Iranian Air Force (IRIAF/IRGC-ASF) | News and Discussions

[Adam Barfy]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

IRIAF planes have not yet returned to Iran after a month.

No point yet. Sitting ducks at Mehrabad.

 

[ToddE]

Mr. Iran Eye's F-4"SM", AI controlled Kowsars and F-7 Erfanis played a huge role in the war.

 

[Comandante]

Mr. Iran Eye's F-4"SM", AI controlled Kowsars and F-7 Erfanis played a huge role in the war.

Is there anything more about this?

 

[ToddE]

Is there anything more about this?

Yes, hired or delusional supporters of Islamic republic and Supreme leader Khamenei get their panties in a tight twist when you point out to the fact that leadership of Iran deliberately destroyed IRIAF with budget cuts in favour of IRGC's missile forces.

Their usual defence strategy is claiming BS like IRIAF is secretly manufacturing F-4 this, F-14 that, AI controlled local F-5s etc. Few regularly post here.

 

[kastor ville]

Yes, hired or delusional supporters of Islamic republic and Supreme leader Khamenei get their panties in a tight twist when you point out to the fact that leadership of Iran deliberately destroyed IRIAF with budget cuts in favour of IRGC's missile forces.

Their usual defence strategy is claiming BS like IRIAF is secretly manufacturing F-4 this, F-14 that, AI controlled local F-5s etc. Few regularly post here.

Yep, major problem, too many insiders with their hands in the cookie jar.....too many Friday prayer loyalist in important positions. But, with that said, the missile program is 1000x better than the nuke program.

 

[Piet]

Yes, hired or delusional supporters of Islamic republic and Supreme leader Khamenei get their panties in a tight twist when you point out to the fact that leadership of Iran deliberately destroyed IRIAF with budget cuts in favour of IRGC's missile forces.

Their usual defence strategy is claiming BS like IRIAF is secretly manufacturing F-4 this, F-14 that, AI controlled local F-5s etc. Few regularly post here.

Greetings

This is a subject that comes up periodically, like a recurring nightmare.

Well, assuming a buy of 40 J-10CE's and (?) YAK-130M's by Iran to support the J-10's wherever they can, it will still take years to turn the IRIAF into a smoothly pliable instrument. This has already been mentioned herein.

This does not only apply to the AF, but also to Iran's IADS. Fixed radar installations ... (again)???

I had often wondered how the Ukrainians' and the Israeli's are so successful in protecting their own long-range radar.

There's possibly an answer to this in there somewhere.

Piet

 

[SABRE]

Yes, hired or delusional supporters of Islamic republic and Supreme leader Khamenei get their panties in a tight twist when you point out to the fact that leadership of Iran deliberately destroyed IRIAF with budget cuts in favour of IRGC's missile forces.

Their usual defence strategy is claiming BS like IRIAF is secretly manufacturing F-4 this, F-14 that, AI controlled local F-5s etc. Few regularly post here.

I would say it is criminal of Iran to have its air force deteriorate like this. Recent conflict with Israel shows that while Iran has good missile force, one capable putting a hole in the enemy, it was completely defenseless against the IDAF and took a lot of damage, some of it unnecessarily. Worse even, Iran's coveted nuclear facilities were literally unprotected.

No matter what Iran does with its F-4 and F-5, they'll remain inferior to air power and air defence capabilities of the other regional countries. The reverse engineering of these jets is a frivolous exercise. The IRIAF is now at the stage where it exists nominally as an organization, without force, and any attempts to modernize it would tantamount to rebuilding it from the scratch. But sooner it is done, the better it is.

I have no affinity for the Iranian regime - although I have developed a particular disliking to Shah's son - but it would be a shame to have outsiders determine Iran's [governmental] future. The regime needs to accept the fact that defenseless Iran means defenseless regime.

 

[Immortals]

Any purchase would take a couple of years to fulfill (at least) and pilots need to be trained, mechanics need to be trained. Infrastructure needs to be put in place to handle the new planes.

There is no quick light switch fix for Iranian Air Force problem even if they did manage to find someone who would sell them any plane worth buying.

 

[ToddE]

Yep, major problem, too many insiders with their hands in the cookie jar.....too many Friday prayer loyalist in important positions.

IRIAF chief is one such character who was promoted because he is politically aligned with revolutionary ideas. Not too long ago MoFo was attending some IRIAF ceremony where he was blabbering Hejab BS.

But, with that said, the missile program is 1000x better than the nuke program.

No

 

[ToddE]

I would say it is criminal of Iran to have its air force deteriorate like this. Recent conflict with Israel shows that while Iran has good missile force, one capable putting a hole in the enemy, it was completely defenseless against the IDAF and took a lot of damage, some of it unnecessarily. Worse even, Iran's coveted nuclear facilities were literally unprotected.

No matter what Iran does with its F-4 and F-5, they'll remain inferior to air power and air defence capabilities of the other regional countries. The reverse engineering of these jets is a frivolous exercise. The IRIAF is now at the stage where it exists nominally as an organization, without force, and any attempts to modernize it would tantamount to rebuilding it from the scratch. But sooner it is done, the better it is.

I have no affinity for the Iranian regime - although I have developed a particular disliking to Shah's son - but it would be a shame to have outsiders determine Iran's [governmental] future. The regime needs to accept the fact that defenseless Iran means defenseless regime.

Almost entire attack happened from Iraqi Airspace. ALBMs and ALCMs were launched in bulk from over Iraq into the Iranian airspace. Iraqi AIrspace is a problem for Iran, in entire war there were 2-3 cases of Jettisoned tanks from F-15 when it was tracked and fired upon by Khordad battery and another video of just the sound of F-15 from the day SPICE PGM was launched. Thats the entire "evidence" of air superiority that Jews claimed. Had there been jets roaming around Iranian skies like claimed by Israel there would have been some 100 plus videos or clips of them flying over peoples heads like it happened in Iraqi bombing by US, Russia in Ukraine, Russian and SyAAF operations in Syria, there is just no possibility on earth that in modern times you can hide aerial invasion over large urban centres where every other guy has a cellphone in hand.

Saying that IRIAF could have caused problems for Jew jets if they had been armed with long range air-superiority fighters like SU-35S in good numbers (60-80) who could scramble and cause a hurdle for IAF jets to reach launch zones of aeroballistics and ALCMs. Because Mullahs killed IRIAF so only option Iran was left with was IRGACF's reciprocating Missiles Barrages which were successful but thats not how war is fought. IRI leadership is stupid as hell.

I have been making noise over the dilemma of Iraqi Airspace being an open whorehouse that can give pain to Iran, for years. Some of my quotes from previous years on the subject. Iranian military planners should do something about it or keep getting missiles landing on their heads.

It's not difficult at all for IAF to launch ALBM at southern Iran without involving (P)GCC or Using US airbases at all. All they need is to take the route of using Jordanian airspace to enter the southern Iraqi desert. Without even refueling they can max reach west or southwest of Najaf on external fuel from where they can launch ALBM at lofted apogee to gain range for a target in Khuzestan. OTH and long-ranged PESA or HF/VHF/UHF can pick up refueling "event" because RCS suddenly is comprised of a giant tanker with jets all gathered up in the same spot creating one large body.

The dilemma here for Iran is that even if IADS sees it what are they going to do about it? Fighter jets on QRA duty can not be scrambled to reach this zone quickly and even if they do, they will need wet thrusts in excess of 60K lbs and something like Meteor BVR to tackle this ALBM launching attack group this renders even fighters like R-37 armed SU-35S almost useless. The best bet will be if IADS layered assets can be positioned in the vulnerable zones. Iranian HIMADS/SHORADS batteries with AESA track radars positioned around Najaf or Baghdad can track F-15 (huge RCS when carrying ALBM) from 400-450 KM away as soon as they enter from Jordan. Terrain masking in the desert is difficult and reduces range. To launch ALBM they will have to break the terrain mask anyway.

View attachment 71362


Iran needs to arm Iraq in longer terms for its own sake. A mistake they made in Syria.

F-35I does not carry ALBMs and if it does carry them then its stealth factor is gone because of wearing them on pylons. ALBMs are huge RCS enhancers and also to launch them fighters have to break terrain masking, and reach a certain speed and altitude with "Elevated Angular Pitch" of nose which again enhances RCS. What you are suggesting, is that a group of ~10 F-35Is some of which are wearing ALBM and external drop tanks gather up for Buddy refueling, this will create huge blip on Search radars even from within Iran. Israelis know this so refueling does not seem like a good choice here. Without Stealth F-35 is below F-15 in MTOW and other physical characteristics.

Best choice remains Rampage or Sparrow from F-16/F-15, specially F-15 which can cover back and forth distance of ~1800 KM from Israeli FABs to South west of Najaf for ALBM launch. It will be seen yes and probably even tracked for some time but at such distance it can easily outrun any missile fired towards it from hundreds of KM away.

Iran practically has no defense against this route even with hypothetical SU-35S or current F-14AM on QRA from Kermanshah FABS or if we position S-300PMU2 or Bavar-373 HIMADS at the edge of Iran with Iraq, hence the dilemma.

In the future, IADS can be extended into Iraq or Iraqi AF can be cued in time if Iranian OTH's or long ranged PESAs pick activity over southern Iraqi desert.

OTH Search can get a blip easily if an RCS increasing event happens like Refuellings. Long-ranged PESA or V/UHF can also do the job because planes have to break terrain masking at some point to get the "launch" altitude/speed/coordinates.

The problem again is the same, even if Iranian IADS sees all of this happening 450 KM away from their borders around South west of Najaf what are they going to do about it? No F-14AM, MIG-29 or hypothetical SU-35S can reach that zone from Kermanshah QRA FAB to engage the enemy party, even if they go full afterburner. They will need to be around Najaf to get a track lock and fire thwarting Salvos of BVR at 150+ KM away to make a difference. Implausible scenario. Similarly even if place a Mehran, Bavar-373, or SU-300PMU2 at the edge of the border and somehow NAJM-804 AESA gets a lucky tracking lock on an ALBM carrying huge RCS F-15 some 350 KM away and the battery fires a few missiles, the Israeli pilots will comfortably lob the ALBMs and safely run back to Jordanian airspace.

Iran is pinned in this scenario completely. IRGC made this mistake in Syria as well where they just did not gradually increase a robust network of Radars, grids, and SHORADS/HIMADS starting from eastern Syria to West. The gradual establishment of IADS would have made sure that blind spots are gone with time, and layer after layer starts building up. Instead, they relied upon the legacy localized defense network of SyAAF where singular batteries are all doing their own thing. They need to do this in Iraq, put AESA tracking radars and HIMAD/SHORAD networks in southern corridors around Najaf, connect them with search OTH/PESA/HFs in Iran. Batteries get cues, track the enemy to engage them and provide same information to Iraqi Air Force.

 

[Flotilla]

I would say it is criminal of Iran to have its air force deteriorate like this. Recent conflict with Israel shows that while Iran has good missile force, one capable putting a hole in the enemy, it was completely defenseless against the IDAF and took a lot of damage, some of it unnecessarily. Worse even, Iran's coveted nuclear facilities were literally unprotected.

No matter what Iran does with its F-4 and F-5, they'll remain inferior to air power and air defence capabilities of the other regional countries. The reverse engineering of these jets is a frivolous exercise. The IRIAF is now at the stage where it exists nominally as an organization, without force, and any attempts to modernize it would tantamount to rebuilding it from the scratch. But sooner it is done, the better it is.

I have no affinity for the Iranian regime - although I have developed a particular disliking to Shah's son - but it would be a shame to have outsiders determine Iran's [governmental] future. The regime needs to accept the fact that defenseless Iran means defenseless regime.

The problem it is IRI has NO money for funding everything, from allies (even if their performances remains questionable) to IRIAF, IRIN and missile forces.

At that point you must bet at the better solution and given the total isolation of IRI authorities bet for missile forces. And they were correct.

But I agree with you. IRIAF had some of the best aircraft and they sacrificed sacrificed heroically during the Irak-Iran war. They deserve being the next Artesh brand to be refurbished. The question it is if IRI would eventually increase the trade and economic development for such ambitious goal. At short term I am exceptical but at long term betting for asían trade will work. Donald Trump is sterelizing free trade to be mild.

 

[ToddE]

Any purchase would take a couple of years to fulfill (at least) and pilots need to be trained, mechanics need to be trained. Infrastructure needs to be put in place to handle the new planes.

There is no quick light switch fix for Iranian Air Force problem even if they did manage to find someone who would sell them any plane worth buying.

Only at hand solution will be to get some air-superiority fighters and hire trained pilots from that same country as stop gap. I see no other solution for IRIAF. May be merge it with IRGCAF, its a destroyed force anyways so at-least it will have better leaders then current bozos.

 

[ToddE]

Greetings

This is a subject that comes up periodically, like a recurring nightmare.

Well, assuming a buy of 40 J-10CE's and (?) YAK-130M's by Iran to support the J-10's wherever they can, it will still take years to turn the IRIAF into a smoothly pliable instrument. This has already been mentioned herein.

This does not only apply to the AF, but also to Iran's IADS. Fixed radar installations ... (again)???

Which is why I have always been in favour of acquiring shitloads of MIG-29M/35 from Russia until something better is available. IRIAF knows the fighter for last 35 years, maintains it fully. Stupid priest leaders instead of getting their asses fooled by Russians over SU-35S, could have simply got some 100 MIG-29 airframes from Russian storage or get MIG-35 TOT, They had years to do this. They kept supplying Russia with drones, provided entire TOT but got nothing in return. They let fully armed to teeth Syrian fleet of fulcrums be destroyed as well after wasting hundreds of Billion USD in Syria.

I had often wondered how the Ukrainians' and the Israeli's are so successful in protecting their own long-range radar.

There's possibly an answer to this in there somewhere.

Piet

Different debate but Russia can end the war if it wants in a week without using nukes but elongated war suits Putins doctrine in Europe.

 

[ToddE]

The problem it is IRI has NO money for funding everything, from allies (even if their performances remains questionable) to IRIAF, IRIN and missile forces.

At that point you must bet at the better solution and given the total isolation of IRI authorities bet for missile forces. And they were correct.

But I agree with you. IRIAF had some of the best aircraft and they sacrificed sacrificed heroically during the Irak-Iran war. They deserve being the next Artesh brand to be refurbished. The question it is if IRI would eventually increase the trade and economic development for such ambitious goal. At short term I am exceptical but at long term betting for asían trade will work. Donald Trump is sterelizing free trade to be mild.

Khamenei and his gang wont do shit, they have become just another typical middle eastern lazy stupid easy to fool group of "revolutionaries" who want to "bargain" with same enemy that just bombed their cities and is openly threatening to repeat that. Younger commanders of IRGCAF provided them with a face saving this time with their Fattahs and KS and Sejjils etc but these priests wont learn anything from it.

 

[Comandante]

The MIG 29 is a MIG 35. I can't understand why people insist on these runaway types. The competition in Russia was decided in favor of the SZU 35. The mention of maintenance and pilots is also inappropriate. With this much power, the F4 F5 F14 could also remain because you know them. We have to move forward at all costs, like it or not.