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Equipment, capabilities and combat performance of the IRIAF strongly influenced the development of the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF), during the 1980s, but also that of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, in the 1990s and the most recent times.
Equipment, capabilities and combat performance of the IRIAF strongly influenced the development of the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF), during the 1980s, but also that of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, in the 1990s and the most recent times.

==Alleged Purchases==
===Su-30===
It has been reported Iran is about to sign an arms with the Russian Rosoboronexport arms group to buy 250 [[Su-30|Su-30 MKM]] warplanes and 20 [[Il-78|Il-78 MKI]] fuel tankers. It is rumored that the first aircraft will be delivered before the end of [[2007]]. This sale would give Iran the largest and probably the most powerful air force in the Middle East.
Iran and Russia have both denied this and have rejected these claims as propaganda.<ref>[[DEBKAfile]] [http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=4449 DEBKA Reports: Iran buys 250 long-distance Sukhoi fighter-bombers, 20 fuel tankers, from Russia][[1 August]] [[2007]]</ref><ref>Navy Times [http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/07/navy_iran_fighters_070730w/ Reports: Iran may buy 250 jets from Russia] [[1 August]] [[2007]]</ref><ref>defensetech [http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003636.html Iran's New Fighter?] [[2 August]] [[2007]]</ref>

===J-10===
The Russian news agency [[Novosti]] reported that ''Business & Financial Markets'' said Iran has signed a deal with China to buy two squadrons/24 of [[J-10]] fighter planes with Russian-made [[AL-31]]FN 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 homegrown 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. "[http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/916317.html Iran to buy from China 24 fighter jets based on Israeli technology]" Haaretz, 24 October 2007.</ref><ref>Kommersant. "[http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20071023/85174001.html Iran buys Israeli fighter jets]" RIA Novosti, 23 October 2007.</ref><ref>http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20071023/85174001.html</ref>

===MiG-29===
Some sources also report that next to Su-30s (and [[S300]] SAMs) Iran also wants to purchase newer variants of the [[MiG-29]].{{Fact|date=December 2007}}


== Aircraft Inventory ==
== Aircraft Inventory ==
Line 160: Line 173:
|-----
|-----
| [[Sukhoi Su-24]] || {{RUS}} || strike/air-to-air refuelling tanker || SU-24MK || 32 ||
| [[Sukhoi Su-24]] || {{RUS}} || strike/air-to-air refuelling tanker || SU-24MK || 32 ||
|-----
| [[Sukhoi Su-30]] || {{RUS}} || air superiority fighter|| SU-30MKM || 250 ||

| [[Mikoyan MiG-27]] || {{RUS}} || attack/strike || || 24 ||
|-----
|-----
| [[Sukhoi Su-25]] || {{RUS}} || strike/close air support<hr>trainer || Su-25K<hr>Su-25T<hr>Su-25UBK<hr>Su-25UBT || -<hr>3<hr>-<hr>3 || 7 Su-25K/UBK impounded from Iraq<hr>6 Su-25T/UBT purchased from Russia<ref>[http://www.janes.co.uk/defence/air_forces/news/jdw/jdw060913_1_n.shtml "Iran Bolsters Su-25 Fleet], ''[http://www.janes.co.uk/ Jane's]]''.</ref>
| [[Sukhoi Su-25]] || {{RUS}} || strike/close air support<hr>trainer || Su-25K<hr>Su-25T<hr>Su-25UBK<hr>Su-25UBT || -<hr>3<hr>-<hr>3 || 7 Su-25K/UBK impounded from Iraq<hr>6 Su-25T/UBT purchased from Russia<ref>[http://www.janes.co.uk/defence/air_forces/news/jdw/jdw060913_1_n.shtml "Iran Bolsters Su-25 Fleet], ''[http://www.janes.co.uk/ Jane's]]''.</ref>

Revision as of 21:10, 29 January 2008

Iranian Air Force

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) (Template:PerB) is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces.

History

Main article: History of the Iranian Air Force

The IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was re-named following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, in February 1979.

This "new" Iranian air force largely inherited the equipment and structure of the former IIAF, even 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, Russia and the People's Republic of China.

Since the Revolution, the exact composition of the IRIAF is hard to determine, but estimates do exist. 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 100% 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 the country has also become self-sufficient in the manufacture of helicopters. The country claims that it is capable of producing the old U.S. AH-1 Cobra gunship. Additionally, Iran also 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

Main article: Iranian Air Force in Iran-Iraq war

A series of purges and forced retirements resulted in the manpower of the service 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 six Iranian airfields 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. Nevertheless, they caused relatively minimal damage, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force retaliated fiercely to the invasion, flying strikes involving up to 140 McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs against main Iraqi airfields, oil industry installations, and communications sites. Intense Iranian activity inside Iraqi air space during the first week of the war managed to prove so successful that it eventually forced the Iraqi Air Force onto the defensive. In addition to striking Iraqi airfields, the IRIAF succeded in managing to badly damage most of the Iraqi oil-producing and exporting facilities; resulting in Baghdad's decision to stop all oil exports for several years.

Following a one week-long counter-air campaign, and due to a critical situation on the ground in Khuzestan Province, the IRIAF was thrown into the land-battle, mainly in the areas of Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, and Dezful. Here, the IRIAF's performance and superiority over the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF) surprised most informed observers. Its air strikes against armour and supply-columns sapped the offensive strength of the Iraqi military. Due to heavy losses in troops and armour, Iranian air superiority and an interruption of supply systems, the Iraqis had to stop their offensive, and then became involved in extremely bitter land-battles against Iranian ground forces.

However, the IRIAF paid a heavy price for this success, losing dozens of its best pilots and aircraft in the period between September and December 1980.

Although the readiness rates of the IRIAF significantly increased in the following months, its overall role and influence declined, as the clerical government searched to put the emphasis in fighting on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) militias, but also attempted to develop a separate air arm for this service.

After the successful liberation of most Iranian areas captured by the Iraqis, in late spring 1982, the situation of the IRIAF changed completely. From an air arm that was offensive by nature, it was largely relegated to air defence and, relatively seldom, tasks of flying bombing attacks against targets of industrial and military significance inside Iraq. Simultaneously, the IRIAF had to learn to maintain and keep operational its large fleet of U.S.-built aircraft and helicopters without outside help, due to American sanctions. Reaching back on equipment purchased from the U.S.A. in the 1970s, the Iranians began establishing their own aerospace industry; their efforts in this remained largely unrecognised until recently.

However, the IRIAF was able to obtain limited amounts of spare parts and weapons for its American-made aircraft, when Iran was able to buy American spare parts and weapons for its armed forces, during the Iran-Contra Affair. Deliveries came via Israel and later, from the USA.

From 1984 and 1985, the IRIAF found itself confronted by an ever better organised 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 population centres and oil-export hubs. 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 air superiority fighters. Tomcats were mainly deployed in defence of the strategically-important Khark Island (main hub for Iranian oil exports), and Tehran. Over 300 air-to-air engagements against IrAF fighters, fighter-bombers, and bombers, were fought in these areas alone between 1980 and 1988.

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

Post Iran Iraq War

Immediately after the end of the Iran-Iraq War, the IRIAF was partially re-built by limited purchases of MiG-29 fighters and Su-24 bombers from the Soviet Union, as well as F-7M and FT-7 fighters from China. While a welcome reinforcement, these types never replaced the older, U.S.-built F-4 Phantoms or F-14 Tomcats (now the only air arm in the world to continue using the fighter), or even Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs. Instead, the IRIAF continued efforts to maintain these types in service, and began a number of projects with the intention to refurbish and upgrade them.

A Russian attempt to sell a large number of MiG-27s, MiG-31s, and Tupolev Tu-22Ms to Iran, launched in 1993, was spoiled by a lack of interest and money on the part of Iran. Since 2000, on multiple occasions, MiG-31s are rumoured to have been seen in Iran's airspace, though no official declaration confirming this has been made by the IRIAF.

In the early 1990s, Iran is rumoured to have signed a military contract with the USSR to purchase an unknown number of Su-27s; the delivery of the planes wasn't completed for more than a decade due to US pressure. Recently, Iran is rumoured to have received an unknown variant of the Su-27. Unconfirmed reports reveal their deployment at air bases in Tabriz.


Current composition

The IRIAF composition has changed very little since 1979. The first, very limited re-location of several units - including disbandment of some, and establishing of new squadrons - occurred in autumn 1980, when the F-4D-fleet was concentrated at Shiraz, two squadrons of F-4Es moved from Shiraz to Hamedan, and a squadron of F-14 Tomcats deployed to Mehrabad. Other deployments during the war with Iraq were mainly of temporary character, even if a major re-organisation of existing air-defence assets - foremost SAM- and AAA-units - was undertaken in 1985. There has been no major re-organisation during all of the 1990s either.

Equipment, capabilities and combat performance of the IRIAF strongly influenced the development of the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF), during the 1980s, but also that of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, in the 1990s and the most recent times.

Alleged Purchases

Su-30

It has been reported Iran is about to sign an arms with the Russian Rosoboronexport arms group to buy 250 Su-30 MKM warplanes and 20 Il-78 MKI fuel tankers. It is rumored that the first aircraft will be delivered before the end of 2007. This sale would give Iran the largest and probably the most powerful air force in the Middle East. Iran and Russia have both denied this and have rejected these claims as propaganda.[1][2][3]

J-10

The Russian news agency Novosti reported that Business & Financial Markets said Iran has 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 homegrown 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."[4][5][6]

MiG-29

Some sources also report that next to Su-30s (and S300 SAMs) Iran also wants to purchase newer variants of the MiG-29.[citation needed]

Aircraft Inventory

File:Shafaq.jpg
Shafaq jetfighter
A U.S. "Top Gun" F-14A, painted to resemble an Iranian fighter for air combat adversary training.
P-3F of the Iranian Air Force
C-130 Hercules in 1988

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[7] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Aero Commander ||  United States || utility transport || 690A || 4 || |----- | Xian Y-7 ||  China || tactical transport || Y-7 || 14 || built by Xian |----- | Antonov An-74 ||  Ukraine || tactical airlift transport || An-74TK-200 || 11 || |----- | Beriev A-50 ||  Russia || airborne early warning || A-50 Shmel || Unknown || |----- | Beechcraft Bonanza ||  United States || trainer || F33C || 20 || |-----

| Agusta-Bell 206 ||  Italy

 Iran || utility helicopter || AB 206A

Panha Shabviz 2061 || 3

- || AB 206A built by Agusta

unknown numbers of 2061 in service

|----- | Agusta-Bell 212 ||  Italy || Light-lift transport helicopter || AB 212 || 5 || built by Agusta |----- | Bell 214 ||  United States || Medium-lift transport helicopter || Bell 214C || 25 || |----- | Ilyushin Il-76 AEW ||  Russia || Airborne Early Warning || Adnan-1 || 2 || In 1991 Gulf War two IL-76AEW fled from Iraq to Iran where the remain in service at Shiraz and Mehrabad Intl. [1] |----- | Boeing 707 ||  United States || transport/air-to-air refuelling tanker || 707-3J9C || 10 || many modified for special missions |----- | Boeing 747 ||  United States || VIP transport/air-to-air refuelling tanker || 747-100F || 5 || |----- | Boeing CH-47 Chinook ||  Italy || Heavy-lift transport helicopter || CH-47C || 25 || built by Agusta |-----

| Chengdu F-7 Airguard ||  China || Fighter (F-7M)/trainer (FT-7) || F-7M

FT-7 || 20

5 || FT-7 built by GAIC, an aditional aircraft crashed due to technical failure

|----- | Dassault Falcon 20 ||  France || VIP transport || || 1 || |----- | Dassault Falcon 50 ||  France || VIP transport || || 3 || |-----

| Dassault Mirage F1 ||  France || fighter || Mirage F1BQ

Mirage F-1EQ || 24 ||

|----- | Embraer EMB 312 Tucano ||  Brazil || Basic trainer || || 15 || |-----

| Fokker F27 Friendship ||  Netherlands || tactical airlift/transport || F27-400M

F27-600 || 11

3 ||

|----- | Grumman F-14 Tomcat ||  United States || Interceptor/multi-role fighter || F-14A || 50 || 79 originally delivered |----- | Harbin Y-12 ||  China || utility transport || || 8 || |----- | HESA Azarakhsh ||  Iran || fighter || ||30[2] || |----- | HESA Saeqeh ||  Iran || fighter || ||4|| at least 4 built [3] |----- | HESA Shafaq ||  Iran || fighter || || 0 || entering service |----- | Dorna/Tazarv ||  Iran || trainer || ? || || [8] |----- | Fajr-3 ||  Iran || trainer || ? || || |----- | IAMI Parastoo ||  Iran || trainer || || 26 || |----- | HESA Simorgh ||  Iran || trainer || || 2 ||[9] |-----

| Ilyushin Il-76 ||  Russia || transport || ||12|| |----- | Kaman HH-43 Huskie ||  United States || rescue helicopter || HH-43F || 8 || |-----

| Lockheed C-130 Hercules ||  United States || tactical airlift/transport

reconnaissance || C-130E

C-130H

RC-130 || 5

4

1 ||

|----- | Lockheed JetStar ||  United States || VIP transport || JetStar II || 1 || |----- | Lockheed P-3 Orion ||  United States || maritime patrol || P-3F || 5 || |----- | Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star ||  United States || trainer || T-33A || 5 || |-----

| McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II ||  United States || fighter

fighter

reconnaissance || F-4D

F-4E

RF-4E || 15

29

3 ||

|-----

| Mikoyan MiG-29 ||  Russia || fighter

trainer || MiG-29A

MiG-29UB || 60

15 || many with local upgrades

|-----

| Mil Mi-8 ||  Russia || Medium-lift transport helicopter || Mi-8MTW

Mi-17

Mi-171Sh || 4

2

46 ||

|-----

| Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger ||  United States || fighter || F-5A

F-5B

F-5E

F-5F

RF-5E || 50 || many other versions in storage

|----- | Pilatus PC-6 Porter ||  Switzerland || utility transport || || 12 || |----- | Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer ||  Switzerland || trainer || || 20 || |----- | Saab Safari ||  Sweden || trainer || Mushshak || 23 || built by Pakistan |----- | Shenyang F-6 Farmer ||  China || fighter || F-6 || 18 || |-----

| Socata TB ||  France || utility || TB 20

TB 200 || 6

6 ||

|----- | Sukhoi Su-24 ||  Russia || strike/air-to-air refuelling tanker || SU-24MK || 32 || |----- | Sukhoi Su-30 ||  Russia || air superiority fighter|| SU-30MKM || 250 ||

| Mikoyan MiG-27 ||  Russia || attack/strike || || 24 || |-----

| Sukhoi Su-25 ||  Russia || strike/close air support

trainer || Su-25K

Su-25T

Su-25UBK

Su-25UBT || -

3

-

3 || 7 Su-25K/UBK impounded from Iraq

6 Su-25T/UBT purchased from Russia[10]

|----- |}

A number of other types have been in recent or reported, Iranian service. Many may remain in reserve storage or are operated by the Army or Navy or maybe even in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Some recent types include:

Facilities

See also: List of Iranian Air Force Bases

In the last several years 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 also a number of new early warning radar sites around the country. Its ability to control the national airspace, however, remains limited - mainly due to the rugged terrain and lack of airborne early warning assets.

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

Markings

The IRIAF markings are only slightly different to those used by the IIAF.

The main difference is addition of the word "Allah" (meaning "God" in Arabic), in red, on the white field of the fin flash, and the text "Allah-u-Akhbar" (translated to "God is great"), in white, on the bottom of the green, and the top of the red field.

The roundel remains the same as used before.

The word "Allah" is applied also on a number of F-5 Tiger IIs on the top of the fin, and undersides of the port (left) wing of IRIAF F-14 Tomcats.

See also

References

  1. ^ DEBKAfile DEBKA Reports: Iran buys 250 long-distance Sukhoi fighter-bombers, 20 fuel tankers, from Russia1 August 2007
  2. ^ Navy Times Reports: Iran may buy 250 jets from Russia 1 August 2007
  3. ^ defensetech Iran's New Fighter? 2 August 2007
  4. ^ Yossi Melman. "Iran to buy from China 24 fighter jets based on Israeli technology" Haaretz, 24 October 2007.
  5. ^ Kommersant. "Iran buys Israeli fighter jets" RIA Novosti, 23 October 2007.
  6. ^ http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20071023/85174001.html
  7. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15 2007.
  8. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/tazarv.htm
  9. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/simorgh.htm
  10. ^ "Iran Bolsters Su-25 Fleet, Jane's].
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