Over the course of this week, a series of images were published on social media that would indicate the delivery of at least one new Mi-28NE Havoc attack helicopter from Russia to the Iranian Army, coinciding with recent reports pointing to Il-76MD transport aircraft flights to the country. According to open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources, the aircraft would have been delivered at Pars Aerospace Services facilities in Tehran, and it is possible to see that while it featured a desert camouflage scheme, it still lacked service insignia.
As can be seen in the photographs, the helicopter in question appears to be currently partially disassembled, as it lacks its main rotors and its engine air intakes are covered—reinforcing the idea that it was transported aboard the aforementioned cargo aircraft. In line with this hypothesis, OSINT sources claimed to have tracked up to five Il-76 aircraft en route to Iran in the preceding days, crossing countries such as Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The fact that the number involved is reportedly this high would not only point to potential helicopter transport, but has also sparked speculation about a possible evacuation of personnel amid fears of an attack, as well as the transport of Iranian drones to bolster Russia’s arsenal.
Expanding on some details, it is worth noting that the arrival of this type of helicopter had already been the subject of discussion in Iranian media since the beginning of this month, and that it would also form part of a broader agreement between Moscow and Tehran announced by military authorities in 2023 involving various types of systems. For the time being, amid a scenario of latent tensions between the Islamic Republic and the United States, it is believed that the transfer of Mi-28NE attack helicopters was intended as a step forward in fulfilling these commitments while triggering as little alarm as possible in Washington.
Along those lines, it is worth recalling that the Iranian Air Force is still expecting to receive a batch of new Su-35S fighters to modernize and strengthen its capabilities, which were reportedly weakened following Israeli strikes against the aging F-14 fighter fleet carried out in mid last year. It should also be considered that, given the high demand for these aircraft generated by the war in Ukraine, the service would have already received an initial batch of MiG-29 fighters from Russia—a country that had already relegated them to a second-line role. These are platforms Iranian pilots are already familiar with, as the force is believed to operate a fleet of around 20 MiG-29s and another 4 MiG-29UBs.
In addition, it is also known that the Iranian Air Force has already completed the induction of its new Yak-130 advanced trainers acquired from Russia, representing a leap forward in this area and another step toward streamlining the training of pilots who will later be tasked with flying the new Russian aircraft. In particular, the country added a total of 12 aircraft of this type, serving as another demonstration of the scope of the aforementioned agreement signed in 2023.
Finally, returning to the Mi-28NE helicopter deliveries referenced above, it is worth noting that Iran would become the fifth operator of the platform. In detail, the list is led by Russia itself with around 113 units acquired, followed by Algeria with 42, Iraq in third place with 17, and Uganda with just 4. The position Iran would hold once it completes its fleet remains unknown, as the number of helicopters covered by the agreement has not been officially announced.
Image credits to the respective owners
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