IRIAF | News and Discussions

[glablo]

Very unfortunately, there is only one tunnel that connects to the runway.
Only one bunker buster would be enough to neutralize this costly underground base.
Incredible waste!

 

[Arash1991]

Caution, the main contention is not whether Iran will have a substantive ‘Air Force’. The claim is that the future Air Force, built on Iranian tech, will be fundamentally unmanned. The underground facilities do substantiate a considerable investment in air assets but not manned ones.

In fact, everything points to an unmanned backbone rather than a retrograde manned Air Force.

I generally agree but Iran also needs a solution for the transformation phase. Unmanned fighter jets for air supriority, doghfighting and so on are minimum 10 years from now. and these early models will also need time to mature. so it would make sense to fill this time gap at least.

I noticed several points on the underground base subject i would like to share with my friends here:

1-The base which satellite imagery proved its newly constructed and is still under construction in north western Hormouzgan province is a new thing and not old secret which was just unveiled and says that it is a new important shift in the airforce strategic thinking.

2-General Bagheri said the base will be the first of several bases around the country that will be built under the mountains and that means it will be a part of a comprehensive strategic shift to protect the airforce from first strike.

3-I can surley say that the bases were not built to recieve the old known jets like the F-4 only, its a new begining for the airforce to protect the new toys to be recieved soon either is it local or purchased from abroad.

4-This new factor makes me think if they plan to remove all the airforce to those new bases which i think is the most probable or they just going to move part of it.

5-Last but not least,what will the old known airforce bases used for and by whom if my guess is true.

yesterday evening before going to sleep i thought about exactly this topic. I already thought that the airbase must be somewhere near the persian gulf. it also makes sense, because why should an airbase deep in the interior of the country be so well protected? i suspect that iran will pursue a more aggressive tactic in the future. faster and permanent availability of air force fighters in potential frontline proximity is ensured by well-protected air bases near the front. especially for immediate acute and highly available tactical air support or air superiority missions in critical areas a very good choice. Let's face it, if there is a conflict in the Hormuz area, airbases like Bandar Abbas etc. are already very vulnerable compared to airbases located deep inland and well protected by multiple air defense zones and radar reconnaissance etc.

 

[jauk]

I generally agree but Iran also needs a solution for the transformation phase. Unmanned fighter jets for air supriority, doghfighting and so on are minimum 10 years from now. and these early models will also need time to mature. so it would make sense to fill this time gap at least.

Yes, the transition phase is reflected in the purportedly limited purchase of SU-35s.

 

[yavar]

Iran Army Air Force underground air force base Eagle 44 It is one of the army's most important air force bases, with fighters built in the depths of the Earth,"
"Asif" long-range cruise missile & Sukhoi 24

 

[Arash1991]

Yes, the transition phase is reflected in the purportedly limited purchase of SU-35s.

Do you think that Iran wants to bridge the transformation phase for the next 20 years with a one-time purchase of Su35 or if there could be further measures?
I assume that an own development of modern fighter jets of the 4+ generation is also important for unmanned future fighter jets of Iran because unmanned fighter jets of the future are based on exactly this experience beside drone experience alone. Therefore, I think it would make sense for Iran to decide to take this step, especially since many key technologies in Iran are now mature or close to reaching a usable level, such as testing and modeling of various airframes, radar technology, stealth technology and the emerging engine technology in Iran. Basically, all the building blocks are already in place in Iran.

 

[jauk]

Do you think that Iran wants to bridge the transformation phase for the next 20 years with a one-time purchase of Su35 or if there could be further measures?
I assume that an own development of modern fighter jets of the 4+ generation is also important for unmanned future fighter jets of Iran because unmanned fighter jets of the future are based on exactly this experience beside drone experience alone. Therefore, I think it would make sense for Iran to decide to take this step, especially since many key technologies in Iran are now mature or close to reaching a usable level, such as testing and modeling of various airframes, radar technology, stealth technology and the emerging engine technology in Iran. Basically, all the building blocks are already in place in Iran.

I believe Iran is the leading edge of what an unmanned AF will look like. Since it's leading, by nature it bears the burden of fine tuning. The main question is TIME. At what point does a manned AF become totally defunct? More importantly at what time does Iran entirely stop investing in a conventional AF? These are hard questions that are endemic to a first mover. My belief is we have been at a point for quite a while that ANY substantial investment in a conventional AF is a waste of time. By the time we're 'there' the world has moved on. People believe Iran's state of a conventional AF is driven by sanctions, money, and mismanagement. One cannot discard that argument entirely. However, I believe those have also forced Iran to make a conscious decision to invest in an unmanned AF.

 

[Arash1991]

I don't think there will be a specific point in time when suddenly manned fighter jets will no longer be used. I think it will be a process that will take years. More like a transitional phase where experience is gained, mistakes are made and things have to be optimized. The point is that the current transformation phase is particularly sensitive because right now the likelihood of a military conflict has increased compared to the past and I don't think it will decrease in the next few years. Consequently, despite all the visions, it is also important to find quick and short-term (acquisition) and medium-term solutions (in-house development or license production).

either way, i think we can't avoid developing our own manned fighter jet in iran or at least producing it on licenses and then working out the technical details over time

 

[Messerschmitt]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623300786884157440

 

[jauk]

Very unfortunately, there is only one tunnel that connects to the runway.
Only one bunker buster would be enough to neutralize this costly underground base.
Incredible waste!

...with 'incredible' being the operative term...

 

[thesaint]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622934575411351558

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622924630250909702

 

[jauk]

Anyone have insight of the meaning of '44'' designation?

Note (admittedly a stretch): https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/11414/chapter-44-ad-dukhan-smoke/

 

[Messerschmitt]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623300324608835585

 

[Stryker1982]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623300324608835585

This missile that was shown (as a hint) is what we expected to come sooner or later which is basically a theater-wide ALCM which can only be carried by an IRIAF Su-24.

Very unfortunately, there is only one tunnel that connects to the runway.
Only one bunker buster would be enough to neutralize this costly underground base.
Incredible waste!

Base can always be expanded, it doesn't seem to be that large maybe only housing a dozen F-4E's a fraction of overall force.

Runway and section is both north facing, not south facing so targeting these specific points are easier said than done, not to mention AD coverage can be present on the site.

 

[TheImmortal]

You can repair a runway in a few hours. Just ask Syria.

More nonsense ‘analysis’ by potato chip generals.

 

[jauk]

I don't think there will be a specific point in time when suddenly manned fighter jets will no longer be used....

Correct. However, there WILL be a specific point in time where investment in a conventional AF is no longer warranted. Determining that inflection point as accurately as possible is key. That is the contention. My camp (in the minority) believes that point has come and gone. Others (majority) believe that we have not reached that point yet and investment in an conventional AF is still warranted.

Regardless, both camps seem to agree that at some point in the future AFs will be entirely unmanned. (whatever that implies).