List of aircraft of the Iranian Air Force

Iranian Air Force

Hierarchical Structure History History of the Iranian Air Force Personnel List of senior officers Air Force Rank insignia Aircraft List of aircraft Air Bases List of air bases

This is a list of aircraft types operated by the Iranian Air Force, not including those operated by the air arm of the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution prior to the foundation of the Air Force as a separate service in August 1955.

Combat types

Air superiority fighters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Grumman F-14 Tomcat	US	Interceptor	F-14A	44	1974–	80 examples ordered, 79 were originally delivered; the only plane to use the Phoenix missile.[1]
Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum	Russia	Fighter Trainer	MiG-29A	44	1991	14 single seat MiG-29 received in 1994. A second delivery occurred in 1991 with 20 MiG-29/MiG-29UB. Iran also took over 4 ex-Iraqi aircraft flown over in 1991, including one MiG-29UB. An additional 6 MiG29/MiG-29UB where received in 1994. The current number of MiG-29 in active service is unknown although most sources point to 25.[2] [1] [3]

Multirole fighters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Dassault Mirage F1	France	Fighter	F1EQ5 F1BQ	23	1991–	24 were evacuated from Iraq, during the 1991 Persian Gulf War[1]
Chengdu F-7 Airguard	China	Fighter	F-7M	21	1986–	According to Global Security Iran has 20 F-7s in service.[1] According to IRAF and zIF Boards there are 36 F-7s in Iran military.
HESA Saeqeh	Iran	Fighter	Two versions have been observed	7	January 2016	Iranian media claimed up to 30 of these are in service.[1]
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II	US	Fighter-Bomber	F-4D/E RF-4E	64	1968–	According to Global Security 60 F-4D/E and 4 RF-4Es are in service.[1] F-4Ds/Es are currently undergoing an upgrade program which includes a new Chinese-built radar and other avionics (PL 7,PL12).(According to the aviationist (October 2013) the Qader cruise missile that went into mass production was successfully tested on an F-4)[1][2]
Northrop F-5 Tiger II	US	Light fighter	F-5E F-5F	60 [1]	1974–	According to Global Security 60 F-5's modernized[1]

Ground attack

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA Azarakhsh	Iran	Light attack aircraft	First Generation (includes twin-seat version)	4	2015	[1]
Sukhoi Su-24	Russia	Strike/air-to-air refuelling "buddy" tanker	Su-24MK	30	1991	According to Global Security, 30 SU-24s are in service.[1] Upgraded with night vision. 24 examples formerly belonged to IQAF.
Sukhoi Su-25	Russia	Close Air Support	Su-25K/UBK	6	1991	7 ex-Iraqi Air Force examples which were transferred back to Iraq to fight ISIL

Future additions

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA Simorgh	Iran	Fighter	Trainer / Attack aircraft	0	2016	[1]
Saegheh 2	Iran	Fighter	Fighter jet	0	2016	The new generation of Saeqeh is a twin-seat fighter jet, which has more power, mobility, navigation equipment, fire power, pay load and operational range compared to its single-seat version.[4]
Qaher-313	Iran	Fighter	Fighter Jet	?	?	An Iranian Fifth-generation jet fighter. To-date, only a single mockup exists; and the program has been dismissed by some aviation experts as a hoax.

Reconnaissance, patrol, and EW

Maritime Patrol

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Lockheed P-3 Orion	US	maritime patrol	P-3F	6	1974–	3 in service

Transport/AWACS/Maritime patrol

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA IrAn-140	Iran	Transport/AWACS/Maritime patrol		30		Global Security has reported that 5+ are in service in the Iranian Air Force.[1]

Transport and utility

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Boeing 707	US	VIP transport transport air-to-air refuelling tanker	707-368C 707-3J9C	1 3	1974–	1 tanker, 2 transports Global security reports that one 707 is a tanker and two are transports.[1]
Boeing 747	US	VIP transport/freighter	747-100 747-100F 747-200F	6		2 tanker, 4 transports.[1]
Dassault Falcon 20	France	VIP transport		3
Dassault Falcon 50	France	VIP transport		?
Fokker F27 Friendship	Netherlands	tactical airlift/transport and target towing	F27-400M F27-600	12	1972-
Ilyushin Il-76 Candid	Russia	transport		15		According to magazine "Airforce", only 4~5 of them are fully operational
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	US	tactical airlift/transport	C-130E C-130H	19[1]
Lockheed JetStar	US	VIP transport	JetStar 8	2		1 operational in 2008
Pilatus PC-6 Porter	Switzerland	utility transport		13
Antonov An-74	Ukraine	utility transport		13
Y-7	China	utility transport		14		According to Global Security 14 Y-7's are in service.

Trainers

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Chengdu FT-7	China	Avanced Trainer	FT.7	5		Dual-seat J-7 conversion trainer. Some reports indicates that 5 are in service.[1]
Beechcraft Bonanza	US	trainer	F.33	20
Fajr F.3	Iran	trainer	F.3	2
HESA Dorna	Iran	Trainer		5	2016	One as of 2005. 25 planned for 2010.[1] At least 40 are being build by HESA. Only 5 confirmed.
IAMI Parastoo	Iran	trainer		12		12 as of 2005.[1]
HESA Simorgh / Northrop F-5 B	Iran	Advanced Trainer		20		F-5As converted domestically to F-5B standard. Twenty in total planned.[1]
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer	Switzerland	trainer		45
TB-21 Tobago / TB-200 Trinidad	France	trainer		12		12 traniers in service.[1]
PAC MFI-17 Mushshak	Pakistan	trainer		25		25 trainers in service.[1]

Helicopters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	Number	Years	Notes
Boeing CH-47 Chinook	US	Heavy-lift transport helicopter	CH-47C	At least 40
Bell 214	US	Search and rescue/medium-lift transport helicopter	Bell 214C/214A	70[1]
Agusta-Bell 212	Italy	Light transport helicopter	AB-212	50		Licence-built in Italy
Agusta Bell 206	Italy	Trainer/light transport helicopter	AB 206	6		Licence-built in Italy.

Other types

These types were also purchased by the Iranian government

• One Aero A.30 from Czechoslovakia in 1923
• One De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou in 1979

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. Some recent types include:

• Mikoyan MiG-23 (formerly IQAF)
• Sukhoi Su-17/20/22 (formerly IQAF)
• Boeing 727 (Cargo/transport)
• Hughes 300C
• Shabaviz 2-75 (Iranian origin, operated by the Army)
• Bell 204 UH-1 (40 operated by the Army)
• AH-1 SeaCobra (Received 204, ~50 are operational and upgraded by HESA in Army)
• C-130 Hercules (Received 60 C-130, 48 are operational, overhauled and upgraded by Army)
• HESA Shahed 278
• Shahed 285(40+ operated by Irani forces)
• IAIO TOOFAN(40+ operated by IRIAA)
• Mi-17(45 operated by Iran air force)

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

Iranian combat aircraft under development

• M-ATF

Notes

1. "Iran Air Force". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
2. Taghvaee, Babak (June 2012). "Guardians of Tehran: Iranian Fulcrums". Combat Aircraft Monthly: 70–73.
3. https://sputniknews.com/military/201501201017120106/
4. "HESA Saeqeh Saeqeh-80 Azarakhsh-2 fighter aircraft". airrecognition.com. Retrieved 7 July 2015.

Further reading

• Andrade, John (1982). Militair 1982. London: Aviation Press Limited. ISBN 0-907898-01-7.

External links

• MA-60 photo
• Iran Prepares to Re-equip its Military