BigMela2onin
Registered Member
F-4, D or E.
Iranian Air Force (IRIAF/IRGC-ASF) | News and Discussions
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Persian Gulf
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HAIDER
THINK TANK: CONSULTANT
Phantom F4
Mr Iran Eye
Registered Member
The F-5 model, but probably a new Kowsar with stealth features. Sending an old F-5 out of Iran is very unlikely.
Ali_Baba
VIP Member
There was no word of an F5 shooting down. So it may have made it back home ok after the attack.
mack8
Registered Member
On one hand, massive respect to the IRIAF for their bravery, flying to face and fight an overwhelming enemy in both numbers and technology couldn't reflect more finely on IRIAF flyers esprit de corps.
On the other hand, shame on those in the previous iranian leadership who neglected IRIAF for decades, even with just internal resources IRIAF could have been in a better position (upgraded aircraft, modern AAMs like Fakkour, Arash, Baz, Azaraksh), and shame on Russia and China's flaccidity in helping Iran in the face of a common enemy, imagine what IRIAF could have done with decent numbers of Su-35s and J-10Cs, alongside fleetwide modernized F-14AM, F-4E Dowran, F-5E Kowsar, MiG-29SM/SMT etc.
On the other hand, shame on those in the previous iranian leadership who neglected IRIAF for decades, even with just internal resources IRIAF could have been in a better position (upgraded aircraft, modern AAMs like Fakkour, Arash, Baz, Azaraksh), and shame on Russia and China's flaccidity in helping Iran in the face of a common enemy, imagine what IRIAF could have done with decent numbers of Su-35s and J-10Cs, alongside fleetwide modernized F-14AM, F-4E Dowran, F-5E Kowsar, MiG-29SM/SMT etc.
Piet
Registered Member
All these missiles are of course a matter of public knowledge... .
According to Drmeson (~2023) Arash would be a ... Local light weight AIM-7 based BVR missile... .
While another possible AMRAAM-type called Baz (Falcon) ~2026 was shown on an F-4.
BAZ BVRAAM.
... imagine what IRIAF could have done with decent numbers of Su-35s and J-10Cs, alongside fleetwide modernized F-14AM, F-4E Dowran, F-5E Kowsar, MiG-29SM/SMT etc.... .
Accepting that any F-14AM and F-4E Dowran stocks have been significantly depleted or destroyed completely, F-5E Kowsar and MiG-29SM/SMT-standard fighters, would make a lot of sense backing up the Su-35's.
J-10C, given its proven combat record, would also have been an invaluable acquisition, but I cannot in all honestly see that China will ever sell it to Iran.
Piet
Fatman17
Moderator
Report Claims Iranian F-5 Bombed U.S. Base in Kuwait During Opening Phase of War
Published on: April 26, 2026 at 5:13 PMStefano D'Urso
File photo of Iranian F-5 fighters. (Image credit: Tasnim News)
mack8
Registered Member
The iranian pilot who pulled this off must be made the next IRIAF commander.
gambit
Professional
First, am former USAF, F-111 Cold War, then F-16 Desert Storm.
Now...THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR AN AIR FORCE.
Missiles are not it.
The reason why many military go for missiles is because the missile is a quick fix to a complex problem. The missile is easy to design (or buy), easy to maintain, and easy to parade, aka flexing one's military muscles. But the missile is a throwaway or one-way weapon, and as such, the missile forces one to specific tactical and strategic doctrines. Namely -- INFLEXIBILITY.
The missile cannot carry the fight to the enemy. Yes, you can launch the missile, but that is the end of your tactic. If the enemy can intercept your missile, what will you do next? Launch more? Get intercept more? The missile cannot do battle damage assessment, or reconnaissance, or intimidate, and return home. US airpower prevailed over Iran precisely because the airplane can do those things. And more such as electronic warfare, and I would love to see anyone design a missile to perform EW.
So when I said that missile cannot carry the fight to the enemy, I mean the TOTALITY of modern air combat. The A-10's retirement have been pushed out to 2030. Why? Because no missile can perform Close Air Support. And that is just one example. US airpower is supreme because we were not seduced by the missile's simplicity.
The missile is good against neighbors who are peers or near peers. But not against US.
Professor Jiang
Registered Member
A few questions:
1. Was there ever a reasonable scenario in which a fleet of modern aircraft would have survived a war against the US or Israel? Or both, in this case?
2. Was it ever possible to maintain and upgrade a fleet of such aircraft over a prolonged period of time (say 25 years) while under the world's most severe sanctions regime?
3. Would air power of this kind be subject to greater or less acts of deliberate sabotage over this period of time than an indigenous missile capability?
