All Iranian Su-25 Frogfoot attack planes have just deployed to Iraq

July 1, 2014 Iran, Troubled Areas
David Cenciotti

Seven Su-25 Frogfoot attack planes operated by the Iranian Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution have arrived at Baghdad to join the war against ISIS militants.

On Jul. 1, seven Su-25 Frogfoot attack planes (out of 10 believed to be operational in Iran) operated by the Pasdaran (informal name of the IRGC – the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution) have completed their deployment to Imam Ali Airbase where they will join the ex-Russian Air Force Su-25s already delivered to Iraq in the air war against ISIS (Al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).

Su-25 IRGC Iraq

The aircraft (three Su-25UBK and four Su-25K jets) will be operated by four Iraqi pilots and 10 Iranian pilots.

According to ACIG.org forum member IIAF-JSF, who brought several to light, aircraft and support to fly them would be part of a military contract (backed by the U.S.) according to which Iran’s IRGC Air Force will receive six Su-30K multirole jets destined to Iraq.

Their delivery of the Iranian Su-25 has been filmed and reported by local media outlets and Iraqi MoD that has published the following video as well as the pictures you can find in this post.

Iran is believed to have joined the air war on ISIS since Jun. 21 when unidentified war planes launched heavy air strikes on the city of Baiji, north of Baghdad which had been invaded by ISIS.

 

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

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16 Comments

  1. > The aircraft and support to fly them would be part of a military
    > contract (backed by the U.S.) according to which
    > Iran’s IRGC Air Force will receive
    > six Su-30K multirole jets destined to Iraq.

    WTF?!?!

    Source please

    • WTF indeed… Considering an airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is still a possibility, why would the US agree to Iran getting advanced fighter jets?

      • It is not the business of the US what Iran buys nor loans to Iraq. Why do I have a hold on message from your site?

    • Yes I too would like a source for this. Because it would be a very important development if proven true.

    • The press since Sunday has said that the Russians were delivering Su-24’s. Nobody in the popular US press got the Su-25 designation correct. Su-30’s is a bold claim. It might be true, but the press often gets these things wrong. Proper context begins with a citation.

  2. The Su-25 Frogfoot is somewhat equivalent to the US A-10 Thunderbolt II.
    Maybe these latest developments will make the US administration rethink the A-10’s future.

    • I had read somewhere it survived the budget axe. Last week I think that was reported. Yeah, I saw it at Beale AFB back in the day. Unique is an understatement.

    • That’s doubtful at best. They’re determined to make the same mistake they made in the early 70s when they canned the A-1 Skyraider.

    • A-10’s are worthy planes, but I think a smaller and faster aircraft such as the Su-25 has some advantages over the “Warthog”. Maybe USA need to think about faster, more nimble plane, with more AA evading capacity.

  3. Interesting but several errors in story. 1.), Iran is believed to have 10 Su-25s, not 7. 7 Su-25K/UBKs fled Iraq in 1991 and three additional Su-25UBKs were delivered from Russian <10 years ago. 2.) Iranian Su-25s are definitely NOT of the Su-25KM variety. This was a specific upgrade developed by Georgia that has never been exported. While it is believe Georgia helped Iran maintain these aircraft after they arrived, there is no evidence or news reports to back up this claim. Also, author Tom Cooper who created/runs the ACIG Forum can back this information up, which makes me wonder WHO at the ACIG forum you got this information from?

  4. Those were just bought from russia, even the youtube link you used states that in arabic

    • Incorrect. Take a good look at the video released by the Iraqi Ministry of Defence. Notice that all the Iranian markings have been painted over on the Su-25s. The giveaway ident is the nose numbers still left on and the camouflage scheme. Check out the video where Su-25 with the nose number 56 goes past the camera. 56 is serial 15-2456

      Link to image of 56 in full Iranian markings. Exactly the same camouflage if you compare the video to the image.

      http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran—Revolutionary/Sukhoi-Su-25K/2067691/L

  5. This is mental.
    The Su-25’s Iran have sent are actually Ex-Iraqi planes that flew to Iran in 1991 to escape desert storm.
    More importantly – The frogfoots will, I believe, start hitting targets in Syria too in support of Assad’s forces.
    Huge Proxy war – Russian Pilots, Iraqi Pilots, Iranian Pilots, US UAV’s….

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