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

[Fatman17]

During the exercise, the US Navy used a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the navy ships and submarines, including the Tareq, one of the three Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines recently overhauled and upgraded. The USAF also used an RQ-4B Global Hawk and an MQ-9 Reaper to keep an eye on the armed forces. The IRIADF warned the drone operators to keep their aircraft far from the danger area for safety reasons.
The exercise ended on November 7 and, two days later, all four branches of the army held a parade – the IRIGF and IRIADF at the coastal boulevard of Konarak and the Iranian Navy and Air Force in the Oman Sea. A single P-3F Orion and two three-ship formation flights, the first with three F-4Ds and the second with two Mirage F1s and an RF-4E, flew over 11 Iranian Navy ships, three submarines and two hovercrafts. An impressive ending to an exercise that would have sharpened the tactics of the Iranian military.

A Mohajer-4 surveillance drone of the Iranian Navy launches at the 10th TFB at Chabahar. Ali Kashani

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• Iran
• Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF)
• Exercise Zulfiqar-1400
• Exercise
• Middle East

Originally published in Combat Aircraft Journal​

 

[altafahmed]

I imagine they do, but are not effective. For instance as you have to point it at the drone, you have to first know that the drone is there!
Aircraft will fire their missiles from way beyond the range of manpads.
They are only really useful against helicopters or aircraft taking off & landing.

Hamas have very few but very old ManPADs which fails every time.
Aircraft doesn't use missiles all the time, they drop bomb more often, for which they have to come close.

 

[altafahmed]

they are useless against fighter jets unless you have a layered air defence forcing them to fly low

ManPAD will at least, keep helicopters + UAV away

 

[Mehdipersian]

ManPAD will at least, keep helicopters + UAV away

ManPads are only suitable for low altitude and close distance.

Nowadays, helicopters and drones can launch missiles or bombs at long distances and at high altitudes.

 

[Mehdipersian]

Wake me up when Iran gets invaded by another state then we can talk...until then the defence doctrine works. But Iran doesn't need an airforce to support proxies, they just need access to them to give them drones, missiles and battle knowledge.

It depends on what these forces are. Ansarullah has formed a government in Yemen and needs fighters, airports, navy, tanks, etc. But Hezbollah does not need this equipment because it is a guerilla group. Iran should be able to produce fighter planes. First for his own security and then for the security of Yemen or Syria.

The best option is working with Russia or China, but these countries do not easily share their technology and will be only sellers in the best case.

 

[Tehrani021]

It depends on what these forces are. Ansarullah has formed a government in Yemen and needs fighters, airports, navy, tanks, etc. But Hezbollah does not need this equipment because it is a guerilla group. Iran should be able to produce fighter planes. First for his own security and then for the security of Yemen or Syria.

The best option is working with Russia or China, but these countries do not easily share their technology and will be only sellers in the best case.

There is no country that just hands aircraft to non-state actors. Secondly, if/when Iran were to one day be a producer of decent fighters then, like you said, its domestic need has higher priority and it will take a long time for that need to be met before we can sell to states like Syria and Yemen. Dealing with Russia and China is like drawing blood from a stone and I don't think Iran is quite there yet in terms of technology despite having great ability to get to where it needs to be, so it will have to be a very long road for Iran.

I also have to question when people say Iran's current defence doctrine is lacking considering nobody has invaded or launched any missiles. A more offensive doctrine would need an airforce like for invasions or counter offensives etc which Iran is not in the business of at the moment.

 

[Flotilla]

I also have to question when people say Iran's current defence doctrine is lacking considering nobody has invaded or launched any missiles. A more offensive doctrine would need an airforce like for invasions or counter offensives etc which Iran is not in the business of at the moment.

In fact current national doctrine for deterrence with missiles is working. Iran have a day after day better A2/AD system. Those first reverse engineered Hawk were laughable for western cancilleries, but after passing the time, even Israel doesn´t dare to challenge persian airspace. Even with F35.

And at that point it is where ballistic missile it is perfect for that A2/AD. The possibility to answer fast, sharply and hardly anywhere in Israel or even further in the Middle East (and slowly even further) makes a regional real power turnabout.

But only ballistic missiles and anti aerial assets aren´t enough. With current doctrine an increasing number of assets can be protected, or better said, survive at best, from a pre-emptive attack from a hypothetical coalition of saudis, israelis and US. Iran has protected and covered well undeground most of valuable military infraestructure (probably even factories of missiles/drones are underground). But the rest will be erased from the surface of the earth. US and Israel have been developing long range missiles and even drones capable of hitting objectives well inside the country.

I am aware that Iran is working admirably in new radars capable of discovering stealth aircrafts. But US is working too in new assets like small stealth cruise missiles and MQ-25 and B21 capable of operating beyond Iranian A2/AD.

Here it is when comes a new Air Force. IRIAF needs long range interceptors, with diverse sensors capable of operating in differents frequencies of radars, integrated in the complex net of radars and capable of answering at long range where the SAM batteries can´t arrive.

Don´t be wrong an A2/AD needs good airforce and more than short ranged fighters like Mig29/JF-17. Something bigger is needed. From US to China, passing by Russia or Iran. Everybody is investing huge quantities of money in large fighters; J16 China, F/A18F in the Navy, F15/22 in the USAF, South Korea with their F21, Turkey with their own heavy fighter and the UE with the FCAS/Tempest.

Everybody. Even IRIAF needs something really big and powerful to go beyond that A2/Ad net.

 

[Tehrani021]

In fact current national doctrine for deterrence with missiles is working. Iran have a day after day better A2/AD system. Those first reverse engineered Hawk were laughable for western cancilleries, but after passing the time, even Israel doesn´t dare to challenge persian airspace. Even with F35.

And at that point it is where ballistic missile it is perfect for that A2/AD. The possibility to answer fast, sharply and hardly anywhere in Israel or even further in the Middle East (and slowly even further) makes a regional real power turnabout.

But only ballistic missiles and anti aerial assets aren´t enough. With current doctrine an increasing number of assets can be protected, or better said, survive at best, from a pre-emptive attack from a hypothetical coalition of saudis, israelis and US. Iran has protected and covered well undeground most of valuable military infraestructure (probably even factories of missiles/drones are underground). But the rest will be erased from the surface of the earth. US and Israel have been developing long range missiles and even drones capable of hitting objectives well inside the country.

I am aware that Iran is working admirably in new radars capable of discovering stealth aircrafts. But US is working too in new assets like small stealth cruise missiles and MQ-25 and B21 capable of operating beyond Iranian A2/AD.

Here it is when comes a new Air Force. IRIAF needs long range interceptors, with diverse sensors capable of operating in differents frequencies of radars, integrated in the complex net of radars and capable of answering at long range where the SAM batteries can´t arrive.

Don´t be wrong an A2/AD needs good airforce and more than short ranged fighters like Mig29/JF-17. Something bigger is needed. From US to China, passing by Russia or Iran. Everybody is investing huge quantities of money in large fighters; J16 China, F/A18F in the Navy, F15/22 in the USAF, South Korea with their F21, Turkey with their own heavy fighter and the UE with the FCAS/Tempest.

Everybody. Even IRIAF needs something really big and powerful to go beyond that A2/Ad net.

Surely a coalition of those nations you named will still be able to inflict such damage even if we had our Kowsars, mig-29s, F14s and small squadron of hypothetical Su-35. By all acounts they are not on par with western equivalents and would be useless as interceptors. And let's be honest Iran is far away from having such a fleet of able interceptors. But if the goal of the opponent is to destroy everything, as you say, then nuclear detterance is the only best preventative measure.

 

[Flotilla]

Surely a coalition of those nations you named will still be able to inflict such damage even if we had our Kowsars, mig-29s, F14s and small squadron of hypothetical Su-35. By all acounts they are not on par with western equivalents and would be useless as interceptors. And let's be honest Iran is far away from having such a fleet of able interceptors. But if the goal of the opponent is to destroy everything, as you say, then nuclear detterance is the only best preventative measure.

For sure a small squadron is not enough. I am thinking in 3 squadrons of Su35. One in Tabriz, another in Isfahan an the last one in Bushrer. A small squadron of Mig35 (short range fighters) can defend Tehran pretty well. All of them connected to air defense net. It was told about more than 60 or 70 aircrafts in Tasnim News.

Kowsar and Yassin and even a hypothetical F313 can act as second line aircraft, like QRA in another airfields specially in Shiraz, Bandar Abbas and Konarak air bases and even in Zahedan. All of those can act in short range CAP patrol, inside national airspace, CAS missions and advanced training (aggressors). You can deploy them in Qeshm or Kish, just for operating in light attack missions or Quick reaction alert, under the umbrella of Su35 and long range air defenses.

But it is undeniable that only Kowsar/Yassin and any F313 are too light, too short range, and small radar antenna or IRST lacking for air superiority.

 

[Flotilla]

During the exercise, the US Navy used a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the navy ships and submarines, including the Tareq, one of the three Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines recently overhauled and upgraded. The USAF also used an RQ-4B Global Hawk and an MQ-9 Reaper to keep an eye on the armed forces. The IRIADF warned the drone operators to keep their aircraft far from the danger area for safety reasons.
The exercise ended on November 7 and, two days later, all four branches of the army held a parade – the IRIGF and IRIADF at the coastal boulevard of Konarak and the Iranian Navy and Air Force in the Oman Sea. A single P-3F Orion and two three-ship formation flights, the first with three F-4Ds and the second with two Mirage F1s and an RF-4E, flew over 11 Iranian Navy ships, three submarines and two hovercrafts. An impressive ending to an exercise that would have sharpened the tactics of the Iranian military.

A Mohajer-4 surveillance drone of the Iranian Navy launches at the 10th TFB at Chabahar. Ali Kashani

Topics​

Read more about

• Iran
• Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF)
• Exercise Zulfiqar-1400
• Exercise
• Middle East

Originally published in Combat Aircraft Journal​

Thanks Fatman17!!!

 

[Tehrani021]

For sure a small squadron is not enough. I am thinking in 3 squadrons of Su35. One in Tabriz, another in Isfahan an the last one in Bushrer. A small squadron of Mig35 (short range fighters) can defend Tehran pretty well. All of them connected to air defense net. It was told about more than 60 or 70 aircrafts in Tasnim News.

Kowsar and Yassin and even a hypothetical F313 can act as second line aircraft, like QRA in another airfields specially in Shiraz, Bandar Abbas and Konarak air bases and even in Zahedan. All of those can act in short range CAP patrol, inside national airspace, CAS missions and advanced training (aggressors). You can deploy them in Qeshm or Kish, just for operating in light attack missions or Quick reaction alert, under the umbrella of Su35 and long range air defenses.

But it is undeniable that only Kowsar/Yassin and any F313 are too light, too short range, and small radar antenna or IRST lacking for air superiority.

This sounds great, but what sort of realistic timescale can Iran get to this stage, if it can ever?

 

[Tehrani021]

Righto. I’m talking out of my ass flying over 11,000 hours on these things for major airlines around the world over 25 years.

You're comparing apples with oranges so in a way yes you are

 

[Hack-Hook]

Okay, but what makes you more confident that Kowsar would fare any better than Su-35 against western jets? We don't even know if Iran has parted money for these Russian products, all we see are articles and the odd statement from the military spokesman. I also agree that the yak acquisition seems pointless unless it has something to do with ease of training with Russian systems. But even if Iran has parted money, is the money a significant dent to the funds needed for Kowsar? Could the su-35 acquisition be part of a bigger trade with how Iran is helping Russian in Ukraine? And why are we ignoring the immediate needs of our air defence, when a few squadrons of su-35 can give us some cover until Kowsar is more developed?

it won't fate better in current form , but its ours , we can improve on it and its cheaper so our air force can acquire enough number of them . also its way more aligned with Iran asymmetric doctrine .
when i see Su-35 , i see another mig-29.
an aircraft without any support from supplier and no future upgrade

with kowsar we know everything about it our ground crew are familiar with it , and we can upgrade it whenever we want .
the only thing that delay that and prevent kowsar be something like grippen or or f-16v or jf-17 is lack of funding

 

[Hack-Hook]

I agree. SU-35 would be a good stop-gap and the ToT would be very useful for future homegrown projects.

what make you think russia agree with TOT? did they agree to transfer any technology from old and outdated mig-29 9.12 to us

 

[Hack-Hook]

How is it "extremely" expensive to pay two suppliers for 10 planes than one supplier for 20 planes? Other than getting discount on the initial order on the latter, in both scenarios they will have to part with the same amount of cash for training and parts over time. All it does is makes it more complicated as you have Iranian, Russian and US systems.

how Ford made car affordable for masses ?

a hint if x cost 10$ and w,v,y,z also each cost 10$ if you order 100 from x it will be cheaper to produce and acquire it compared to when you order 20 of x,w,v,y,z each thats part of economy 101