AWACS serve other purposes, have 360° coverage unlike F-14AM, can coordinate forces, etc. They're a useful asset. Hell they could probably coordinate drones
While yes Ukrainian MiGs are better, Iranian MiGs could be modernized to be comfortable to or superior to F-16/F-18 variants (F-16 being the most used aircraft by Iran's enemies). Many of those MiG-29s from former Soviet are just sitting around and could easily be bought cheaply. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if they could get some from Cuba, Chad, Sudan, or Eritrea
the Problem with the multiple AWACS strategy in IRIAF is that:
- Iran has massive geography so something like at least ~8-10 systems will be required, assuming the EITAM system Then to protect them from long-range BVR strikes of the enemy that will fly in with Meteor, AIM-120D, you need to provide layer after layer coverage with fighter jets (Take AD out of the equation for now). We do not have that leverage unless the MIG fleet grows like we are discussing (not very likely) or HESA starts giving out some 14 Kowsar-I/II per year and the plane itself gets PL-15 or R-77 like BVR (again a projection). They will become more of a burden in air for the air arm. If you keep them deep inside the Iranian territory to keep them safe from the enemy then what's the point in even having them?
- You need 3D coverage if you are being attacked from all sides. We face threats either from South East/West or North/West. That is about it. We have ground based long range 3D search and track radars too. I am not saying we dont need AWACS systems on Simorgh, I am just not sure how useful they will be in the current IRIAF setup. I would rather have IEI develop a local AWG-9/APG-71 replica (which has a max potential of 700-800 KM search range) and put it on a jet-powered Kaman-22/Fotros to accompany battle groups of F-14Am+MIG+Kowsar in future. We already have seen intention KAMAN-22 caries the DASH ECM pods and have datalinks.
- My own personal belief regarding MIG fleet is that, its all politics in the end. Iran has nothing to do with the US anymore in financial or political domains so it plays around with American products in hand without any fear. SM-1, I-Hawk, F-5E, F-14A, F-4E/D, M-60, TOW, AIM-9P, AIM-54 all have been opened, upgraded, or even copied from scratch as in the case of Kowsar's airframe. But can we do the same with Russian systems? We have never given some heavy upgrade to SU-24M, MIG-29, and Kilo class submarines on our own. Karrar tank uses some ... some tech .. from T-72/90 and you know how much coverage this tank got for those reasons from Russian experts. So the capability is there, it's the political problem that it will cause that keeps Iran from changing the Russian system. Russians demand money, they have front companies in Belarus, Serbia, Bulgaria and previously in Ukraine itself in 90s that offer spare parts, and upgradation packages for the same thing that we can do on our own.
Even if we procure some 70-80 x SU-35S for 6 BLN USD from Moscow, they will still not let Iran produce its spare parts at home or have any decent TOT to produce more airframes. DPRK wanted domestic production for MIG-29 in 80s and 90s but USSR and later Russia provided them some 14-16 kits for assembly and fleet even to this day is dependent upon Russian supplies. A mere political dispute will end up grounding this fleet.
This is why we have the following American origin systems in IRIAF:
- F-14A upgraded to F-14AM
- Fakour-90 took birth from AIM-54
- F-4E/D (some) have been extensively upgraded with local Radars and AShCM
- F-5E/F airframe has been built from scratch in Iran
- AIM-9P is locally produced as Fatter
We do not see any similar upgradation of any Russian system
- SU-24 fleet got mild upgradations by Russian companies
- MIG-29 fleet got new engines directly from Russia
- SU-25 have been returned to Iraq
- SU-22 are anamoly in this case that they have been upgraded but one squadron