The 8th Tactical Air Base of Isfahan
The 8th Tactical Air Base of Isfahan was among the most active airbases during the Iran-Iraq War. The history of the base dates back to the early 1970s. Following Iran’ s 1974 contract to acquire the F‑14 Tomcat, work began on a major new air base in Isfahan, later designated as the 8th Tactical Air Base. Since Isfahan lies almost at the center of the country, the base was intended to serve as the main operating hub, with F‑14s providing air cover for all regions of Iran.[1] Following the death of General Muhammad Khatami, the then-commander of the Air Force, in a kiting accident at the Dez Dam on September 12, 1975,[2] the base was named after him.[3] The first F-14 aircraft arrived at the Isfahan Base on February 9, 1976.[4]
By September 1980, on the eve of the Iran– Iraq War, the 8th Tactical Air Base possessed 61 F‑14s and a cadre of 35 pilots and 50 radar intercept officers; however, only 13 aircraft were fully mission‑ready.[5]
The 8th Tactical Air Base was among the airbases attacked by Iraq on September 22, 1980.[6] Nevertheless, on that same day, the base responded immediately, sending F‑14s to provide air cover across Iran’ s northwest, west, southwest, and central regions.[7] That same night, thanks to the efforts of the base’ s technical specialists, 30 F‑14s were restored to operational status.[8]
On September 23, 1980, as part of Operation Kaman 99, the 8th Base went into action, launching a major air strike against Iraq’ s key military bases and strategic centers. F-14 fighter jets carried out 28 sorties to protect friendly jets and intercept enemy air attacks, successfully downing two Iraqi aircraft.[9]
The 8th Tactical Air Base also played a role in Operation Morvarid and the destruction of the Iraqi Navy on November 28, 1980. On this day, its F‑14 squadrons flew nine protective sorties in support of the Iranian Navy units and shot down one enemy aircraft.[10]
During the series of operations to liberate Khuzestan, the Isfahan Base participated in the aerial defense of the frontlines. In September 1981, in Operation Thamen al-Aemmah (as), the 81st and 82nd squadrons of the 8th Tactical Air Base were responsible for the region’ s air cover.[11] F‑14 missions supporting the 77th Khorasan Division continued nonstop throughout the day and night.[12] As a result, once enemy pilots spotted Iranian F‑14s, they frequently dropped their bombs without aiming and fled back toward Iraq.[13] This allowed the 77th Division to continue its advance on the battlefield without suffering casualties from aerial bombardments.[14]
The 8th Tactical Air Base joined Operation Tariq al‑Quds in November 1981 with a deployed squadron of F‑14s.[15] According to the Shabah Project (the aerial plan for Operation Tariq al-Quds), armed air patrols by two F-14s were scheduled over the area from west of Bostan to Susangerd to prevent enemy infiltration.[16] During this engagement, an F-14 fighter was targeted and shot down by Iraqi Mirage aircraft for the first time.[17]
In Operation Beit al-Muqaddas and the liberation of Khorramshahr, the 81st Squadron of Isfahan, together with the 71st Squadron based in Shiraz, provided air defense over the operational area,[18] resulting in the downing of 19 attacking enemy aircraft.[19]
Also, during the Tanker War in the Persian Gulf, F‑14s flew out of the 8th Tactical Air Base to escort oil tankers through aerial refueling and continuous 24‑hour patrols, thwarting enemy air attacks and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of Iran’ s oil exports.[20] Likewise, in November 1985, four F‑14 fighter jets were sent to the Bushehr Base to enable a faster response to the enemy.[21]
In late 1985, to centralize the maintenance of these aircraft, F-14s were transferred from the 7th Air Base of Shiraz to Isfahan.[22]
During Operation Kheibar, which resulted in the capture of the Majnoon Islands, paired F‑14s from the Isfahan Base flew low over the Khatam al‑Anbiya (pbuh) Headquarters (the joint Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters), acting as “ mini‑AWACS” to maintain aerial surveillance across the area.[23]
In Operation Valfajr 8 in early 1986, the 8th Air Base of Isfahan, along with the 7th Air Base of Shiraz, handled part of the air defense over the combat zone. Eight F-14s, flying in pairs and performing non-stop aerial refueling, maintained the front’ s air cover.[24]
In 1986, Major Ahmad Moradi launched from the Isfahan Base on a combat patrol in an F‑14, and subsequently fled to Iraq in coordination with Iraqi intelligence services. Moradi defected to Iraq, but his radar intercept officer, Captain Najafi, refused to follow and remained in captivity until 1990.[25]
F‑14s from the Isfahan Base also took part in Operation Karbala 5 in 1987.[26] In this operation, F-14 fighter jets were used for the first time to strike enemy positions.[27]
One of the important modifications made to the F‑14 was equipping it with Hawk missiles. In 1988, an aircraft of this type from the 8th Base managed to target and shoot down an Iraqi MiG-29.[28]
Following the Islamic Revolution, a Flight Academy was founded at the Isfahan Base, and over time it expanded to offer a complete set of pilot‑training courses, so pilots no longer depended on training overseas.[29]
After the Iran-Iraq War, the 8th Air Base was renamed the “ Shahid Babaei Air Region” in honor of Major General Abbas Babaei, the Deputy of Operations for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, who was martyred in 1987.[30]
Following the war, the most serious incident in the base’ s history took place. On January 5, 1995, an aircraft carrying Brigadier General Mansour Sattari (Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force at the time) and high-ranking officers including Brigadier General Mostafa Ardestani (Deputy of Operations for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) and Brigadier General Ali-Reza Yasini (Chief of Staff for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) crashed near the Isfahan Base runway, resulting in their martyrdom.[31]
During and after the war, in addition to F-14s and PC-7s, F-5 and F-7 fighter jets were also stationed at the Isfahan Base.[32] Today, the base has two separate flight wings for interceptor and training duties. After completing their initial flight phase with Bonanza aircraft, fighter pilots are sent to the Isfahan Base for advanced training, where they conduct training flights with PC-7 and F-7 aircraft. Furthermore, the overhaul and maintenance of F-14, PC-7, and F-7 aircraft within the Iranian Air Force are handled exclusively at this base.[33]
Colonel Habibullah Sadeqpoor and Colonel Abbas Babaei were among the most prominent commanders of the 8th Tactical Air Base of Isfahan during the Iran-Iraq War.[34] Currently, the base is commanded by Second Brigadier General Ali-Reza Angizeh.[35]
References
- [1]. Babamahmoudi, Mahdi, Akharin Eskadran (The Last Squadron), Tehran: Atashbar, 1399, Pp. 68, 315.
- [2]. Tolooei, Morteza, Tarikh-e Niroo-ye Havaei-ye Shahanshahi (History of the Imperial Air Force), Tehran: Setad-e Farmandehi-ye Niroo-ye Havaei, 1355, p. 311.
- [3]. Babamahmoudi, Mahdi, Akharin Eskadran (The Last Squadron), Pp. 68, 315.
- [4]. Paygah-e Ettelaresani-ye Artesh-e Jomhoori-ye Eslami-ye Iran (Public Relations Website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army), www. aja. ir/portal/home/? PAPER/71464/71646/1701079
- [5]. 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. 393.
- [6]. Ansari, Mahdi va Digaran, Roozshomar-e Jang-e Iran va Araq, Ketab-e Chaharom: Hojoom-e Sarasari (Chronology of Iran-Iraq War, Book Four: The All-out Invasion), Tehran: Markaz-e Motaleaat va Tahqiqat-e Jang, 2nd Edition, 1375, p. 57.
- [7]. Taqvim-e Mostanad-e Amalkard-e Niroo-ye Havaei-ye Artesh-e Jomhoori-ye Eslami-ye Iran (Documented Chronology of the Performance of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Air Force), Vol. 3, Mehr-e 1359, Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1397, p. 16.
- [8]. Namaki-Araqi, 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. 60.
- [9]. Taqvim-e Mostanad-e Amalkard-e Niroo-ye Havaei-ye Artesh-e Jomhoori-ye Eslami-ye Iran (Documented Chronology of the Performance of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Air Force), Vol. 3, Pp. 63, 81.
- [10]. Masbooq, Muhammad va Ali-Reza Javaheri, Amaliyat-e Morvarid (Operation Morvarid), Tehran: Markaz-e Entesharat-e Rahbardi-ye NAHAJA, 1394, Pp. 157, 171.
- [11]. Namaki, Ali-Reza, Niroo-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (Air Force in the Sacred Defense), Tehran: Iran-e Sabz, 1389, p. 178.
- [12]. Ibid., p. 184.
- [13]. Ibid., p. 187.
- [14]. Ibid., p. 191.
- [15]. Ibid., p. 212.
- [16]. Ibid., p. 219.
- [17]. Ibid., Pp. 225, 226.
- [18]. Ibid., p. 251.
- [19]. Ibid., p. 255.
- [20]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), Tehran: Iran-e Sabz, 1398, p. 247; Moamma, Muhammad, Nabard dar Aseman: Khaterehha-ye Sartip Khalaban Fazlollah Javidnia (Battle in the Sky: Memoirs of Brigadier Pilot Fazlollah Javidnia), Tehran: Ketab-e Yoosef, 1389, p. 120.
- [21]. Ibid., p. 277.
- [22]. Namaki-Araqi, Ali-Reza va Hamkaran, Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei (History of Aerial Battles), Vol. 3, p. 58.
- [23]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), p. 242.
- [24]. Namaki, Ali-Reza, Niroo-ye Havaei dar Defa Muqaddas (Air Force in the Sacred Defense), Pp. 293, 298.
- [25]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), p. 294.
- [26]. Moamma, Muhammad, Nabard dar Aseman: Khaterehha-ye Sartip Khalaban Fazlollah Javidnia (Battle in the Sky: Memoirs of Brigadier Pilot Fazlollah Javidnia), p. 164.
- [27]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), p. 311.
- [28]. Ibid., Pp. 345, 346.
- [29]. Mahnameh-ye Saf (Saf Monthly), No. 37, Dey-e 1361, p. 54.
- [30]. Khabargozari-e Fars (Fars News Agency), 13 Esfand-e 1391, www. farsnews. ir/news/13911212001049
- [31]. Akbar, Ali, Pakbaz-e Arseh-ye Eshq (Selfless in the Arena of Love), Tehran: Aqidati-Siasi-ye NAHAJA, 1375, p. 1; Goodarzi, Muhammad va Digaran, Ojoobeh-ye Qarn: Moroori bar Zendegi-ye Shahid Sarlashkar Khalaban Mostafa Ardestani (The Genius of the Century: Overview of the Life of Martyr Brigadier Pilot Mostafa Ardestani), Tehran: Entesharat-e Aqidati-Siasi-ye Artesh, 1377, p. 18; Goodarzi, Muhammad va Digaran, Entekhabi Digar: Moroori bar Zendegi-ye Shahid Sarlashkar Khalaban Ali-Reza Yasini (Another Choice: Overview of the Life of Martyr Brigadier Pilot Ali-Reza Yasini), Tehran: Entesharat-e Aqidati-Siasi-ye Artesh, 1377, p. 18.
- [32]. Namaki-Araqi, Ali-Reza va Hamkaran, Tarikh-e Nabardha-ye Havaei (History of Aerial Battles), Vol. 3, p. 99.
- [33]. Paygah-e Ettelaresani-ye Artesh-e Jomhoori-ye Eslami-ye Iran (Public Relations Website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army), www. aja. ir/portal/home/? PAPER/71464/71646/1701079
- [34]. Khalili, Hussain, Nabardha-ye Havaei-ye Iran (Aerial Battles of Iran), p. 166.
- [35]. Khabargozari-e ISNA (ISNA News Agency), 24 Tir-e 1400, www. isna. ir/news/1400042417652
