From rust to rockets: The battle to modernize Iran’s legacy air force

The recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran dramatically exposed the gaping vulnerabilities in Iran’s air defence capabilities. Israeli F-35, F-15, and F-16 jets operated with near impunity, bombarding critical Iranian sites, including airbases, nuclear facilities like Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz, and vital industrial and energy infrastructure. The Israeli Air Force destroyed approximately 120 Iranian air defence launchers, about a third of its pre-war inventory. This stark reality has undoubtedly accelerated Tehran’s pursuit of modern aerial protection. A system under siege                                                                                     Iran’s reliance on antiquated, US-made aircraft from the Shah’s era, combined with an aging, largely indigenous air defence network, proved woefully inadequate. Decades of international sanctions have severely hampered Iran’s ability to maintain and modernise these platforms. The Iranian […]