The Iranian air force is considered an independent branch of the armed forces, which also includes air defense forces. It also has its own Air Force Corps of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
The combat composition of the air force includes 12 air bases, including ten fighter and two transport. They serve as the home base for 12 transport and 25 combat aviation squadrons, 2 helicopter squadrons, about 10 aircraft and helicopter command and control squadrons, and 10 search and rescue squadrons.
During the reign of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who supported the United States in the 70s of the last century, the Iranian Air Force was the most equipped in the Middle East. In particular, they were armed with 79 F-14 aircraft, in addition, a contract was signed, which provided for the supply of 150 F-16 units.
The Islamic Revolution and the severance of relations with America have left Iranian aviation in decline. There were no F-16 deliveries, and soon the Air Force stopped receiving parts.
After the 1979 revolution, the modern Iranian Air Force was created on the basis of the Shah's air force, which immediately had to face significant difficulties. In particular, the United States imposed an arms embargo, which deprived the Iranian vehicle fleet of spare parts. At that time, mainly American helicopters and airplanes were in service. In addition, the new government viewed the former officers of the Shah's army with distrust, so many experienced pilots and commanders were repressed.
In any case, the Iranian Air Force played an important role in the early part of the Iran-Iraq War, which began on September 22, 1980.
Attempts by the Iraqi military to destroy enemy air units on the territories of airfields failed. During the week after the start of military clashes, Iranian aircraft (F-5E "Tiger II", F-4 "Phantom II", F-14 "Tomcat") had to make many sorties to bombard a number of economic and military facilities located in Iraq, in including in Baghdad.
Iranian aviation caused significant damage to the Iraqi rear system, which significantly slowed down the pace of the Iraqi army's offensive.
In April 1981, the Iranian Air Force managed to carry out one of the most successful operations. During a raid on the territory of Western Iraq, several dozen enemy aircraft were destroyed at one of the airfields. However, by this time, the activity of the Air Force began to decline, and after 1982 they had almost no effect on the course of hostilities. In the units there was a catastrophic lack of spare parts, so the technicians were engaged in "cannibalization", dismantling helicopters and airplanes. In turn, this steadily reduced the number of aircraft ready for combat missions. In 1983, Iranian pilots could fly about a hundred aircraft. This deplorable situation remained until the end of hostilities, although there were some clandestine arms transfers from the United States and Israel.
At that time, the Iranian Air Force retained, including non-combatant, 60 F-5s out of 169, 70 F-4s out of 325, and 20 F-14s out of 79.
Satellite image of Google Earth: F-14 fighters of the Iranian Air Force, Isfahan airfield
After the end of the Iran-Iraq war, attempts were made to replenish the fleet of combat aircraft. The purchase of 60 F-7M (Chinese version of the MiG-21F) from the PRC took place, however, they could no longer be considered modern weapons.
The next acquisition is the purchase of MiG-29 fighters and Su-24 front-line bombers from the USSR. In 1992, Russia delivered 8 MiG-29s and 10 Su-24s. In 1994, Ukraine delivered 12 An-74.
An unexpected replenishment happened in early 1991, when, during the hostilities in the Persian Gulf, most of the Iraqi Air Force aircraft moved to Iran, trying to escape from Allied aircraft. Iran did not want to return these aircraft, considering that this was a kind of reparation for the consequences of the eight-year war. Some of these aircraft became part of the Iranian Air Force.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Su-25 attack aircraft of the Iranian Air Force
In 1991, a large number of aircraft from Iraq went to Iran: 24 Su-24, 24 Mirage, 20 Su-22, 7 Su-25, 4 Su-20, 4 MiG-29, 4 MiG-25, 7 MiG- 23ML, 1 Mig-23UB, 4 Mig-23VN, as well as some others.
But the lack of an established service system and spare parts, as well as experienced pilots and technicians, prevented most of the aircraft from joining the Air Force. According to some reports, 4 MiG-29, 10 Mirage F.1, 24 Su-24, 7 Su-25 were adopted.
Fighter Mirage F.1 Iranian Air Force
Since the 80s, China has been supplying aviation equipment to Iran, and since the 90s Russia and some other CIS countries have been added to it.
Therefore, now in the aviation fleet of the Iranian Air Force, American, Soviet, Russian, Chinese, French and Ukrainian aircraft are represented, as well as several of their own unique developments.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft F-14, MiG-29, Su-22 of the Iranian Air Force, Tehran airport
The fighter and fighter-bomber aviation includes 60 F-14A (of which only 20-25 are combat-capable), 35 MiG-29, 45 F-5E / F, 10 Mirage F-1, 60 Phantom-2, 24 F-7M and others.
Light attack aircraft Tazarv
Attack aviation is represented by 30 Su-24M, 24 Su-20/22, 13 Su-25, 25 Tazarv - a light attack aircraft produced in Iran.
In reconnaissance aviation units there are 6-8 RF-4E "Phantom-2", 5 P-3F "Orion", 2-3 RC-130H, 1 Adnan (Baghdad) - AWACS aircraft based on Il-76MD, 4-5 Dornier 228 (naval aviation), 15 Cessna 185.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft AWACS and MTC C-130 of the Iranian Air Force
Training aviation is represented by 26 Beech F-33A / C Bonanza, 45 PC-7 Turbo-Trainer, 10 EMB-312 Tucano, 7-9 T-33, 8 Socata TV-21 Trinidad, 25 MFI-17B Mushshak, 4 Socata TV- 200 Tobago.
In transport aviation units there are 12 Il-76s, 4 Boeing 707-3J9C, 1 Boeing-727, 5 Boeing 747, 11 An-74; 10 Fokker F27, 14 An-24, 15 HESA IrAn-140.
In addition, Iranian aviation units use about two hundred light seaplanes Bavar - 2, produced in Iran.
The composition of the helicopter fleet turned out to be no less variegated. The strike units are armed with approximately 50 HESA Shahed 285, 100 Bell AH-1 Cobra. Multipurpose and transport units are equipped with 100 UH-1 / Bell-205 / Bell-206, 10 SH-53D Sea Stallion, 20 CH-47C Chinnuk, 25 Shabaviz 275.
In addition, a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles, including drums, are produced in Iran. The heaviest of these is the Karrar UAV, capable of carrying a ton of payload. For reconnaissance operations, the Ababil UAV is used. The Mohajer series of medium-sized drones are used for reconnaissance operations and targeting laser ammunition.
Impact UAV Karrar
Note that Iran is actively developing and creating its own models of military aircraft.
The Iranian classification of fighters has some differences from the global one, since the determining factor is the time of creation, and not certain capabilities and characteristics.
The first generation is represented by the HESA Azarakhsh fighter, which was created in the 90s. The second generation is the Saeqeh fighter. At the same time, Saeqeh is a deeply modernized Azarakhsh. Both aircraft also show the features of the American-made Northrop F-5E, which was supplied to Iran in the 70s.
The development of the first fighter jet in Iran began in the second half of the 80s. The plane was named "Lightning" - "Azarakhsh". Work on it was carried out at IAMI (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial, also known as HESA) together with the Shahid Sattari University and specialists from the Iranian Air Force. The main reason for the start of their own development is the loss of the opportunity to acquire modern aviation equipment abroad, primarily in the United States. In the 1980s, Iranian designers had not yet acquired the necessary experience, so the development of the "Lightning" was delayed. The first prototype was only taken into the air by 1997.
Azarakhsh is slightly larger than F-5E: length 17.7 m, wingspan - 9.2 m. The Iranian fighter received a wing area of about 22 sq. M. Its maximum take-off weight is 18 tons with a dead weight of 8 tons without a payload.
Two Russian-made RD-33 turbojet engines are used as power units, the maximum thrust of which is 8300 kgf. In 2007, Iran signed a contract for the supply of fifty of these engines for a total of $ 150 million.
The maximum speed of Azarakhsh is 1650-1700 km / h with a cruising range of 1200 kilometers.
In the serial version, the crew includes two people. Their jobs are located one after another. Different sources contain different payload masses of the aircraft, as well as its weapons. This parameter varies from 3500 to 4400 kilograms. The aircraft is equipped with the Russian N019ME "Topaz" radar.
Since the first flight, about thirty Molniya aircraft have been produced, and their electronic equipment has been modernized several times. Aircraft of this type have significant differences from each other, which greatly complicates their maintenance.
By the time of the Molniya's test flights, a deep modernization of the aircraft had already begun. The aircraft of the second generation was named "Lightning Strike" - "Saeqeh".
In 2001, information appeared about the construction of the first Saeqeh prototype, but it only took to the skies in May 2004.
The main difference from the previous aircraft is that the aircraft has become one-seater. Major changes were made to the tail section, which received new contours and a second keel. The refusal of the second crew member allowed to reduce the takeoff weight without changing the engines and avionics. The empty weight of the Saeqeh is 7800 kg and the maximum take-off weight is 16800 kg. Flight and technical characteristics were also improved: the speed rose to 2050-2080 km / h, and the flight range increased to 1400 km.
The test program of the new aircraft has become more successful, so already in 2007 the pilots of the Iranian Air Force demonstrated the new "Lightning Strikes" at the parade. And in September 2007 they were officially adopted.
Over the next six years, about 30 of these aircraft were produced. But, against the background of large-scale write-offs of American aircraft, this is clearly not enough.
On February 2, 2013, a promising Iranian-made Qaher-313 fighter was presented. This event was timed to celebrate the Islamic revolution that took place in 1979.
The Iranian military excitedly talked about the great combat potential of the vehicle, which is not only practically invisible on radars, but is also equipped with advanced on-board solutions in radio electronics.
The main feature of the new aircraft is its small effective reflective area, which makes it hardly noticeable to enemy radar installations. Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi noted that the properties of the fighter make it possible to effectively conduct hostilities at low altitudes. At the same time, according to the head of the Qaher-313 project, Hassan Parvaneh, only Iranian components are used in the aircraft.
The general public was presented with a plane with a rather strange appearance. It has an integral layout, the "canard" scheme is also used, suggesting excessive forward horizontal tail, a normal sweep wing, the tips of which are deflected 50-65 degrees downward, as well as the keels "collapsed" in different directions. The appearance turned out to be chopped, apparently to reduce the visibility on radars. Another engineering solution is a bezel-less lantern.
Vahidi noted that high-tech materials and advanced electronics were used in the construction of the aircraft. The vehicle can use Iranian-made high-precision ammunition. Another feature of the aircraft is the ability to take off and land from small runways.
However, even after the loud statements of the Iranian military, when looking at the plane shown on the air of Iranian TV channels and news agencies, one gets the feeling that it is not capable of taking off. The fighter has such a small nose that it is not clear where the radar station could be located there. In the released images, a primitive dashboard can be seen, suggesting that it was not even a prototype, but just a mock-up.
It is worth noting that, in general, the technical solutions used in the creation are quite interesting, but still leave a strange feeling.
The plane looks more like a large mock-up than a full-fledged fighter. In addition, Iran has not received information about the world's technical developments for several decades, so there are doubts about the statements about breakthrough technologies by Iranian scientists. Iran practically lacks its own developed industry and scientific potential.
Apparently, the main purpose of such a demonstration is to raise the morale of ordinary people in Iran.
In the event of full-scale clashes with US and allied forces, the Iranian Air Force will most likely not be able to do anything significant. Relative small numbers, outdated equipment, lack of the required number of modern weapons of destruction - all this will not allow aviation units to provide effective cover for troops and ground infrastructure, as well as to attack American bases located on opposite shores of the Persian and Oman Gulfs.
The situation could be corrected by purchasing modern combat aircraft abroad. But it is simply impossible to arrange supplies from the USA or Europe.
The balance of forces on the territory of the region could be changed by several dozen modern Su-30MK2 aircraft with sets of weapons. But after the disruption of the supply of S-300P air defense systems to Iran, the contract for which was terminated under pressure from Israel and the United States, such an option is hardly possible.
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