Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1308154
1979). Some of the armament comes from the procurements made through collaboration with the Soviet Union and China, or even more exotic acquisitions. Finally, some of the equipment is manufactured - copies, license involved, or without a license, or local upgrades. This is well exemplified by the inventory of the Air Force, using the F-14, F-4 and F-5 aircraft dating back to the alliance with the US (40 Tomcats and 60 F-4s and F-5s each), MiG-29s procured in the USSR (25 examples), as well as other types, such as the Chinese MiG-21 version (J-7, around 20 examples), or Mirage F1 and Su- 22s, obtained after the daring escapes of the Iraqi pilots back in 1991. Iran also obtained the Su-24s - from Iraq and via a procurement from Russia. The fleets of airlifters, patrol aircraft, and helicopters are equally varied. The helicopter fleet is dominated by different variants of Hueys, Cobras, and the Russian Mi-17s. Throughout the last two decades, the Iranians have been showcasing reportedly domestic fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft designs. Apart from mock- ups, these include modified aircraft, such as the light F-5Es. If they are operated in the air force at all, the quantity is minor. However, there has been a lot of domestic contribution made in the missile domain. Apart from the systems procured abroad (also in unclear circumstances, such as the Iran-Contras scandal in Reagan's era), Iran has also mastered license-based and indigenous manufacturing of a broad array of missiles, ranging from ATGMs, through anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, cruise and ballistic missiles to finish with. Domestically developed UAV designs have also been showcased. Here, foreign influence and inspiration are visible. Mersad SAM is a copy of the US-made Hawk system. The anti-ship missiles are derived from the Chinese C-802 system. Raad SAM, known for its kill of the RQ-4, has been clearly inspired by the Soviet systems - Kub and Buk. Systems that have been procured abroad, recently, need to be placed on top of the list, when it comes to the most dangerous threats. When it comes to the air defense systems, the above refers primarily to four S-300 batteries and 29 Tor systems. We already have some knowledge of the capabilities of those systems. Meanwhile, the intel available with regards to the Iranian assets is limited. S-200 is another system procured in Russia (five squadrons). Its range of up to 300 kilometers is impressive, but this SAM system can be employed solely against targets with poor maneuverability, flying at high altitudes, it is also not a mobile solution. These features make the S-200 a perfect target for cruise missiles. The aforesaid case of the RQ-4 being shot down is not a representative one, since the target was slow, large and it was flying at a high altitude. Thus, the engagement was very much ANALYSIS