Iran Air Force Combat Aircrafts

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force is the aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s. It's one of the few air forces in the Middle East, with experience in a conventional war, having fought the Iran-Iraq War in the 80s. The IRIAF has developed real battle tested tactics and a cadre of skillful pilots. Many of them, veterans of the 8 year war and nowadays senior generals, form the core of today's IRIAF command.

1. Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental  program after the collapse of the F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

2. Mikoyan MiG-29

The MiG-29 (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. The MiG-29, along with the larger Sukhoi Su-27, was developed to counter new U.S. fighters such as the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The MiG-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in 1982.

3.  F-4 Phantom II

The F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1961 with the Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their air arms.

4.  Northrop F-5

The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and the extensively updated F-5E and F-5F Tiger II variants. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and a low cost of maintenance.

5. HESA Saeqeh

The HESA Saeqeh is an Iranian built single-seat jet fighter, derived from the American Northrop F-5. A joint product of the Iran Air Force and the Iranian Ministry of Defence, it is the second generation of the Iranian Azarakhsh fighter.

6. Chengdu J-7

The Chengdu J-7 (NATO reporting name: Fishcan) is a Chinese license-built version of the Soviet MiG-21. Though production ceased in 2013, it continues to serve, mostly as an interceptor, in several air forces, including the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

7. Dassault Mirage F1 

The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family.

8. HESA Kowsar 

The HESA Kowsar is an Iranian fighter jet based on the American Northrop F-5. The aircraft is equipped with new fourth generation avionics in combination with an advanced fire control system.

Western analysts have described the plane to be 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.

9. Sukhoi Su-17 

The Sukhoi Su-17 (NATO reporting name: Fitter) is a Soviet variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber developed from the Sukhoi Su-7. It enjoyed a long career in Soviet, later Russian, service and was widely exported to Eastern Bloc, Arab air forces, Angola and Peru as the Su-20 and Su-22. It is the first variable-sweep wing of Soviet origin.

Reference