Iran Air Force

[MikeD]

Something about an F-14 Tomcat in desert camouflage is just too cool.

Interesting video on the Iranian AF. It's damn-near the USAF of the 1980s. Their pilots are the same looks-wise as USAF pilots. They've got the '80 style MA-1 flight jackets with the 3.5" black leather nametags and the plastic encased rank. The flightsuits and harnesses are the same. They have the old HGU-33 single and dual-visor flight helmets. The same USAF-standard square-lens sunglasses with the straight-backs. This video is interesting with all the old-skool USAF stuff going:

F-4's with AGM-78 Standard ARM missiles, precursor to the AGM-88 HARM.

The F-14s with the AIM-7E-2s, or F's. The AIM-9s are a mixture of B/J/P models. And the F-14 with the MIM-23 HAWK missile on the external rail, as well as the revamped AIM-54A Phoenix missiles.

The F-4s with the ALQ-101/119 ECM pods and SUU-30 based CBU-52 and -58 cluster munitions, as well as AGM-65A/B EO Mavericks. The F-4E models equipped with the TISEO electro-optical target ID set.

Day and night Air Refueling currency the F-4s and F-14s keep with the KC-707s and KC-747s.

Old-school C-130A/B models.

The AH-1 Cobras, both single-engine G and twin-engine J models, modified almost like current US S and T versions with the flat-plate canopies and armed with LAU-3 rocket pods and TOW racks, as well as the nose-mount GAU-2 minigun or 40mm grenade launcher being replaced with the 3-barrel 20mm cannon; all done by the former Bell factory there.

CH-47A/B Chinooks. And locally-built Bell 214 Hueys, also from the Bell factory.

On the Soviet-bloc side, they have the former MiG-29s, Mirage F.1s and SU-24s of the Iraqi AF, when Saddam sent his planes for refuge in Iran during the first Gulf War, and Iran kept them.

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[bunk22]

Crazy now too that it looks like Iranian AF F-14A's ripped apart the Iraqi AF with 130-150 air-to-air kills. They lost 3 Tomcats for sure in return, possilby up to 6 depending on accounts. A great kill ratio, bettered only by the F-15 Eagle. Their F-4's and F-5's scored several kills to but took quite a few losses. Of course one has to believe in Tom Coopers research on the subject.

 

[MikeD]

Here's another interesting one. Granted, the pilot interviews are in farsi, but still they carry themselves as USAF pilots, with a cool professional demeanor. Its interesting how western they are.

And the '80s USAF continues.......sleeves up, the F-5E Aggressor patches, the briefing style and briefing rooms that look like a USAF squadron. The base front sign and base itself looks almost like a USAF base. Interesting is the amount of english wording on things like the base sign and the patches. Back in the day, all the Iranian AF pilots did initial training at Williams AFB, AZ; while the Nav/WSOs did initial at Mather AFB, Ca. F-5 crews stayed at Willie with the 425th; F-4 crews went to George AFB, Ca for transition. I believe the F-14 crews then went to the Navy for follow-on, with much of the training being done in Iran with contractors or TDY USN and USAF personnel.

Heck, the whole airshow may as well almost be a USAF base airshow. Cool and professional ops by the F-5E/F crews on this one.

Oh, and cool soundtrack on both vids.

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[MikeD]

Crazy now too that it looks like Iranian AF F-14A's ripped apart the Iraqi AF with 130-150 air-to-air kills. They lost 3 Tomcats for sure in return, possilby up to 6 depending on accounts. A great kill ratio, bettered only by the F-15 Eagle. Their F-4's and F-5's scored several kills to but took quite a few losses. Of course one has to believe in Tom Coopers research on the subject.

I do know the Tomcats put on a very good showing in the war; and that the Iranians have been doing a great job keeping the Tomcat fleet operating, reverse-engineering anything they need to keep them going.

I wonder if any invite was made to Iran for some of their crews to attend the USN retirement of the F-14 at Oceana a few years ago? I mean, what a great time and occasion to put aside political differences, and just bring aviators and RIOs together to honor an aircraft only ever flown by their two respective countries.....the US retiring them, and Iran keeping them soldiering on.

 

[R Banger]

One day I will find a way to put this Farsi to use, so far it is useless in the world of aviation. My grandfather flew for them back before the Islamic Regime took over, looks like they have moved considerably forward from his day and age at least in terms of their fleet.

 

[MikeD]

One day I will find a way to put this Farsi to use, so far it is useless in the world of aviation. My grandfather flew for them back before the Islamic Regime took over, looks like they have moved considerably forward from his day and age at least in terms of their fleet.

Yup, dad was former IIAF also.

 

[Persian_Pilot]

Yup, dad was former IIAF also.

2 of my uncles were in the IIAF. They were both trained in the satates (Texas, if memory serves correctly). They had amazing stories from their training days.

 

[bunk22]

I do know the Tomcats put on a very good showing in the war; and that the Iranians have been doing a great job keeping the Tomcat fleet operating, reverse-engineering anything they need to keep them going.

I wonder if any invite was made to Iran for some of their crews to attend the USN retirement of the F-14 at Oceana a few years ago? I mean, what a great time and occasion to put aside political differences, and just bring aviators and RIOs together to honor an aircraft only ever flown by their two respective countries.....the US retiring them, and Iran keeping them soldiering on.

Don't know but I thought their high kill ace in the Tomcat with suposedly 7 kills, live in the US. I think I've heard a few of the guys who trained them say they were not that good, except for a few. Goes along with what I saw with the Saudi pilots. Most not so good but a few, very good.

 

[///AMG]

^^ I think user Catmando on AW was one of the Tomcat guys sent over on TDY back in the day (for aircraft delivery and training). IIRC he had similar sentiments in some postings there