24/7 Wall St. Insights:

• The F-14 Tomcat is one of the most formidable air superiority aircraft to come out of the 1970s
• Iran procured nearly 80 of these aircraft prior to the Iranian Revolution
• These fighter jets play a key role in Iran’s national security
• Also: Discover the next Nvidia

The F-14 Tomcat is one of the most recognizable fighter jets that served in the U.S. military. Originally entering the fleet in the 1970s, it was renowned for its incredible speed and firepower. It is considered one of the most formidable fighter jets of its time.

The United States only recently replaced these jets in the past couple decades but there is another global military power that uses these formidable fighters. Iran procured a number of F-14 Tomcats from the United States and these jets played a critical role in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. (These are the largest air forces in the world.)

In the late 1970s Iran acquired nearly 80 F-14 Tomcats just before the Iranian Revolution. Although Iran has been facing some problems in maintaining these jets in the post-revolution years because of international sanctions, the Iranian Air Force has still managed to keep many of these fighters operational.

So far in service of Iran, these F-14s have been instrumental in maintaining its air superiority. Also they have been credited with a number of air-to-air kills, primarily against Iraqi aircraft, including Soviet-made MiGs and French Mirage fighters.

Ultimately, these F-14s play a key role in Iran’s national security as well as for aerial reconnaissance and an overall deterrent from enemy aircraft. With its incredible speed, the Tomcat is ideal for strike missions as well as intercepting enemy aircraft. (These are the fighter jets and attack helicopters of the Israeli Air Force.)

24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at Iran’s Air Force. To identify the fastest Iranian combat aircraft currently in service, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft by top speed and we included combat helicopters as well. We also included supplemental data on the type of aircraft, active aircraft, armament and which Iranian military branch they serve under.

Here is a look at the fastest fighter jets and combat helicopters currently in service of Iran:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the combat aircraft within Iran’s arsenal gives context for what the country is capable of in terms of its military. Recent tensions on the geopolitical stage raise the question of military strength within the region.

16. Bell 206 (JetRanger / LongRanger)

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1967
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Army
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
• Active aircraft: 5
• Top speed: 122 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

15. Bell 212

• Type: Medium-lift utility / transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1968
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
• Active aircraft: 10
• Top speed: 140 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

14. Mi-171 Hip-H

• Type: Medium-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1981
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, Iranian Revolutionary Guard
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
• Active aircraft: 22
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: Shturm missiles, rocket pods, 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns

13. Bell 214

• Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1972
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
• Active aircraft: 24
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

12. SH-3 Sea King

• Type: Anti-submarine warfare helicopter
• Year introduced: 1961
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky
• Active aircraft: 8
• Top speed: 166 mph
• Armament: Mark 44 / 46 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, naval depth charges, 7.62mm machine guns

11. AH-1J SeaCobra

• Type: Dedicated two-seat attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1970
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
• Active aircraft: 13
• Top speed: 175 mph
• Armament: 20mm M197 triple barrel gatling gun, Hydra rocket pods, Zuni rocket pods, BGM-TOW missiles, Sidewinder missiles

10. CH-47C Chinook

• Type: Medium-lift, tandem rotor transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1962
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Army
• Manufacturer: Boeing
• Active aircraft: 40
• Top speed: 180 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

9. CH-53 Sea Stallion

• Type: Heavy-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1966
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky
• Active aircraft: 6
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns

8. Su-22 Fitter

• Type: Strike fighter
• Year introduced: 1970
• Military branch: Iranian Revolutionary Guard
• Manufacturer: Sukhoi
• Active aircraft: 9
• Top speed: 718 mph
• Armament: 30mm autocannons, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs, rocket pods, gun pods, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles

7. F-5E Tiger II

• Type: Multirole fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1962
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Northrop Aircraft Corporation
• Active aircraft: 35
• Top speed: 1,077 mph
• Armament: 20mm M39A2 automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles, Maverick missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs

6. F-7 Fishcan

• Type: Interceptor / Strike fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1980
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Shengyang / Chengdu
• Active aircraft: 17
• Top speed: 1,367 mph
• Armament: 30mm internal cannons, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods

5. Su-24 Fencer

• Type: Long-range strike / attack aircraft
• Year introduced: 1974
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Sukhoi
• Active aircraft: 23
• Top speed: 1,439 mph
• Armament: 23mm GSh internal six-barrel cannon, Aphid missiles, Archer missiles, Kingbolt missiles, Krypton missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs

4. Mirage F1EQ

• Type: Interceptor aircraft
• Year introduced: 1973
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Dassault
• Active aircraft: 12
• Top speed: 1,453 mph
• Armament: 30mm DEFA internal automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles, Magic missiles, Matra missiles, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, Armat missiles

3. F-4 Phantom II

• Type: Strike fighter
• Year introduced: 1960
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
• Active aircraft: 63
• Top speed: 1,473 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61 Vulcan, Skyflash missiles, Sparrow missiles, Sidewinder missiles, rocket pods, gun pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs

2. MiG-29 Fulcrum

• Type: Lightweight multirole fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1984
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Mikoyan / United Aircraft Corporation
• Active aircraft: 18
• Top speed: 1,519 mph
• Armament: 30mm GSh-1 internal automatic cannon, Alamo missiles, Adder missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs

1. F-14 Tomcat

• Type: Swing-wing, carrier borne fleet defense fighter
• Year introduced: 1974
• Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
• Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft
• Active aircraft: 41
• Top speed: 1,544 mph
• Armament: 20mm internal gatling gun, Phoenix missiles, Sparrow missiles, Sidewinder missiles, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs

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