Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) (Persian: نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران) is the aviation branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed.
The Air Force has attempted with some success to maintain in service the large number of American-built aircraft which Iran acquired during the Shah's regime. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Air Force had turned to purchases of Soviet and Chinese aircraft, as well as pressing ex-Iraqi aircraft into service, and indigenously built aircraft, in order to maintain a capable force. Since the end of the end of the arms embargo, Iran has an extensive modernization and consolidation of their air force.
List of aircraft[edit | edit source]
Fighters[edit | edit source]
- Chengdu F-7M Airguard x 36 (Fighter)
- IAI F-4V Phantom Terminator x 75 (Fighter-Bomber)
- HESA Saeqeh x 32 (Light Fighter)
- Northrop F-E Tiger II x 24 (Light Fighter)
Ground Attack Aircraft[edit | edit source]
- HESA Azarakhsh x 30 (Light Attack Aircraft)
ELINT Aircraft[edit | edit source]
- HESA IrAn-140 x 30 (Maritime Patrol, AWACS)
- Lockheed P-3F Orion x 6 (Maritime Patrol)
- McDonnell-Douglas RF-4E Phantom II x 16 (Reconnaissance Aircraft)
Transport Aircraft[edit | edit source]
- Airbus A330 MRTT x 12 (Aerial Tanker)
- Antonov An-74 x 12 (Utility Transport)
- Boeing 707 x 6 (Aerial Tanker/VIP Transport)
- Boeing 747 x 10 (Aerial Tanker/VIP Transport)
- Boeing C-17 Globemaster III x 8 (Strategic Transport)
- Dassault Falcon 20 x 3 (VIP Transport)
- Dassault Falcon 50 x 3 (VIP Transport)
- Fokker F27 Friendship x 5 (Transport Aircraft)
- Harbin Y-12II x 9 (Tactical Transport)
- Ilyushin Il-76 x 5 (Strategic Transport)
- Lockheed C-130E/H Hercules x 28 (Tactical Transport)
- Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules x 10 (Tactical Transport)
- Pilatus PC-6 Porter x 15 (Utility Transport)
Training Aircraft[edit | edit source]
- Agusta-Bell AB206 x 1 (Training Helicopter)
- Chengdu FT-7 x 5 (Conversion Trainer)
- Embraer EMB 312 Tucano x 15 (Primary Trainer)
- KAI T-50IR Golden Eagle x 24 (Advanced Trainer)
- Northrop F-5B/F x 22 (Conversion Trainer)
- Pilatus PC-7 x 35 (Trainer)
Helicopters[edit | edit source]
- Agusta-Bell 206 x 6 (Utility Helicopter)
- Agusta-Bell 212 x 50 (Utility Helicopter)
- Bell 214A/C x 70 (Utility Helicopter)
- Boeing CH-47C Chinook x 40 (Heavy Lift Transport Helicopter)
- Mil Mi-17 x 45 (Transport Helicopter)
