Map of Where the Middle East gets their Air Force

submitted by magnora7 from i.redd.it

sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun
you are viewing a single comment's thread.

view the rest of the comments →

[–]fred_red_beans 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I was thinking that too, seems like pretty old planes.

According to wikipedia:

The Air Force has attempted with some success to maintain in service the large number of American-built aircraft which Iran acquired during the Shah's regime. The Air Force has turned to purchases of Soviet and Chinese aircraft, as well as pressing ex-Iraqi aircraft into service, and indigenously built aircraft, in order to maintain a capable force. As of June 2016, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force possesses 348 fighters, making it the ninth most powerful air arm in the world, on paper.

[–]magnora7[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

as well as pressing ex-Iraqi aircraft into service

I wonder if they're buying new-ish American planes via Iraq, that'd be something.

Sounds like a pretty rag-tag air force though. I bet the reality is a lot worse than how it looks "on paper", if I had to guess.