In late 2014, iran gave some of the impounded former iraqi military aircraft. The iranian air force possesses around 80 f4 and su24 bombers as well as f14 interceptors modified for ground strikes. Strategies, approaches, results, and issues for congress summary. In 1984, the iran iraq war spilled into the persian gulf.
Nov 25, 2015 its somewhat of a meaningless question. A sof service member died in a military freefall parachuting accident during training near eloy, arizona on tuesday, january 14, 2020. The commander helped direct wars in iraq, syria, lebanon and yemen, and. By then there was already unambiguous evidence indicating the urgency of defusing the imminent danger posed by iraq and its primary allies in the growing terrorist conspiracy.
Special operations news update friday, january 17, 2020. This policy focus is an outgrowth of his dissertation research. It has a political directorate and a small naval coordination staff. The story of iriaf attack on iraq s alwaleed air bases. Iraq air force wants iran to give back its planes reuters. On the iranian side, for the first few months of the war, the burden to defend the country was on the shoulders of the iranian air force. The most interesting warplanes of the iranian air force.
Some homofars with special skills have been retained the regime. Part of its contingent were among the first forces to enter iraq after the official execute order. Iraq war transition of iranian leadership and military decision to invade. Iiaf, imperial iranian air force, iran, iranian aircraft, history of iran, iranian aviation, this is the story of men and women of the imperial iranian air force who proved that phoenix can rise again from the ashes, history of the golden crown. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Iran s military doctrine michael connell the iran iraq war 19801988 was a defining moment for the iranian military and it continues to underpin many aspects of iranian military doctrine. Combined joint special operations task force north cjsotfnorth focused on supporting the peshmerga attack to fix the iraqi army units at mosul and kirkuk, and preventing their movement south to engage the main u. Army special forces conduct a combat operation in baghdad, iraq. A dozen missiles target us troops at al asad, erbil in. The most interesting warplanes of the iranian air force open. Conventional cruisemissile attackandballisticmissile s. Mahdi, who in exile worked closely with iran while saddam hussein was in power in iraq, had a special relationship with the i. Iran has sent hundreds of irgc officers, most of them from the quds force similar to the u. The evolution of iranian warfighting during the iraniraq war pdf.
Despite threats of response, iraq wasnt able to retaliate due to its own fight against kurdish separatist guerrillas and the westernimposed nofly zones that crippled and limited its air force s operations. Islamic republic of iran air force the aviationist. Dec 19, 2008 the iranian is described as a commander of iranian special operations in iraq who is also believed to be involved in facilitating training of iraqi militants at islamic revolutionary guard corpsqods force training camps. Iranian air force special operations in iraq part 2 youtube. The islamic republic of iran air defense force is a branch split off from the iriaf and has 15,000 personnel. Iranian f4 phantom iis were also some of best equipped examples ever exported by the usa. There was a large deployment of coalition special forces during and after the 2003 invasion of iraq, something that has not been written about in much depth. Iranian air force special operations in iraq part 3. The howard government supported the disarmament of iraq during the iraq disarmament crisis. Iraqs special forces proved a wasting asset and by the end of 1982 had been almost. This video is showcasing the capabilities of iranian special forces including.
Australia deployed approximately 2,000 personnel, primarily special operations personnel, and one fa18 attack aircraft squadron. The wikileaks cables brought to light a vicious campaign of revenge by iran against iraqi air force pilots who bombed iranduring the 198088 iran iraq war. This book removes the veil of secrecy surrounding iranian phantom ii operations since the war with iraq. Joint special operations university 7701 tampa point boulevard macdill afb fl 33621. The photos in this article were recently released by fars news agency. Dec 12, 2002 iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history book tom cooper, farzad bishop on. The iranian air force units started the second day of their largescale military exercise, codenamed guardians of velayat sky98, in the central province of semnan on friday morning2019. Many aircraft belonging to the iraqi air force took refuge in iran during the persian.
The joint special operations university jsou provides its publications. This powerful statement, from this books conclusion, sets. Iran has used force against iraqi anti iran protesters, and is responsible for most of the 800 iraqi protesters killed since the protests began in october 2019. Overall, any osprey publication like special operations forces in iraq is really a basic beginners book on a military topic. Nevertheless, turkey launched an ambitious crossborder military campaign starting in 1992, deploying some 15,000 air force, army, and gendarmerie personnel for operations in northern iraq. Thus by 20 the iranian air force announced that it had begun mass production of a new jet fighter, one that was designed and manufactured in iran. Consequently, on december 89, the twentyfirst air force flew 2 c5 and 9 c141 special assignment airlift missions carrying 903 persons frommehrabadairport in tehran, the capital of iran, to bases in the united states and germany. It has carried out major operations like operation kaman 99, operation sultan 10. In 2007, iraq asked iran to return some of the scores of iraqi fighter plans that flew there ahead of the gulf war in 1991. However, iran also uses state partners in iraq and syria toward its counterislamic state of iraq and syria. Iranian media says that a new iranian fighter jet was exhibited during the national defense industry show.
The iranian air force is the last operator of the legendary f14 tomcat. In 2007, iraq asked iran to return some of the scores of iraqi fighter plans that. Islamic republic of iran air force page 2 the aviationist. May 27, 2010 attack on h3 airbases in iraq during iraniraq war.
In an attempt to force iran to accept a ceasefire, iraq initiated the socalled tanker war by attacking iranian oil tankers. Military operations of the iraniraq war are events that stretched over the period of iraniraq. The dictator had reissued a book written by his uncle entitled. Eventually, three years into the iran iraq war, the iraqi air force became the stronger air force, although this was not due to improvements in equipment or personnel. The islamic republic of iran air force is the aviation branch of the islamic republic of iran army. The islamic republic of iran air force iriaf persian. Nevertheless, the opening phases of the war highlighted the incompetence of both armies as well as the iraqi air force.
Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history book. This study assesses the iranian military as a factor in internal iranian politics. The campaign was turkeys secondlargest after the 1974 military intervention in cyprus, and it inflicted heavy casualties on the pkk. Iran has developed upgrade kits that make these rockets much more accurate. Only the islamic republic of iran air force did well in this phase due to its ustrained pilots and modern us aircraft purchased by mohammad reza shah for when it was the imperial iranian air force.
List of aircraft of the iranian air force wikipedia. Jun 25, 2014 the syrian and iranian air forces are now bombing iraq. Iran has a number of uavs and ucavs, currently under operation of the iranian army aviation. The exact numerical strength of all the iranian special forces is unclear, but it must be in the tens of thousands. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military. The syrian and iranian air forces are now bombing iraq.
American special forces training with west african soldiers in 2018 in agadez, niger. The 24th special tactics squadron is one of the special tactics units of the united states air force special operations command afsoc. The present air force came into being in the early 1980s when the former imperial iranian air force was renamed. The role of airpower in the iraniraq war air university. They show some islamic republic of iran air force f.
Thanks to all the pilots of the iranian air force to serve their country and for those who perished, may they rest. As of 1996, iranian air defence forces included about 18,000 military personnel. Iraqi forces, iraniansupported militias report success in. This book is a reference tool for legal professionals who. At its peak the imperial iranian air force, that of the shah, had more than 450 modern combat aircraft, including then state of the art f14a tomcat fighters and about 5,000 welltrained pilots. The raids took place in the town of qastin in diyala province. Between 65 and 80 fighter aircraft are fully operational, compared to over. Air force operations and the law is a publication of the judge advocate. Miquani oversees three regional air force commands, while the irgc air wing is commanded by brigadier general hossein salami. The iranian military under the islamic republic author. Sep 26, 2016 after 2003 the announcements became more ambitious, apparently in response to the impressive american weapons being used next door in iraq and afghanistan.
May 27, 2010 attack on h3 airbases in iraq during iran iraq war. The quds force was created during the iran iraq war as a special unit from the broader pasdaran forces. Air combat memoirs of the iranian air force pilots. Most iraqis agree that iran is a toxic neighbor that, in its current state an increasingly unpopular religious dictatorship is a toxic force obsessed with controlling iraq and the iraqi government. The evolution of air force special tactics, 19532003 refers, to the battlefield airmen assigned to special tactics units.
On the eve of the iranian revolution in 1979 the air force, numbering close to 100,000 personnel, was by far the most advanced of the three iranian military services and among the most impressive air forces in the developing world. Qassim suleimani, master of irans intrigue, built a shiite axis of. Iraq cobbling together makeshift air force to fight isis. Jsoc began targeting iranian proxies in iraq in october 2006, writes journalist sean naylor in his book about jsoc titled relentless strike. Armed forces of the islamic republic of iran wikipedia. In addition, dionisi asserts in his book american hiroshima that the iranian quds force headquarters for operations in iraq was moved in 2004 to the iran iraq border in order to better supervise activities in iraq. Joint special operations university 7701 tampa point. Iraq s air force commander said on sunday he hoped iran would return some of the scores of iraqi fighter plans that flew there ahead of the gulf war in 1991, but conceded many of them were. Us forces detain iranian agent near baghdad fdds long. In addition to special forces units, the revolutionary guards also have a separate division called the quds force for special operations abroad. Iran air force operations from iran iraq war era to the. Freedom, joint special operations task force north jsotfnorth cleared the way with the kurdish peshmerga to secure mosul.
Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. A defense official said later that iran fired a total of 15 missiles into iraq. Gulf of conflict the washington institute for near east. Ayatollah khomeini received the principal commanders of the armed forces, who had. The quds force also has a headquarters in the former compound of. Iranian air defense systems in bandar abbas duration. Throughout the remainder ofthe month, violence and disorder mounted, leading the u. The islamic revolutionary guard corps, or revolutionary guards, has an estimated 190,000 personnel in five branches. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history book tom cooper, farzad bishop on. Attack on h3 airbases in iraq during iran iraq war. In march 2015, 10 of the iranian air force su22 were transferred to the syrian arab air force to fight in the ongoing civil war. At its peak the imperial iranian air force, that of the shah, had more than 450 modern combat aircraft, including then. The iranian agent then led us forces to his associate.
Nov 18, 2019 according to one of the leaked iranian intelligence cables, mr. Strategy, military operations, and issues for congress congressional research service 1 overview unlike the war in iraq, which, many argue, has entered its endstate, the war in afghanistan where the security situation has deteriorated and no comprehensive political outcome is. Operation eagle claw, known as operation tabas persian. Four failed in flight, 10 struck al asad and one hit erbil, the official said. The qods force, a special operations wing of iran s revolutionary guard corps. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Some of the planes have been junked, but the su24s are serviceable, and some have been absorbed into the iranian air force and kept in working order, said analyst michael knights of the. Iranian air force special operations in iraq part 1. At the beginning of the war, pilots were in short supply and flying. Organisation the iranian air force is headquartered in tehran with training, administration, and logistics branches, and a major central air defence operations. By 1991, it was one of the largest air forces in southwestern asia, with well over 700 fixedwing combat aircraft. The iranian police force are primarily charged with domestic law enforcement, but also have special operations and emergency services elements. In the process, the new iraqi army was expanded to include an army, air force, coastal defense force, reserve forces, and other elements.
Project air force project air force, a division of rand, is the air force federally funded research and development center ffrdc for studies and analysis. Iranian f4 phantom ii units in combat osprey publishing. The iranian air force is headquartered in tehran with training, administration, and logistics branches, and a major central air defence operations centre. After the war, quds force continued to support the kurds fighting saddam hussein, during the war it had helped the kurds fight the iraqi military. Footage shows iranian naval aviation fokker 27 warn a u. Previously unknown details about iranian f4, f5, su24 and uavs involvement in air strikes on isis targets in iraq december 4, 2014 david cenciotti iran, military aviation, troubled areas. A liver transplant specialist in uss top hospital or a general surgeon working in guinea for doctors without borders. Cpa order 22 established the new iraqi army on august 18, 2003, and cpa order 67 renamed the new iraqi army the iraqi armed forces on march 21, 2004. During the war, the 75th ranger regiment and the special forces commanders inextremis force was placed under the jsoc task force in iraq, which also wielded a robust intelligence capability. When iran and iraq ended a brutal 8year war in 1988, the iraqi air force had fought well. Air force component to joint special operations command. The forces, directed by the iraqi counter terrorism service, consist of the iraqi counter terrorism command, which has three brigades subordinate to it.
Special thanks must go to maj gen john marks for nominating me to write this report and. Iranian military planners are adept at incorporating lessons from other conflicts, such as the u. The ustrained iranian imperial air force four winds 10. Islamic republic of iran air defense force wikipedia.
Sep 04, 2015 the ustrained iranian imperial air force was widely regarded as second only to israels in the middle east more than a match for iraq and a serious adversary for even the soviet union. The usafs role in reconstituting the iraqi air force. This is a list of aircraft types operated by the iranian air force, not including those operated by. Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of iraq. The adaptation of iraqi military forces to the reality of war. The latter includes branches equivalent to those of the conventional forces, plus quds force special operations and the basij paramilitary volunteer force. Iraq has slipped into an unofficial civil war between pro and anti iran factions. Australia later provided one of the four most substantial combat force contingents during the 2003 invasion of iraq, under the operational codename operation falconer. Nov 14, 2014 the league of the righteous, a shiite militia that is responsible for killing hundreds of us soldiers in iraq between 20062011, helped iraqi forces take control of baiji. Aircraft of the iranian air force wikimedia commons. President jimmy carter to attempt to end the iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 embassy staff held captive at the embassy of the united states, tehran on 24 april 1980.
Area of operations desert shielddesert storm air base miles 0 150 map 1. The iranian air force never fully recovered from the effects of the 1979 revolution. From 1980 to 1988 iran and iraq fought the longest conventional war of the century. The iranian air force received 40 su2022s from iraq in 1991. September 28, 2017 persian calendar 9676 iran air force operations from iran iraq war era to the current moment.
In the decade following the persian gulf war, the iqaf mainly. In addition, dionisi asserts in his book american hiroshima that the iranian quds force headquarters for operations in iraq was moved in 2004 to the iraniraq border in order to better supervise activities in iraq. Iran and iraq fought an eight year war against each other from september 1980 to august 1988. The tradition of aircraftbased air defense, derived from the ustrained air force from before the 1979 iranian revolution, was giving way to an expanding arsenal of groundbased air defense missile systems. Iraniraq war in the air 19801988 schiffer military history. In our judgment, the iranian air force will fall further behind iraq in air. Within days, the kuwaitis had surrendered or fled to saudi arabia, the.
We have a book that has firing schedules for the type of missile. Gulf of conflict the washington institute for near east policy. Iranian air force special operations in iraq part 3 duration. Some iranian phantom ii pilots gathered immense experience on the type, flying it in combat for more than ten years. Jan 17, 2020 sof news update 20200117 curated news about special operations, national security, military defense, and conflicts from around the world.
The iranians claimed that they destroyed 48 iraqi aircraft on the ground with no losses of their own. Although quds force did not participate in active combat operations in iraq with iraqi special groups, irgcqf or irgcgf is believed to have assassinated over 180 iraqi air force officials 28 in 2010 and dozens of former intelligence officers who participated in the iran iraq war. The islamic revolutionary guard corps marching last year during a parade to commemorate the iran iraq war. Iranian air force special operations in iraq part 3 youtube. Marine corps reserve and has served tours in both afghanistan and iraq with coalition joint special operations task forces. List of iraqi air force aircraft squadrons wikipedia. The ustrained iranian imperial air force was widely regarded as second only to israels in the middle east more than a match for iraq and a serious adversary for even the. Iranian armys, 65th air sea special operations force brigade nohed, 55th. The quds force also has a headquarters in the former compound of the u. Previously unknown details about iranian f4, f5, su24. While nonoperational for several years, iran started in 20 an overhauling program for these. Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes against quds force operations in syria, lebanon, iraq and gaza to halt iranian shipments of these guided weapons or components, from reaching hezbollah stockpiles of unguided rockets in lebanon.