Who told you or why are you assuming Iranian defense doctrine revolves around airforce ? Airforce factors ZERO which is why they are surviving on 400-800 million a year while IRGCASF is living on 30 Billion USD a year if we go by Supreme leaders ordered numbers for defence budget. The kind of first world superpower enemies we face, even if we get 250 SU-35S, they will matter less than IRGC having 1000 more new delivered hypersonic MRBMs or Long ranged LACMs, drones and few more underground bases. Instead such airforce will become a burden due to virtually no defence on earth against modern SOWs, ALBMs. In recently fought wars Fattah-1, Kheybar Shikan, P-800 Oniks, Khinzal, Golden Horizon etc pierced through layered ADs without getting shot. Some not even once.
Air power does not become irrelevant just because Iran prioritizes missiles. Modern warfare is layered, not single domain. Even countries that invest heavily in ballistic and cruise missiles still require air superiority, ISR, electronic warfare, and defensive counter air capabilities. Missiles can deter and strike, but they cannot provide persistent airspace control, dynamic targeting, close air support, or real time battle management.
The claim that air forces “factor zero” is not supported by recent conflicts. In Ukraine for example, both sides rely heavily on air defense and airpower because neither side has achieved air superiority. In the Middle East, Israel’s dominance is built on integrated airpower, not missiles . Even Russia, despite hypersonic systems like Kinzhal, continues to invest heavily in tactical aviation because missiles cannot replace sustained air operations.
As for hypersonic and advanced stand off weapons “piercing layered ADs,” interception rates are mixed and heavily disputed in every conflict. No modern air defense system guarantees 100 percent interception, but that does not make air forces obsolete. The US, China, Russia, and even smaller powers continue to modernize fighter fleets alongside missile forces for a reason: missiles provide strategic deterrence, air forces provide operational flexibility and battlefield control.
If anything, relying only on missiles creates strategic rigidity. A balanced force structurre, including airpower, air defense, and missiles, is what serious military planers pursue. There is no modern example of a major power abandoning air capability in favor of missiles alone.
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