First series of photos taken at Isfahan/Shahid Babaei TFB-8:
Lineup of IRIAF Chengdu F-7 type Airguard fighters and Northrop F-5 type Tiger II fighter-bombers
IRIAF aircrew member of Northrop F-5F Tiger II fighter bomber
IRIAF Grumman F-14A Tomcat air superiority fighter with Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB (9-51) "Fulcrum" aircraft
IRIAF Grumman F-14A Tomcat from Isfahan/Shahid Babaei (TFB-8)
IRIAF pilot and RIO of F-14A Tomcat air superiority fighter from Isfahan/Shahid Babaei (TFB-8)
IRIAF Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer” attack aircraft of 72nd TFS from Shiraz/Shahid Dowran (TFB-7)
IRIAF Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer”, serial 3-6807 of 72nd TFS from Shiraz/Shahid Dowran (TFB-7)
IRIAF Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer” attack aircraft fitted with Kh-25 type air-to-ground missile
IRIAF aircrew member of Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer” attack aircraft
IRIAF aircrew member of Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer” attack aircraft
Second series of photos taken of IRIAF aircraft above exercise field at Isfahan province:
IRIAF Northrop F-5F Tiger II fighter-bombers of 21st TFS from Tabriz/Shahid Fakoori TFB-2
IRIAF Grumman F-14A Tomcat from Isfahan/Shahid Babaei (TFB-8)
IRIAF Boeing (Elicotteri Meridionali) CH-47C Chinook (219) heavy-lift helicopter
IRIAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules (L-382) transport aircraft simulating logistical airdrop supply
IRIAF Sukhoi Su-24MK “Fencer” attack aircraft of 72nd TFS from Shiraz/Shahid Dowran (TFB-7)
2nd from left: Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi, current commander of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF)
Center: Brigadier General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Lieutenant Commander of Artesh
Left: IRIAF Brigadier General Mohammad Alavi
Two IRIAF colonels moderating during 'Devotees of the Velayat Sanctuary 5' exercise
VIDEO:
Photos: DEFA Press and Morteza Salehi at Tasnim News Agency
23 comments:
is Mig-29 oldated or still a modern fighterjet ?
It's all very old inventory even not painted in required patterns. However despite sanctions, Iran successfully maintained some of its planes movability. The threat level around Iran at threshhold point, Persian gulf arab states having world most advanced fighter air craft and choppers.
Iran should at any cost purchase latest war planes to match the threat level of Wahabi persian gulf states air force. if not possible despite nuclear deal, should take unarmed near latest second hand fighter jets and equip with its own air and ground missile system.
Iran war doctrine normally based on ground force by seizing the area and suffocate the enemy with minimum air usage, this doctrine now not working for example Iraq Fallujah, Iran's Sulemani visited several times with no results. First use of maximum air power followed by massive ground operation is all time tested doctrine. In which Iran lagging drastically with huge body cost.
These shows some how enhance confidence of the countrymen but in real air fight it will definitely not work or very less effective.
Iran's own fighter jet manufacturing dream without its own fighter jet engine with real operatability (not by only claim) can not be fulfilled. Fighter jet Technologies are changing in very fast phase with new inventions, so as of now Iran cannot try to run with developed world , best way to by second hand third generation fighter jets to secure its borders and Abu Musa + 2 Islands. Rizvi/India
I am wondering, why is that their best of best friend and ally Russia has so far refrained supplying them with much needed planes in exchange for good green money. They supply these planes almost to every one in the world (India, Vietnam, Algeria, Egypt, Venezuela, Malaysia, ...). Their ambitions of producing a domestic fighter has also reached to a stalemate and they should change 'we can' rhetoric to 'we can't) as they are incapable of manufacturing engine and other components. Why is that no body in the whole world does't give them a damn and doesn't chop 'Tareh' for the holly 'velayate fagih nezam'?
Every 3rd world country who wants to develop her own military hardware has a kind of partnership with a country who has the technology. For example Turkey is assisted by Italy in making T129 Helicopter, India is assisted by Russia in making Brahnos cruise missile. Pakistan was assisted by China in making JF-17 fighter. It is only Iran that no one has any desire doing partnership with. We should ask our beloved conservatives that what benefit do they gain from isolating the country?
Below is a link for a video showing a Pakistani JF-17 in 2015 Paris air show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P61OyqzWjAo
I recall one one the debates I had with a gentleman calling my comment silly as I asked why is that Iranian made Saegheh fighter does't demonstrate similar acrobatics. In response he mentioned that it is designed for 8 Gs not 9 Gs and those designed for 8 Gs including JF-17 can not perform these maneuvers. Well my fried here is you and Pakistani JF-17 in Paris air show. Enjoy
Not bad for a museum air force!
Iran is the only country in the region with a museum piece "airforce" that is more of a threat to itself than anyone else.
@ Anon 4:18, You should have specified which maneuvers you are particularly interested and also provide an address so they can perform it above your requested place! Waiting for address, we already got the maneuvers you are interested! In previous message you had not specified the maneuvers and these you show are well below the 8G limit. Thank you!
You show me the same maneuvers with Saegheh, it will be acceptable to me. Kindly Please post the link.
I am afraid, as long as those mollas with black and white turbans seen in the pictures are sitting among air force officers and interfere with their conducts you should not expect better results.
I don't agree! In a dog fight if they manage to get that close and hit the airplane to the enemy it will damage them! But joking aside it is all about the platform that they have upgraded to. If they manage to have powerful radars introduced and have BVR missiles and technology they are still formidable force. At least what they have is good enough for ground attack if sufficient ECM and EECM is available. It is not that bad.
AnonymousSeptember 8, 2015 at 9:34 PM
Actually its pretty damn impressive that iran has managed to not only keep hundreds of airframes of all types flying along with servicing and maintaining thousands of various types of jet powerplants,but iran has also managed to modernise them with indigenous upgrades and pgm weapons,and all of this without any manufacturers back up ie any us supplied servicing,or spare parts for the last 35 years,by comparison the gulf states cant even maintain their aircraft without western personnel doing most of the work,I wonder how long their airforces would last if the west sanctioned them,not 35 years thats for sure
AnonymousSeptember 8, 2015 at 10:36 PM
Exactly!,none of those maneuvers are in the 8g+ range,not even close in fact.
None of these planes are equipped with modern digital electro avionics and MFDs. This makes the usage of the smart ammo and precision guided missiles difficult. Air & ground target acquisitions and radar usage is also limited compare to those fighters/bombers using these equipment. Pilots have no chance against adversary using 4th and 5th generation fighters. Even if hypothetically and with unjustified cost they manage to upgrade and equip them with such electronics (and if those electronics are as good as the foreigner ones), keeping half a century old planes airworthy is not efficient practice and economically not feasible. It is better to do what Pakistanis has done. Make a joint venture with Chinese or Russians and develop something similar to JF-17 with low manufacturing / maintenance costs with almost updated radar and electro avionics. Using one big turbofan engine like Pratt & Whitney JTF22 or Klimov RD-33 in a fighter instead of 2 increase total efficiency of the aircraft and decrease maintenance cost and time.
Regarding your comment about using these planes as delivery platform for the smart weapons again they have the limitations because of lacking mentioned equipment unless the weapon is totally autonomous and fire and forget in nature.
Another subjects is about already developed smart ammo and precision guided missiles. I have doubts about their performance and do not think they are as capable as claimed. For example we have not seen Fakoor 90 missile being tested in realistic situation to make a judgment about it.
Moreover I do not think our military industry has the capacity to mass produce all smart ammo and guided missiles being demonstrated in the parades in required numbers.
There is no longer an effective Iranian air force in excistence.It is a ghost of its former glory.
To be fair , Iran Air Force features planes that are flyable and capable of take offs, landings and dropping ordinances .Not bad for a museum !
All of these aircraft need to be retired and new ones negotiated with Russia or China while a window exists due to regional situation. Iran can not manufacture modern aircraft or even upgrade them as all weapons systems and avionics are either made in the west or Russia. Even a large nation like India has not successfully been able to master a 3rd or 4th generation fighter.
India is manufacturing Su-30MKI as a partnership with Russia. Pakistanis also making JF-17 in partnership with China. Moreover it is not a good analogy that if India can not manufacture its own aircraft so it is OK for us not to be able too. Indian air force is fully capable defending their air space with 4th generation modern air crafts whereas our air force is not.
If take off, landing and dropping ordinances does the trick then why not use Junkers Ju 87 second world war Stuka dive bomber?
It's almost laughable but the regime is unable to aquire those even.
@ANon 12:36 They are not produced anymore!
Early models would be easily targeted and shot down by 4th generation Western fighter aircraft. I remember that Iraq recieved the Mig-29 export model during the war with Iran, and Iran got the exact same aircraft from Russia in 1991, it was an specially made variant for export to countries outside of the Warsaw pact. It was less sophisticated than the ones Russia produced for itself. Reason was the Russians did not trust governments or countries that were not close allies, they think the top-of-the-line models will be compromised in the hands of less trusted countries by a hostile third-party. It was equipped with a weak radar with detection range of only 40 km and it lacked ECM system. It would have been suicidal to try engage with the F-15. However the very latest Mig-29 is still a potent contender in the skies, the M2 and SMT have come a long way. I don't know if Iran have them.
Iran is passing through a period 'in between'. It is the most dangerous period for a country as leaders are unsure what to adopt: concede and be dependent of foreigners or still steadfast and continue to be a self-reliant.
Iran is now in the weakest period than during the Ahmadi Nejad era where the policy was clear- self-reliance and we are going to do it.
They do not even hold those war games any more. The West and the Russians know this and the current regime will be in for a surprise: they will be waiting for Godot.
Post a Comment