IRIAF Preparing for Major Aerial Parades in Tehran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Fighter jet squadrons of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) on Monday made dry run practice flights over Tehran’s sky in preparation for major aerial parades to mark Iran’s National Army Day on April 18.
A whole host of Iranian Army forces are geared up to attend nationwide parades on coming Friday to mark the country’s National Army Day.
In the meantime, 27 aircraft from the Air Force are also expected to perform aerial maneuver during the upcoming parades in the capital.
To this end, a group of 16 IRIAF fighter jets made practice flights over Tehran this morning to prepare for the big show.
The aircraft in the preparatory aerial parade included F-7, F-14, F-5 and F-4 fighter jets, C-130 transport aircraft, as well as MiG-29, Mirage, Sukhoi Su-24 and home-made Saeqeh (Thunderbolt) jets.
Speking to reporterts on the sidelines of the Monday morning practice flights, General Mohammad Qarabaghi, Lieutenant Air Force Commander for Operation, told reporters that 27 different aircraft from the IRIAF elite units are planned to take part in the fothcoming parades.
Earlier in December 2013, the IRIAF staged large-scale wargames over the Persian Gulf, codenamed Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat 4 (Devotees of Velayat Airspace 4).
Units from all IRIAF bases participated in the three-phase drills. The maneuvers were part of annual exercises aimed at testing indigenous air defense systems, improving the units’ combat readiness and displaying the country’s military might and achievements.
