Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi recently died in a helicopter crash over this past weekend. The Bell 212 carrying Raisi and several other officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, went down in a foggy mountainous area near the border with Azerbaijan. All passengers on board were confirmed dead at the crash site. (These are the fighter jets and combat aircraft in the Iranian Air Force.)
Raisi, who was serving as the President of Iran since 2021, was known for his hardline stance and strict enforcement of morality laws. His presidency was marked by significant tension both domestically and internationally, including a crackdown on anti-government protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 and intensified uranium enrichment activities.
Following his death, Iran declared five days of mourning. Mohammad Mokhber, a senior figure in Iran’s administration, has been appointed as the interim president to navigate the country through this period of transition.
Geopolitical tensions around remain at an all-time high in the wake of this event. This also comes in the days following an attempted assassination of Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, drawing concern to the security of national leaders around the world. While some might point fingers and make conspiracies following the death of the Iranian President, no one has claimed responsibility and Iran has not publicly suggested foul play. (What happens if Israel and Iran go to war.)
24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the helicopters in Iran’s arsenal. To identify all of the helicopters in active service in the Iranian military, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. We ranked helicopters by the number of units in active service. Supplemental data was added regarding the type of aircraft, armament, and military branch.
Here is a look at every helicopter in Iran’s military:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the helicopters within Iran’s arsenal gives context for the recent death of President Raisi. The death of a sitting president in such a high-profile accident has significant geopolitical ramifications. Raisi was a central figure in Iran’s political landscape, with strong ties to the country’s conservative and clerical establishments.
8. Bell 206 (JetRanger / Long Ranger)
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1967
- Active in Military: 6
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Army
7. Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion
- Type: Heavy-lift transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1966
- Active in Military: 6
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
6. Sikorsky S-61 (SH-3 Sea King)
- Type: Ship-based anti-submarine warfare helicopter
- Year introduced: 1961
- Active in Military: 8
- Armament: Mark 44/46 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, naval depth charges, 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
5. Bell 212
- Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1968
- Active in Military: 10
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
4. Bell AH-1J SeaCobra
- Type: Dedicated two-seat attack helicopter
- Year introduced: 1970
- Active in Military: 13
- Armament: 20mm M197 triple-barrel gatling gun, Mk 40 Hydra rocket pods, Zuni rocket pods, BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles, Sidewinder missiles
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
3. Mil Mi-171 Hip
- Type: Medium-lift gunship helicopter
- Year introduced: 1981
- Active in Military: 22
- Armament: Shturm-V missiles, rocket pods, cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
2. Bell 214
- Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1972
- Active in Military: 24
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
1. Boeing CH-47 Chinook
- Type: Medium-lift trandem-rotor transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1962
- Active in Military: 40
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
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