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Key Point: Iran is phasing out its aging F-14 Tomcats and F-4 Phantom II fighters in favor of advanced Russian Sukhoi Su-35SEs.

-The first two Su-35SEs arrived in Iran disassembled and were reassembled at Mehrabad Airport.

-With a planned fleet of 50 Su-35s, these new fighters will bolster Iran’s air force and replace its outdated aircraft.

-However, while the Su-35 boasts advanced capabilities, its performance in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine has raised questions about its effectiveness.

-The shift marks a significant change for Iran’s air power, ending decades of reliance on U.S.-built F-14s.

Iran Replaces Iconic F-14 Tomcats with Russia’s Su-35s

Across Europe, numerous nations have been replacing their aging Soviet-designed aircraft with American-made options, notably the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II. However, Iran is on track to go the other direction – as it is finally retiring its aging F-14 Tomcats, which it has struggled to keep in the air.

The aircraft were first purchased for use with the Imperial Iranian Air Force in the 1970s, but following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the once staunch U.S. ally became among its biggest adversaries. The U.S. military went to great lengths to ensure that when the Tomcat was retired by the U.S. Navy in 2006 all spare parts were destroyed so as not to make their way to Tehran.

The issue of spares may no longer be an issue as the Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guards have reportedly received its first two Sukhoi Su-35SE (NATO reporting name Flanker-M) air superiority fighters.

Some Assembly Required for Su-35 

Iran took delivery of the initial two of a planned 50 fighters in a ceremony at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft plant. Interestingly, the Su-35SE fighters weren’t flown assembled to Iran – and instead arrived like a delivery from Amazon or IKEA.

Russian Air Force Su-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

According to Israel Defense, “The jets were dismantled and transported to Iran aboard a Russian Antonov AN-124 transport plane, where they were reassembled at Mehrabad Airport.” One can only hope the instructions were better than those from the Swedish furniture store and that all the parts were there!

The new fighters will be assigned to the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron, which is based at Isfahan in central Iran, and eventually to the 31st Tactical Fighter Squadron in Hamadan. Iran has reportedly been upgrading the facility at Hamadan, including new hangers – possibly due to concerns that the base’s location in western Iran could put it within range of Israeli aircraft.

Out With The Old F-14 Tomcat 

The Su-35SEs will allow Tehran to retire the F-14s and even older F-4 Phantom II fighters that it has operated since well before the 1979 revolution. These won’t be the first Russian aircraft to be operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, as it acquired around twenty Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) fighters in 1989, and received nine additional aircraft that fled from Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War.

F-14 Tomcat

F-14 Tomcat. Image taken at National Air and Space Museum on October 1, 2022. Image by 19FortyFive.

According to Military Watch Magazine, the IRIAF employs its two MiG-29 squadrons – reported to be 24 fighters in total – in defense of Tehran.

Combat Proven vs. Combat Disappointment?

Though Moscow has touted the capabilities of the Su-35, it hasn’t seen great success in Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Despite being an air superiority fighter at heart, the Su-35S has largely failed to evade the sophisticated air defense systems that have been provided to Ukraine by Western countries.

It should also be noted that an Iranian F-14 had the distinction of being the first Tomcat to draw blood in combat. It occurred during the Iran-Iraq War in 1980, when an IRIAF F-14 shot down an Iraqi Mil Mi-25 helicopter, making its first air-to-kill kill. F-14s in Iranian service are believed to have scored at least 50 air-to-air victories in just the first six months of the war shooting down Iraqi MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and even a few Su-20s/22s.

It is easy to see why Tehran went to great lengths to keep the fleet flying for so long.

F-14 Tomcat. Image taken at National Air and Space Museum on October 1, 2022. Image by 19FortyFive.

F-14 Tomcat. Image taken at National Air and Space Museum on October 1, 2022. Image by 19FortyFive.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.