WThe Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force is the aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed. It's one of the few air forces in the Middle East, with experience in a conventional war, having fought the Iran-Iraq War in the 80s. It has carried out major operations like Operation Kaman 99, Operation Sultan 10, the H-3 airstrike, and the first attack on a nuclear reactor in history, in Operation Scorch Sword. As a result of fighting a brutal and intense non-stop air war during 8 years, the IRIAF has the highest number of fighter aces in the region, having as many as 7 people with more than 6 kills. Most of these aces, achieved their status flying the F-14 Tomcat jet. Evolving from its experiences in that conflict, the IRIAF has developed real battle tested tactics and a cadre of skillful pilots. Many of them, veterans of the 8 year war and nowadays senior generals, form the core of today's IRIAF command.
WThe rank insignia for the Iranian Air Force are similar in appearance to the rank insignia for other military force around the world, with bars and chevrons indicating enlisted ranks, and stars and national symbols for officer ranks. The current commander of the Iranian Air Force is Sartip Hassan Shah-Safi.
WOn 29 September 1981, an Iranian Air Force C-130 military cargo aircraft crashed into a firing range near Kahrizak, Iran. The plane was flying from Ahvaz, Khuzestan Province to Tehran, while returning from an inspection tour of Iranian military gains in the Iran–Iraq War.
WThis is a list of aircraft types operated by the Iranian Air Force, not including those operated by the air arm of the Aerospace Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution prior to the foundation of the Air Force as a separate service in August 1955. In 2007, Iraq asked Iran to return some of the scores of Iraqi fighter plans that flew there ahead of the Persian Gulf War in 1991. And as of 2014, Iran was receptive to the demands and was working on refurbishing an unspecified number of jets. In late 2014, Iran gave some of the impounded former Iraqi military aircraft back to Iraq.
WThe history of the Iranian Air Force can be divided into two phases—before the Islamic Revolution, and after it.
WHomafaran allegiance is a historical photo that was captured by Abdol-Hussein Partovi on 7 February 1979 in Alavi institute. The photo show Homafaran, officer rank in the previous Iranian Air Force, military salute to Ruhollah Khomeini. In the next day, this photo was published on the front page of the Kayhan daily.
WOn 6 December 2005 at 14:10 local time, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft of the Iranian air force, tail number 5-8519, c/n 4399, crashed into a ten-storey apartment building in a residential area of Tehran, the capital city of Iran.
WThe 2009 Iranian Air Force Il-76MD Adnan 2 accident of 22 September 2009 resulted in the destruction of Iran's only functional airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, an Ilyushin Il-76MD Adnan 2. Sources conflict on the cause of the loss, with some stating that there was a mid-air collision with an Iranian Air Force Northrop F-5E Tiger II or a HESA Saeqeh, and others stating that the rotodome detached from the aircraft, striking and removing the tailplane while the aircraft was maneuvering for an emergency landing following an engine fire.
WThe Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering or Air University, is Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force's military academy. It was established in 1988 by the IRIAF general Mansour Sattari in Tehran, Iran, due to the necessity of providing a trained and capable manpower to the IRIAF. It trains its students in a numerous variety of subjects and roles related to the air force, such as fighter pilots, UCAV operators, flight & support engineers, radar control, electronics & missile development. Its main departments are a flight school, an aeronautic engineering faculty, an electronic engineering department as well as computing and administrative faculties. The formative period lasts for 5 years. Cadets of the academy achieve the second Lieutenant rank upon graduation and join the IRIAF. After that, graduates can take further courses, focusing in their main specialty. Despite being primarily a military academy for the air force members, the university also trains non-military students in a different variety of fields including electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering. Alongside the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy, it is considered one of the best air academies in the region by academic and military standards.
WYasin (jet) is an Iranian modern training jet which was unveiled on October 17, 2019. This domestically-manufactured training jet has been put into operation. The length of this aircraft is 12 meters and its height is 4 meters.