The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) (Persian: نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران) is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed. The Air Force did not play a significant role in the long Iran-Iraq-War, being crippled by purges in its early stages and then being relegated to defensive duties.
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.
The IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was re-named following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, in February 1979. The British publishing company Orbis' Warplane partwork magazine seems to indicate the renaming did not actually take place until after the Iran-Iraq war had broken out.
This "new" Iranian air force largely inherited the equipment and structure of the former IIAF, even losing most of its leading officers in the course of post-revolutionary chaos, as well as due to the prosecution of those considered as loyal to the Shah, pro-U.S. or elsewhere by the new government in Tehran.
The IRIAF is seen in the mission "Going Hunting" when you are piloting an F18/E Super Hornet. And are taking part in a strike against Faruk Al Bashir at Myribad Airport in Tehran.In the Battlefield 3 campaign the IRIAF uses the Russian made Sukhoi SU-35 super flanker. However very few of these exist in the world and the IRIAF has none.