Iran - Air Force

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Iran - Air Force

Esfahãn/Shahid Beheshti Intl

Hamadan/Nojeh

Kooshk-e-Nosrat

Mashhad/Shahid Hashemi Nejad

Omidiyeh/Shahid Ardestani

Shiraz/Shahid Dastghaib Intl

Tabriz/Shaheed Fakouri

Tehran-Mehrabad

Zahedan

Bandar Abbas/Intl (OIKB)
Google Maps
Air Base
9th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
91 TFS	F-4E (~6)

RPV sq	Mohajer 4

The IRIAF operates three types of the McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II, namely the F-4E, RF-4E and the F-4D. The F-4E depicted here is ready to take part in a huge parade held during April 2008.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Birjand (OIMB)
RWY 08/26, 10/28 POS 32°53'36"N 059°17'10"E ELEV 5041 ft Google Maps
Air Base
13th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
No active units	N/A

This is a Forward Operating Base (FOB).

The status of the SAR detachments on the Tactical Fighter Bases across Iran is quite unclear. The ones that are still oparetional often use the Bell 214B.

Babak.T-Iranian Spotters

Bushehr/Yassini (OIBB)
RWY 13L/31R, 13R/31L POS 28°56'37"N 050°50'09"E ELEV 112 ft Google Maps
Air Base
6th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
61 TFS	F-4E (~10)

62 TFS	F-4E (~10)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214

62 TFS merged with 63 TFS. Later a new 63 TFS came to life but was disbanded in 2002.

Seen landing at Tehran Mehrabad is this MiG-29UB multirole fighter.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Chahbahar/Konarak (OIZC)
RWY 09L/27R, 09R/27L POS 25°26'36"N 060°22'56"E ELEV 24 ft Google Maps
Air Base
10th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
101 TFS	F-4D (5)

102 TFS	Mirage F-1EQ/BQ (12)

The ex Iraqi Air Force Mirage F-1's have moved from TFB 14/141 TFS Imam Reza to TFB 10 during 2011/2012. The F-4Ds of 101 TFS have been overhauled by IACI during 2008. A large portion of this facility is located undergrounds.

Only one squadron with F-4Ds remains in IRIAF service, this being 101 TFS at Chabahar.

Shahram - Iranian Spotters

A number of ex Iraqi Air Force Mirage F1 jets defected during the First Gulf War. They are now operated from 10th Tactical Air Base, Konarak aka Kangan aka Chah Bahar (OIZC).

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Dezful/Vahdati (OIAD)
RWY 14R/32L POS 32°26'04"N 048°23'52"E ELEV 500 ft Google Maps
Air Base
4th Tactical Air Base aka Vahdati
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
41 TFS	F-5E (10) F-5F (?)

43 TFS	F-5F (11)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214

The SAR sq might have been decommissioned.

Esfahãn/Shahid Beheshti Intl (OIFM)
RWY 08L/26R, 08R/26L POS 32°45'03"N 051°51'42"E ELEV 5072 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Air Base
8th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
81 TFS	F-14A (~17)

82 TFS	F-14A (~17)

83 TFS	F-14A (~15)

84 Training sq	PC-7 & S-68 (~35)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214

85 TFS	F-5A (3) F-5B (8) FT-7N (some)

The S-68 is a locally built, reverse-engineered PC-7. The IrAn-140 (license built An-140) is produced by HESA here.

The exact number of F-5s supplied to the Iranians is a bit ambiguous because of deliveries from and to Ethiopia but it is a fact that a lot of them remain in operational service.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

The Northrop F-5 is still widely used in te IRIAF. Here, a number is lined up for take-off from Mehrabad to participate in a huge display held over Tehran in April 2008.

Babak.T-Iranian Spotters

Hamadan/Nojeh (OIHS)
RWY 10/28 POS 35°11'59"N 048°39'23"E ELEV 5524 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Air Base
3rd Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
31 TRS	RF-4E (4)

31 TFS	F-4E (14)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214

The Phantoms are said to be operated by 32 TFS and 32 TRS respectively. Some fifteen defected Iraqi Air Force Sukhoi 20/22 are stored here The SAR sq might have been decommissioned.

Kooshk-e-Nosrat (OIIC)
RWY 11/29 POS 34°59'01"N 050°48'27"E ELEV 2943 ft Google Maps
Air Base
Flight Academy Centre
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
Training sq	Beech F33A/C

The units here are part of the Flight Academy Center. This Air Base is located south-west of the famous Namak Lake.

Of the 79 US-supplied F-14A Tomcat (locally nicknamed Persian Cat) a great number is still operational, despite the lack of spare parts and technical support of the West. This shows the determination and the skill-level of the IRIAF personnel.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Mashhad/Shahid Hashemi Nejad (OIMM)
RWY 14L/32R, 14R/32L, 14/32H POS 36°14'07"N 059°38'28"E ELEV 3270 ft Google Maps
Air Base
14th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
141 TFS	F-5E (3) F-5F (3)

The main repair facilities of the Eastern Area Command are located here.

Omidiyeh/Shahid Ardestani (OIAJ)
RWY 12L/30R, 12R/30L POS 30°50'07"N 049°32'06"E ELEV 85 ft Google Maps
Air Base
5th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
51 TFS	F-7M FT-7N

52 TFS	F-7M FT-7N

53 TFS	F-7M FT-7N

This Air Base was due to be transferred completely to the Iranian Revulutionary Guard Corps Air Force (IRGCAF) in 2008 and the F-7s transferred to Esfahan since mid-2008. In March 2009 however, the Chinese licence built MiG-21's returned to Omidiyeh, forming three squadrons again.

The Chinese-built Chengdu F-7 Thunderbolt is still widely used in Iran. Some of the dual-seat FT-7N trainer versions are painted in a very colourful manner. The F-7s used to be at Omidiyeh but they moved to Esfahan in mid-2008.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Shiraz/Shahid Dastghaib Intl (OISS)
RWY 11L/29R, 11R/29L POS 29°32'22"N 052°35'22"E ELEV 4920 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Air Base
7th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
72 TFS	Su-24MK (~25)

PC-6 Liaison Squadron	PC-6/B2-H2 (8)

7th SAR Group	Bell 214 (2)

Transport Wing

71 TAS	C-130E (6) C-130H (5)

72 TAS	C-130E (6) C-130H (5)

73 TAS	Il-76TD (6) Il-76 i/a (1)

71 ASW sq	P-3F (4)

The 7th Tactical Fighter Base is home to a a Transport Wing that is equipped with C-130E/H Hercules transport aircraft. They certainly are the mainstay of the tactical transport fleet of the IRIAF.

Mohammad Razzazan-Iranian Spotters

Tabriz/Shaheed Fakouri (OITT)
RWY 12R/30L POS 38°07'59"N 046°14'06"E ELEV 4459 ft Google Maps
Air Base
2nd Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
21 TFS	F-5E (18) F-5F (4)

22 TFS	MiG-29A (8) MiG-29UB (3)

23 TFS	F-5E Saeghe (6) F-5F Saeghe II (1)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214

Some 21 TFS F-5s have transferred to TFB 14/Mashhad. The SAR sq might have been decommissioned. The HQ of the Northern Helicopter Command is located here as well as the UAV Logistics Support Command.

Not many MiG-29 Fulcrum-A aircraft carry signs of the Tactical Fighter Base where they are stationed. An exception is this one that carries the arabic 2, depicting its home base Tabriz in the far north of Iran.

Babak.T-Iranian Spotters

Tehran-Mehrabad (OIII)
RWY 11L/29R, 11R/29L POS 35°41'21"N 051°18'48"E ELEV 3962 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Air Base
1st Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
11 TFS	MiG-29A (10) MiG-29UB (4)

Base flight/SAR sq	Bell 214C (7)

Transport Wing

11 TAS	C-130E (4) C-130H (7)

Transport Sq	B747-131 (2) B747-270 (1)

11 Helicopter Transport sq	CH-47C (2)

F27 sq	F27-400M (3) F27-600 (1)

VIP sq	B707-386C (1) B707-3J9C (1) B737-286 (1) A321-231 (1) Falcon 50 (2) L-1329 (1) AB212 (3) Bell 412 (2)

Recce sq	B707-3J9C (Elint) (1) RC-130H (1)

Tanker sq	B707-3J9C Tanker (1) B747-131 Tanker (2)

Falcon Star sq	Falcon 20F Falcon 50

This base houses besides the main F-14A Overhaul facilities also facilities of Iranian Aircraft Industries (IACI) as well as the Iranian Helicopter Support and Manufacturing Company (IHSMC). Some of the VIP squadron aircraft are operated under the Meraj Air flag.

The IRIAF operates a single RC-130H and its origins are widely discussed. It is rumoured to be an ex-Royal Saudi Air Force example!

Babak.T-Iranian Spotters

Zahedan (OIZH)
RWY 17R/35L POS 29°28'38"N 060°54'20"E ELEV 4520 ft Google Maps
Air Base
11th Tactical Air Base
Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Badge
No active units	N/A

This is a Forward Operating Base (FOB).

Iran - Air Force

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