List of aircraft of the Iranian Air Force

This is a list of aircraft types operated by the Iranian Air Force, including those operated by the air arm of the Iranian Army prior to the foundation of the Air Force as a separate service in August 1955. Updated as of December 11, 2012.

Combat types

Air Superiority Fighters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Grumman F-14 Tomcat	USA	Air Superiority Fighter	F-14A	54	1974-1979	79 originally received.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum	Russia	Fighter Trainer	MiG-29A MiG-29UB	21 7	1990- 1990-	18 single-seat fighters and 6 two-seat trainers were received from the USSR. 4 additional aircraft (3 single-seat fighters, 1 two-seat trainer) are ex-Iraqi Air Force aircraft.
Dassault Mirage F1	France	Fighter	F1EQ5 F1BQ	24	1991-	24 Mirage F1 escaped from Iraq to Iran during the first 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Multirole Fighters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Chengdu F-7 Airguard	China	Fighter	F-7M	17	1986- 1986-
HESA Saeqeh	Iran	Fighter	Two versions have been observed	at least 6	January 2010	Six serial numbers (3-7366 through 3-7371) have been identified via photographic evidence.
McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II	USA	Fighter	F-4D F-4E RF-4E	28	1968- 1968-	F-4D/E are currently undergoing an upgrade program which includes a new Chinese-built radar and other avionics.
Northrop F-5 Tiger II	USA	Fighter	F-5E F-5F	20

Ground attack

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA Azarakhsh	Iran	Light attack aircraft	First Generation (includes twin-seat version)	NA	1997	First Generation: 2, 2nd Generation: 1, 3rd Generation: 1
Sukhoi Su-24	Russia	Strike/air-to-air refuelling tanker	Su-24MK	27
Sukhoi Su-25	Russia	Close Air Support	Su-25K/UBK	13	1991	7 ex-Iraqi Air Force. Belong soley to the IRGCAF, not IRIAF

Future Additions

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA Shafaq	Iran	Fighter	Trainer / Attack aircraft	0		Reportedly there are plans to produce three versions—one two-seat trainer/light strike version and two one-seat fighter-bomber versions. To-date, only a single mockup exists.
Qaher 313	Iran	Fighter	Fighter jet	0		Domestically-produced front control wing stealth fighter.

Former Iranian combat aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Curtiss Model 75	US	Fighter	H75A-9	10	1941-42
Hawker Fury	UK	Fighter	Mk I Mk II	16 6	1933-49
Hawker Hart	UK	Bomber			1933-39
Hawker Hind	UK Iran	Bomber		35 20	1938-51 1941-
Hawker Hurricane	UK	Fighter	Mk I Mk II Mk IIC	1 36 2	1939-46 1946-50 1947-51
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt	USA	Fighter	P-47D	160	1948-1959
North American F-86 Sabre	USA Canada	Fighter	F-86F CL-13B	20 90	1959-73 1966	CL-13Bs purchased from Germany and sold on to Pakistan soon afterwards
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak   Republic F-84G Thunderjet	USA	Fighter Reconnaissance Fighter	F-84F RF-84F F-84G	30   75	1972   1956-66
De Havilland DH.4	USSR	Bomber		4	1924	Built by Polikarpov/Dux
De Havilland DH.9A	USSR	Bomber	DH.9A R-1	5 27	1924-26 1924-35	Built by Polikarpov/Dux

Reconnaissance, patrol, and EW

AEW&C

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Boeing 707	USA	Electronic warfare		1

AEW&C

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
RC-130	USA	Electronic warfare		1

Maritime Patrol

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Lockheed P-3 Orion	USA	maritime patrol	P-3F	5	1974-	Belong soley to the IRIN

Future Additions

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
HESA IrAn-140	Iran	Transport/AWACS/Maritime patrol	0

Former Iranian reconnaissance, patrol, and AEW aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Avro Anson	UK	Reconnaissance, trainer	Mk I	48	1943-51
Breguet 14	France	Reconnaissance		2	1924-25
Breguet 19	France	Reconnaissance	A2	1	1925-26
Hawker Audax	UK Iran	Close Air Support		56	1934-51	Built by Shahbaz
Polikarpov R-5	USSR	Reconnaissance		10	1933-43

Transport and utility

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
(Rockwell) Aero Commander 500 family	USA	utility transport	681 690A	2	1970-99 1973-
Boeing 707	USA	VIP transport transport air-to-air refuelling tanker	707-368C 707-3J9C	1 3	1974-	1 tanker, 2 transports
Boeing 747	USA	VIP transport/freighter	747-100 747-100F 747-200F	6		1 tanker, 5 transports
Dassault Falcon 50	France	VIP transport		3
Fokker F27 Friendship	Netherlands	tactical airlift/transport and target towing	F27-400M F27-600	12	1972-
Ilyushin Il-76 Candid	Russia	transport		5
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	USA	tactical airlift/transport	C-130E C-130H	45
Lockheed JetStar	USA	VIP transport	JetStar 8	2		1 operational in 2008
Pilatus PC-6 Porter	Switzerland	utility transport		13

Trainers

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Number	Years	Notes
Northrop F-5	USA Trainer	F-5F	10
Chengdu J-7	China	FT-7	4
Fajr-3	Iran	trainer	F.3	?
Dorna/Tazarv	Iran	trainer		2		1 as of 2005, 25 planned for 2010
IAMI Parastoo	Iran	trainer		12		12 as of 2005
HESA Simorgh	Iran	trainer		7+		F-5As converted domestically to F-5B standard, 13 total planned.
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer	Switzerland	trainer		35

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
• Sukhoi Su-17/20/22
• Boeing 727 (Cargo/transport)
• Hughes 300C
• Shabaviz 2-75 (Iranian Origin) (operated by the Army)
• Bell 204 UH-1 (operated by the Army)
• AH-1 SeaCobra (From 204 only 180 are operational and upgraded by HESA in Army)
• C-130 Hercules (Out of a total of 60 C-130 only 48 are operational, overhauled and upgraded by Army)
• HESA Shahed 278
• Shahed 285
• Sukhoi Su-25 (11/8/12- Pentagon reported that on 11/1/12- a pair of Su-25UBK Frogfoot-B's(formerly IQAF) attempted to shoot down a Predator drone.)

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

Iranian combat aircraft under development

• M-ATF
• Saeqheh

References

Bibliography

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

External links

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