation by the IRIAF and the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in the Persian Gulf against the Iraqi Air Force and Navy.
    • Operation Sultan 10, an operation to disrupt delivery of new French fighter planes to the Iraqi Air force and the associated training of personnel, during the Iran–Iraq war.

RanksEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

Commissioned officer ranksEdit

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/BlankTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OF/Iran

Other ranksEdit

The rank insignia of Iranian non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/BlankTemplate:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Air Forces/OR/Iran

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Notes

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:Iran Military Template:Islamic Republic of Iran Army Template:Air forces Template:NAHAJA Commanders Template:Authority control

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