Iran Air Force
The Iran Air Force played a central role during the Iran– Iraq War, serving as the country’ s main aerial force.
The history of Iran Air Force goes back to the early 1920s, when the Army Aviation Office was established. With the arrival of the first Iranian pilots in 1925 and the purchase of the first military aircraft, the Air Force began to take shape. Over time, it expanded, but following the Allied invasion of Iran in 1941 during World War II, the Air Force fell into crisis, and its airports and facilities were occupied by foreign forces.[1]
After the war, the Air Force was rebuilt. Jet aircraft entered the country, development accelerated, and it acquired advanced equipment. By 1978, the Iranian Air Force had 206 F‑4s, 172 F‑5s, 77 F‑14s, and a range of transport aircraft including 50 C‑130s, 20 Fokkers, 9 Boeing 747s, and 14 Boeing 707s.[2]
Its main bases were the 1st Tactical Airbase in Mehrabad, the 2nd in Tabriz, the 3rd in Hamedan, the 4th in Dezful, the 5th in Omidiyeh, the 6th in Bushehr, the 7th in Shiraz, the 8th in Isfahan, the 9th in Bandar Abbas, and the 10th in Chabahar.[3]
After the Islamic Revolution and the downsizing of the armed forces, the Air Force’ s operational capability declined. Personnel numbers were cut in half to around 60,000, and with the cancellation of military contracts with the United States, the readiness of its aircraft also decreased.[4]
In November 1979, following Iraq’ s border invasions, the Air Force prepared an operational plan called Alborz to counter a possible enemy attack.[5] As Iraqi border assaults intensified in the summer of 1980, the Air Force began bombing enemy troops in those areas. The peak of such operations was in September 1980.[6]
On September 22, 1980, Iraqi aircraft launched a massive bombing campaign against Iran’ s main airbases and airports, though the Iranian Air Force was not seriously damaged. The next day, under the Alborz Plan, the Air Force carried out Operation Kaman 99. Iranian aircraft flew 343 sorties, 217 of which were cross‑border strikes targeting Iraqi airbases and key military centers.[7]
In the early months of the Iran-Iraq War, the Army Ground Forces lacked mobility due to restructuring and internal unrest. As a result, the Air Force had to carry the fight, stopping the invading forces with airstrikes.[8] One of the most decisive moments of the war took place in northern Khuzestan. Faced with overwhelming Iraqi armored and mechanized units and limited Iranian ground forces, the Air Force had no choice but to set aside standard air‑combat principles and engage directly in stopping tanks and armored columns. Iraqi troops aimed to cross the Naderi Bridge and the Karkheh River, capture Dezful, and cut off access to Khuzestan. The Air Force, however, stopped them with heavy bombing.[9]
The Air Force also played a big role in Operation Morvarid, wiping out much of Iraq’ s Navy in November 1980. Conducted jointly with the Iranian Navy, the operation targeted Iraqi combat vessels and the Al‑Bakr and Al‑Amiyah oil terminals on November 28, 1980. The Air Force flew 67 sorties, destroying 11 Iraqi naval vessels, 13 fighter jets, and one helicopter. As a result, Iraq’ s Navy suffered heavy losses and was unable to play a meaningful role in the Persian Gulf for the rest of the war.[10]
In April 1981, the Air Force carried out the strategic Operation H‑3, striking the Al‑Walid triple airbase complex in western Iraq near the Jordanian border. The raid destroyed facilities and several aircraft.[11]
The Iran Air Force played a key role in supporting liberation operations across occupied territories, most notably in Khuzestan. It flew 150 sorties[12] during Operation Thamen al‑Aemmah (as) in September 1981 to break the siege of Abadan, 87 sorties in Operation Tariq al‑Quds to liberate Bostan, 202 sorties in Operation Fath al‑Mubin, and 131 sorties during Operation Beit al‑Muqaddas and the liberation of Khorramshahr.[13]
Another major contribution of the Air Force was aerial photography of deep areas within Iraq and along the frontlines. These images played a vital role in planning operations and guiding commanders during battles.[14]
Escorting oil tankers bound for Kharg Island and commercial ships heading to Bandar-e Imam Khomeini (ra), in coordination with the Iranian Navy, and countering Iraqi air attacks in the Persian Gulf were also among the Air Force’ s key wartime missions.[15]
Totally, 1,614 Air Force personnel, including 230 pilots, were martyred during the Iran– Iraq War. Also, 55 Air Force pilots were captured by Iraq and released after the war.[16] The Air Force lost many notable pilots during the war. Among them were Javad Fakoori, Abbas Babaei, Abbas Doran, Ali Eqbali, and Fereydoon Zulfaqari.[17]
After the war, Iran set up several programs to rebuild the Air Force, including buying MiG-29s, Su-24s, and F-7s.[18]
During the Iran-Iraq War, the Air Force was commanded by Brigadier General Javad Fakoori, Colonel Muhammad‑Hussain Moeinpoor, Colonel Hooshang Seddiq, and Brigadier General Mansoor Sattari from 1980 to 1988. Today, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi holds the position.[19]
References
- [1]. Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei: Ta Aghaz-e Tahajom-e Sarasari-ye Araq (History of Aerial Battles: Until the Beginning of Iraq’ s All-out Invasion), Vol. 1, Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1393, p. 52; Gorooh-e Asatid-e Maaref-e Jang, Maaref-e Jang (War Studies), Tehran: Iran-e Sabz, 1393, p. 283.
- [2]. Zeinali, Nasrollah, Aamad va Poshtibani-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (Air Support and Logistics in the Sacred Defense), Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1394, p. 251.
- [3]. Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei (History of Aerial Battles), Vol. 1, p. 59.
- [4]. Alaei, Hussain, Ravand-e Jang-e Iran va Araq (The Course of the Iran-Iraq War), Vol. 1, Tehran: Marz-o Boom, 1391, p. 41; Darvishi, Farhad va Gorooh-e Nevisandegan, Tajziyeh va Tahlil-e Jang-e Iran va Araq: Risheh-ha-ye Tahajom (Analysis of the Iran-Iraq War: Roots of the Aggression), Vol. 1, Tehran: Markaz-e Motaleat va Tahqiqat-e Jang-e Sepah-e Pasdaran, p. 97.
- [5]. Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei (History of Aerial Battles), Vol. 1, p. 258.
- [6]. Ibid., Pp. 282-285.
- [7]. Namaki, Ali-Reza va Hamkaran, Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei: Amaliyat-e Kaman 99 Mosoom be 140 Farvandi va Enhedam-e Niroo-ye Havaei-ye Doshman (History of Aerial Battles: Operation Kaman 99 Known as 140 Aircraft and Destruction of Enemy Air Force), Vol. 3, Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1396, p. 63.
- [8]. Shirmuhammad, Mohsen, Mardan-e Aaseman (Men of the Sky), Qom: Afrineh, 1391, p. 47.
- [9]. Hussaini, Seyyed Yaqoob, Nabardha-ye Mantaqeh-ye Khorramshahr va Abadan dar Sal-e Avval-e Jang-e Tahmili (Battles of Khorramshahr and Abadan Regions in the First Year of the Imposed War), Tehran: Sooreh Sabz, 1396, p. 225; Namaki, Ali-Reza, Niroo-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (The Air Force in the Sacred Defense), Tehran: Entesharat-e Iran-e Sabz, 1389, p. 161; Namaki, Ali-Reza, Khalili, Hussain, Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Defa Muqaddas: Jang ba Tankha (History of Aerial Battles of the Sacred Defense: War with Tanks), Vol. 5, Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1396, Pp. 71-75, 386-387.
- [10]. Masbooq, Muhammad, Javahari, Ali-Reza, Amaliyat-e Morvarid (Operation Morvarid), Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, Pp. 185, 186.
- [11]. Gorooh-e Asatid-e Maaref-e Jang, Maaref-e Jang (War Studies), p. 302.
- [12]. Namaki, Ali-Reza, Niroo-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (The Air Force in the Sacred Defense), p. 197.
- [13]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), Tehran: Iran-e Sabz, 1398, Pp. 183, 192, 203.
- [14]. Shirmuhammad, Mohsen, Cheshman-e Oqab (Eagle Eyes), Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1396, p. 9.
- [15]. Shirmuhammad, Mohsen, Bar Faraz-e Daryaha: Negahi be Tarikh-e Havadarya va Hamaseh-ye Eskadranha-ye Havanav, Balgard va Bal-e Sabet dar Jang-e Tahmili (Over the Seas: A Look at the History of Naval Aviation and the Epic of Seaplane, Helicopter and Fixed-Wing Squadrons in the Imposed War), Tehran: Daftar-e Pazhooheshha-ye Nazari va Motaleaat-e Rahbardi-ye NEDAJA, 1400, p. 175.
- [16]. Namaki, Ali-Reza, Khalili, Hussain, Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Defa Muqaddas (History of Aerial Battles of the Sacred Defense), Vol. 5, p. 4.
- [17]. Namaki, Ali-Reza, Niroo-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (The Air Force in the Sacred Defense), Pp. 22-62.
- [18]. Ibid., p. 20.
- [19]. Mahnameh-ye Saf (Saf Monthly), No. 213, Bahman-e 1376, Pp. 44-46; Khabargozari-e Jomhoori-ye Eslami (IRNA), 31 Shahrivar-e 1400, www. irna. ir/news/84479678
