This is a list of aircraft of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Fixed-wing aircraft
| Aircraft | Picture | Type | In Service | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Sukhoi Su-22 | 
|
Fighter-bomber | 10[1] | In July 2018, ten overhauled and modernized Su-22 fighter jets were unveiled.[2] Combat Aircraft Monthly quoted a spokesman for Iranian Aviation Industries stating "the PARS and IACI companies have been able to overhaul some 15 Su-22s, including two that were returned to Iraq".[3] Three more were planned for overhaul as of February 2019.[3] The 2020 edition of The Military Balance published by the IISS wrote that up to seven Su-22M4 Fitter K, and at least three Su22UM-3K Fitter G were operational.[4] | ||
| Sukhoi Su-25 | 
|
Attack aircraft | Unknown | In 2004, three newly built Su-25UBKs were purchased, marking the last known export of this aircraft (as of 2013).[5] The fleet was reinforced with seven Iraqi Air Force aircraft that took refuge to Iran in 1991 as a result of the Gulf War (two others were shot down on 6 February 1991 by USAF F-15Cs before they reach Iran), summing up to a total of 10 aircraft in the inventory.[5] In July 2014, three were returned to Iraq to counter ISIL,[6] and three more were reportedly planned for return.[7] The 2020 edition of The Military Balance published by the IISS suggests that status of the ten remaining aircraft (seven Su-25K and three Su-25UBK) is unknown.[4] | ||
| Transport aircraft | ||||||
| Ilyushin Il-76TD | 
|
Strategic airlift | 3[1] | One crashed on 19 February 2003.[8] | ||
| Antonov An-74TK-200 | 
|
Tactical airlift | 7[1] | |||
| Harbin Y-12-II | 
|
Transport | 12[1] | |||
| Dassault Falcon 20F | _20E_by_Shahram_Sharifi.webp)
|
Utility transport | 2[1] | |||
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Embraer EMB 312 Tucano | 
|
Trainer Light attack |
25[1] | |||
| PAC MFI-17 Mushshak | 
|
Trainer | 25[1] | Assembled at Kamra, Pakistan. Delivered between 1988 and 1991 to IRIAF.[9] | ||
Helicopters
| Aircraft | Picture | Type | In Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toufan II | 
|
Attack helicopter | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| HESA Shahed 285 | 
|
Attack Helicopter | Unknown | Domestically-built. On 24 September 2019, one helicopter was delivered.[10] |
| HESA Shahed 278 | 
|
Light utility helicopter | Unknown | Domestically-built. On 24 September 2019, three helicopters of this type were delivered.[10] |
| HESA Shahed 274 | 
|
Light utility helicopter | Unknown | Domestically-built. On 16 September 1999, the first was delivered and as of 2002 it was in service with two more. A total of 20 (30 according to some sources) were planned by the end of 2004. Status unknown as of 2006.[11] |
| Mil Mi-17 | 
|
Transport helicopter | 18[12] | One crashed in November 2016 in the Caspian Sea.[13] |
Unmanned aerial vehicles
| Aircraft | Picture | Type | In Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ababil[4] | 
|
Reconnaissance, combat, anti-radar operations | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| Mohajer I/II/III/VI[4] | 
|
Strategic reconnaissance | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| Karrar | 
|
Unmanned combat aerial vehicle | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| Shahed 129[4] | 
|
Unmanned combat aerial vehicle | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| Yasir | 
|
Unmanned aerial vehicle | Unknown | Domestically-built |
| Saegheh | 
|
Unmanned aerial vehicle | 7≥ | Domestically-built. Seven units were reportedly used in Operation Strike of Muharram (2018).[14] |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "World Air Forces 2021". FlightGlobal. 4 December 2020. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Ten Grounded Sukhoi Fighter Jets Repaired", Financial Tribune, 25 July 2018
- ^ a b de Bruijn, Stephan (February 2019), "Kish Delights", Combat Aircraft Monthly, 20 (2): 24–27
- ^ a b c d e The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) (2020). "Middle East and North Africa". The Military Balance 2020. Vol. 120. Routledge. pp. 348–352. doi:10.1080/04597222.2020.1707968. ISBN 9780367466398. S2CID 219624897.
- ^ a b Mladenov, Alexander (2013), Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, Air Vanguard, vol. 9, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 12, 59, ISBN 978-1-4728-0478-5
- ^ Gordon, Michael R.; Schmitt, Eric (8 July 2014), "Iran Sends 3 Attack Planes to Iraqi Government", The New York Times
- ^ Taghvaee, Babak (September 2014), "Guardians of Babylon: Su-25s Return to Iraqi Skies", Combat Aircraft Monthly, 15 (9): 18–19
- ^ Fathi, Nazila (20 February 2003), "302 Killed in Crash of Iranian Military Plane", The New York Times
- ^ Jackson, Paul, ed. (2008). "Pakistan". Jane's all the World's Aircraft 2007–08. London: Jane's Publishing Group. p. 421. ISBN 978-0-7106-2792-6.
- ^ a b "Four Indigenous Shahed-Class Helicopters Delivered to IRGC (+Video)", Tasnim News Agency, 24 September 2019, retrieved 5 November 2020
- ^ Jackson, Paul, ed. (2008). "Iran". Jane's all the World's Aircraft 2007–08. London: Jane's Publishing Group. p. 353. ISBN 978-0-7106-2792-6.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- ^ "Crashed Chopper Belonged to IRGC", Financial Tribune, 28 November 2016, retrieved 5 November 2020
- ^ Nadimi, Farzin (1 October 2018), "For a Second Time, Iran Fires Missiles at IS Targets in Syria", The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (PolicyWatch), no. 3022
This page was last edited on 8 February 2024, at 18:09