List of aircraft of the Iranian Air Force explained

This is a list of aircraft types operated by the Iranian Air Force, not including those operated by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This list also includes aircraft operated by Imperial Iranian Army Aviation prior to the foundation of the Air Force as a separate service in August 1955.

In 2007, Iraq asked Iran to return some of the scores of Iraqi fighter planes that flew there ahead of the Persian Gulf War in 1991.[1] And as of 2014, Iran was receptive to the demands and was working on refurbishing an unspecified number of jets.[2] [3] In late 2014, Iran returned some of the impounded Iraqi military aircraft to Iraq.[4]

Combat/Fighter Aircraft

Air superiority fighters

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
Russia Multirole-fighter
Trainer
MiG-29 (9.12B)
MiG-29UB
30 1991 24 MiG-29 delivered in 1990. Iran also took several ex-Iraqi MiG-29 aircraft flown over in 1991, including one MiG-29UB. The current number of MiG-29 in active service is unknown. According to Russian media up to 30 (24 MiG-29 product 9.12B and 6 MiG-29UB 9.51) of all MiG-29s have been overhauled and can now be armed with Nasr-1 anti-ship missiles.[5] [6] In 2018, a MiG-29 crashed and was destroyed due to a technical fault.
USMultirole-fighter F-14A 40 1974–present 80 examples ordered, 79 were originally delivered; the only plane to use the Phoenix missile. 40 in inventory.[7] Iran currently has about 40 F-14 remaining with two of them having been upgraded to F-14AM[8] around 20 Fully Mission Capable and the other 20 Partially Mission Capable

Supplementary fighters

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
Iran Light fighter Saegheh-1/26[9] 2006–present Is claimed to be heavily upgraded and indigenously made
HESA KowsarIranFighter aircraft 4[10] 2018–present Western analysts have described the plane as inefficient as a weapon, but having potential for training a new generation of Iranian fighter pilots. According to the Iranian state-media, this fighter jet has "advanced avionics" and multipurpose radar, and it was "100-percent indigenously made". It also uses digital data networks, a glass cockpit, heads-up display (HUD), ballistic computers and smart mobile mapping systems.
HESA AzarakhshIranLight fighter First Generation (includes twin-seat version) 4 2015 Rebuilt F-5E.
Chengdu J-7ChinaFighter aircraft N/MB 24 1991–presentChinese license-built MiG-21
France Fighter aircraft F1EQ/F1BQ 23 1991–present Iran received 24 F1BQs and F1EQs flown over from Iraq, during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. One Mirage F1BQ from Mashhad AFB (TFB.14) was shot down on July 8, 2001 by the Taliban with Sa-16/18 Manpad while involved in countering drug-smuggling at the Afghan border.
USInterceptor F-4D/E
RF-4E
64 1968–present 225 examples ordered and delivered. According to Global Security 60 F-4D/E and 4 RF-4Es remain. 10 are F-4Ds and 50 are F-4Es.[11] F-4Ds/Es are currently undergoing an upgrade program which includes a new Chinese-built radar and other avionics and weapons namely PL-5E, PL-11 and C-801.(According to the aviationist (October 2013) the Qader cruise missile that went into mass production was successfully tested on an F-4).
USLight fighter F-5E
F-5F
601974–present 181 examples ordered and delivered. According to Global Security 60 F-5's remain This includes about 16 F-5F dual seat trainers and 44 F-5E fighter bomber

Ground attack

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
Russia Strike/air-to-air refuelling "buddy" tanker Su-24MK 32 1991 12 aircraft supplied by Russia in 1991. 24 Iraqi examples were evacuated to Iran during the 1991 Gulf War and were put in service with the IRIAF. 3 of them crashed and was destroyed due to a technical fault.30 Su-24MKs in service as of January 2013.[12] Iran tested domestically produced, anti-radar smart missiles carried by Su-24 aircraft in September 2011.[13]
Russia Fighter-Bomber Su-22M3/M4 20 1991–presentThe Iranian Air Force received 40 Su-20/22s from Iraq in 1991.[14] While non-operational for several years, Iran started in 2013 an overhauling program for these.[15] In March 2015, 10 of the Iranian Air Force Su-22 were transferred to the Syrian Arab Air Force to fight in the ongoing Civil War.[16] In July 2018, Iranian military technical experts successfully overhauled and modernized 10 Su-22s, giving them the ability to carry smart bombs, fire precision-guided munitions, transfer data from UAVs and in the near future the necessary systems to use air-launched cruise missiles with a range of 1500 km. The overhauled planes are being used by IRGC's Air Force.[17] [18]

Reconnaissance, patrol, and EW

Transport/AWACS/Maritime patrol

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
HESA IrAn-140Iran Transport/AWACS/Maritime patrol 7 Project appears to have been stalled or cancelled.[19]
Ilyushin Il-76Soviet Union Transport/AWACSIL-76MD Adnan11991–PresentOne AWACS-converted Il-76 crashed in 2009.[20]

Transport and utility

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
Antonov An-74Ukraine utility transport 12 All assigned to IRGCAF, not IRIAF.
Ilyushin Il-76Russia tactical airlift/transport 12
Dassault Falcon 20France VIP transport 3
Dassault Falcon 50FranceVIP transport 1
Fokker F27 FriendshipNetherlands tactical airlift/transport and target towing F27-400M
F27-600
12 1972–present
Pilatus PC-6 PorterSwitzerland utility transport 15
Boeing 707US VIP transport
transport
air-to-air refuelling tanker
707-368C
707-3J9C
1
2
1974– 1 tanker, 2 transports Global security reports that one 707 is a tanker and two are transports.
Boeing 747US VIP transport/freighter 747-100
747-100F
747-200F
6 2 tanker, 4 transports.One is used for electronic warfare.
Lockheed C-130 HerculesUS tactical airlift/transport C-130E
C-130H
27Nine visible on Google Maps at Mehrabad Air Base, with various underwing stores and some do not appear to have all four engines installed.
Lockheed JetStarUS VIP transport JetStar 8 2 1 operational in 2008

Trainers

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsNumberYearsNotes
Fajr F.3Iran trainer F.3 2
HESA DornaIran Trainer 1 2016 Prototype
IRIAF Parastu-14Iran trainer 12 12 as of 2005.
HESA YasinIran Advanced Trainer 2+ HESA Yasin (formerly known as Kowsar 88) is a light aircraft and advance training aircraft designed and manufactured by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company at the request of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Yassin uses two 7,000-pound turbojet engines and is on par with the Russian MiG-AT jet.
HESA Simorgh / Northrop F-5 BIran Advanced Trainer 9 F-5As converted domestically to F-5B standard.
Chengdu FT-7ChinaAdvanced Trainer FT.7 14 Dual-seat J-7 conversion trainer. Some reports indicates that 5 are in service. Scramble notes 14 active.[21]
TB-21 Tobago / TB-200 TrinidadFrance trainer 12 12 trainers in service.
PAC MFI-17 MushshakPakistan trainer 25 25 trainers in service.
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo TrainerSwitzerland trainer 45
Beechcraft BonanzaUStrainer F.33 28
Yak-130Russiatrainer/CAS2+[22]

Helicopters

AircraftOriginTypeVariantNumberYearsNotes
Agusta Bell 206ItalyLight utility/trainerAB 206 20Licence-built in Italy.
Agusta-Bell 212ItalyUtilityAB-212 1Licence-built in Italy. 1 lost 19 May 2024.[23]
Boeing CH-47 ChinookUSHeavy-lift transportCH-47C 20-30

Other types

These types were also purchased by the Iranian government

A number of other types have been in recent, or reported to be in, Iranian service. Many remain in reserve storage or are operated by the Army or Navy. Some recent types include:

Iran has a number of UAVs and UCAVs, currently under operation of the Iranian Army Aviation.

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Iraq air force wants Iran to give back its planes. Ross. Colvin. . 2017-12-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20171011160600/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-airforce-idUSCOL54415720070805. 2017-10-11. live.
  2. Web site: With new US planes slow to arrive, Iraq seeks remnants of Saddam's air force to bomb ISIL. 28 June 2014 . 2017-08-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824012729/http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1542427/new-us-planes-slow-arrive-iraq-seeks-remnants-saddams-air-force-bomb-isil. 2017-08-24. live.
  3. News: Iraq cobbling together makeshift air force to fight ISIS. Washington Post. 2017-08-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20170901111218/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2014/06/27/be172f43-cf98-4677-8e6d-4d64a5ae5e1d_story.html. 2017-09-01. live.
  4. Web site: Iran returns military aircraft to Iraq after 20 years. 23 June 2014. 23 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824011837/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20140623-iran-returns-military-aircraft-to-iraq-after-20-years/. 24 August 2017. live.
  5. Web site: Iranian Air Force receives overhauled MiG-29 fighter jet and new Nasr missiles - News - Russian Aviation - RUAVIATION.COM. www.ruaviation.com.
  6. Taghvaee. Babak. Guardians of Tehran: Iranian Fulcrums. Combat Aircraft Monthly. June 2012. 70–73.
  7. Web site: Iran Air Force. globalsecurity.org. 7 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20141030185508/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/airforce-equipment.htm. 30 October 2014. live.
  8. Web site: Analysis: Fakour Air-to-Air Missile. 2018-07-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20180727145943/https://irangeomil.blogspot.com/2018/07/analysis-fakour-air-to-air-missile.html. 2018-07-27. live.
  9. Web site: jamejamonline.ir . October 10, 2020 . ویژگیهای مهم اولین جنگنده کاملا ایرانی +عکس . 2022-10-14 . fa.
  10. Web site: هواپیمای ترابری نظامی ایران 140 امسال رونمایی می‌شود/تحویل 3 فروند جنگنده کوثر به نیروی هوایی ارتش/ سبد محصولات پهپادی ما کامل شده است- اخبار خواندنی - اخبار رسانه ها تسنیم Tasnim . 2022-10-14 . خبرگزاری تسنیم Tasnim . fa.
  11. Web site: Scramble. www.scramble.nl. 2017-08-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20170825065340/http://www.scramble.nl/orbats/iran/airforce. 2017-08-25. live.
  12. World Military Aircraft Inventory . Aviation Week and Space Technology . January 2013.
  13. Web site: Su-24 front-line bomber. airforceworld.com. September 2011. 5 Oct 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111014082328/http://www.airforceworld.com/attacker/eng/su24-fighter-bomber-russia-1.htm. 14 October 2011. dead.
  14. Web site: 01IRIAF Su 22 Fitter1 :: Mycity-Military.com. www.mycity-military.com. 2018-07-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20180729230632/https://www.mycity-military.com/slika.php?slika=143473_46214310_01IRIAF+Su-22+Fitter1.jpg. 2018-07-29. live.
  15. Web site: This Is How Iran Maintains Its Bizarre Air Force. Boring. War Is. 2013-12-18. War Is Boring. 2017-07-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20170913044535/https://medium.com/war-is-boring/this-is-how-iran-maintains-its-bizarre-air-force-4a26263947ca. 2017-09-13. live.
  16. Web site: Warplanes: Iran Gives Syria Ten Iraqi Su-22s. www.strategypage.com. 2017-07-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20180204071116/https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/20150401.aspx. 2018-02-04. live.
  17. Web site: IRGC overhauls, upgrades 10 Sukhoi SU-22 fighter jets. 25 July 2018. 26 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180726115626/https://en.mehrnews.com/news/136065/IRGC-overhauls-upgrades-10-Sukhoi-SU-22-fighter-jets. 26 July 2018. live.
  18. Web site: Iran Upgrades 10 Su-22 Fighter Jets Domestically. www.defenseworld.net. 2018-07-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20180727115237/http://www.defenseworld.net/news/23047/Iran_Upgrades_10_Su_22_Fighter_Jets_Domestically. 2018-07-27. live.
  19. Web site: Iran rejects manufacturing Iran-140 passenger plane. 19 May 2015. 8 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812060012/https://en.trend.az/iran/business/2396352.html. 12 August 2017. live.
  20. Web site: Morgan . David . 2011-06-04 . Video of 2009 Iranian jet crash surfaces - CBS News . 2024-01-26 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  21. Web site: Military Database - Scramble. www.scramble.nl.
  22. Web site: جنگنده آموزشی یاک 130 به ایران آمد- اخبار نظامی دفاعی امنیتی - اخبار سیاسی تسنیم Tasnim . 2023-09-02 . خبرگزاری تسنیم Tasnim . fa.
  23. News: The death of Iran’s president will spark a high-stakes power struggle . 2024-05-20 . The Economist . 0013-0613.