In recent years, the Iranian government states that it has self-sufficiency in essential military hardware and defense systems.

Iran established an arms development program during the Iran–Iraq War to counter the weapons embargo imposed on it by the U.S. and its Western allies. Since 1993, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats, submarines, unmanned aerial vehicles, and fighter planes.

History

From 1925 to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran used to be equipped with the very latest Western hardware. Cases exist where Iran was supplied with equipment even before it was made standard in the countries that developed it (for example the US F-14 Tomcat, or the British Chieftain Tank). Primary suppliers included the United States, Britain, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), Italy, Israel, and the Soviet Union.

The Iran–Iraq War, and post revolutionary sanctions at the time had a dramatic effect on Iran's inventory of western equipment. Under the pressures of war, all supplies were quickly exhausted and replacements became increasingly difficult to come by. The war eventually forced Iran to turn to the Soviet Union, North Korea, Brazil, and China to meet its short-term military requirements. Nevertheless, the experience of using quality equipment was not lost on any of the branches of the Iranian armed forces. Disappointed by the older Warsaw Pact equipment, Iran sought to develop its own ability to mirror the technology of its likely enemies, and to provide a totally reliable source of equipment for the future.

After the Iranian revolution, developments in military technology were carried out with the technical support of Russia, China, and North Korea; building upon the foundations established by western contractors. Iranian reliance on these countries has rapidly decreased over the last decade in most sectors as Iran sought to gain total independence; A major exception however, is the aerospace sector, where Iran is still dependent on external help. Iran has, at present, reverse engineered existing foreign hardware, adapted it to their own requirements and then mass-produced the finished product. Examples of this abound, such as the Boragh and the IAMI Azarakhsh. In an attempt to make its military industries more sustainable Iran has also sought to export its military products, see Iranian Military Exports.

Defense production

The following list consists of some weapons systems that Iran manufactures domestically:

Aircraft

Azarakhsh – modified copy of U.S. F-5 Freedom Fighter, one-seat fighter aircraft, and combat-capable trainer.GlobalSecurity.org Azarakhsh (Lightning) Bavar 2 – fixed-wing seaplane capable of patrol and reconnaissance missions. Chakavak (plane) – ultralight training-reconnaissance planes3 Homegrown Ultralight Aircraft Join Iran Navy's Aviation Fleet tasnimnews.comNew local-made reconnaissance aircraft Chakavak were delivered to Iranian Navy navyrecognition.com Dorna – training aircraft Fajr F.3 – Indigenous trainer aircraft HESA IrAn-140 – licensed production of Ukrainian Antonov An-140 HESA Kowsar – fourth-generation fighter jet HESA Simourgh – light military transport aircraft HESA Yasin – training aircraft IRIAF Parastu-14 – propeller-driven training aircraft. Reverse engineered Beech F33 Bonanza. JT2-2 Tazarv – third generation of the Dorna mentioned above. Still in prototype stage. Saeqeh – fighter aircraft. Second generation Azarakhsh with a twin canted tail configuration. Shafaq – advanced light fighter/trainer, still in development. Simorgh – training aircraft. (Upgraded F-5B) Tizro – training aircraft Qaher-313 – Stealth single-seat multi-role combat aircraft.

Helicopters

Panha 2091 – overhauled U.S. AH-1J SeaCobra refitted with indigenous components. 209 (Comprehensive and integrated missile system of helicopter 209); It can fire all types of helicopter air-based missiles with the nature of Fire and Forget, which is installed and operational on the Kabri attack helicopters.Iran Unveils Largest Jamaran Type Frigate FFGH 78 Deylaman in Caspian Sea Fleet Retrieved 2 March 2024 Bell 214 – Reverse engineered and built in Iran HESA Shahed 278 – Developed from Bell 206 & Panha Shabaviz 2061 HESA Shahed 285 – New Iranian Designed Attack Helicopter Homa - similar to Bell 412EP it is powered by reverse-engineered twin-engine Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D Twin-Pac. The helicopter can seat 14 people and fly in different weathers. Shabaviz 275 – overhauled U.S. Bell 205 JetRanger refitted with indigenous components Shabaviz 2061 – overhauled U.S. Bell 206 JetRanger refitted with indigenous components. Saba 248 – medium-weight, double-engine, quadrotor aircraft, capable of carrying eight occupants Shahed 216What are the features of the latest IRGC drone Sorena (helicopter) – Based on Robinson R44 Raven II Toufan I, II – helicopter based on AH-1J and produced by Iran Aviation Industries Organization, 10 Toufan I were delivered to Army in May 2010. Toufan II unveiled in January 2013.

Unmanned aerial vehicles A1 – A1 is capable of flying for at least two hours, and can carry a 5-kilogram payload. Arbaeen - Multirotor bomber drone of vertical take off and landing Bina, Qandil 4/5 - reconnaissance drones Ababil – Domestically manufactured surveillance plane. Ababil-5 is for attack missions and the Ababil-T is for short/mid-range attack missions. Arash UAV – a suicide and anti-radar drone with a portable launcherExemplary accuracy of Arash suicide drone in hitting the target Farpad – hand-launched surveillance aircraft"Farpad"; The bird's eye view of army commandos in special operations/Iran joined the armed forces equipped with "hand-launched drones"Video/ Unveiling of the new army drone named FarpadThe successful launch of the Farpod drone/ the unveiling of the F-Band anti-drone disruptorFarpad hand-launched drone was unveiledFarpad drone has reached mass productionIran unveils new reconnaissance and jammer drone called Farpad during military exercise Retrieved 18 December 2023 Fotros – UCAV with a range of 2000 km, flight ceiling of 25,000 ft and 16–30 hours flight endurance, armed with missiles. Gaza - a wide-body UAV with a flight endurance of 35 hours and an operational range of 2,000 kilometers. It is capable of carrying 13 bombs and 500 kilograms of payload.What are the features of the latest IRGC drone?Thousands march for Palestine Retrieved 13 December 2023 Hamaseh – A medium-range drone, capable of carrying air to ground missiles.HESA Hamaseh (Epic) Retrieved 18 December 2023 HESA Shahed 136 – A suicide drone (kamikaze) Homa, Chamrosh, Jubin, Ababil-4 and Bavar-5 - naval dronestasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/07/15/2743506/iran-s-navy-unveils-drone-carrying-division JAS-313 - an unpiloted version of the "Qaher-313" stealth fighter jet with two variants (reconnaissance and combat). The bigger model is equipped with a jet engine. Flight endurance of an hour. Kaman-12 (UAV)– combat UAV. The aircraft can fly at 200 kilometers per hour for 10 straight hours. It can use an airstrip as short as 400 meters and covers a 1,000-kilometer combat radius. The UAV weighs 450 kilograms and can carry a payload as heavy as 100 kilograms.Kaman 12, Iran's Army Air Force achievement in UAV technology Retrieved 18 December 2023Iran Army Reveals New Kaman-19 Drone in Large-Scale Drill Retrieved 18 December 2023 Kaman-19 - jamming drone Kaman 22 (UAV)– The first wide-body combat UAV made by Iran. The aircraft can fly at a 3000 km distance for 24 hours. Karrar – capable of carrying a military payload of rockets to carry out bombing missions against ground targets. It is also capable of flying long distances at a very high speed. It can also carry interceptor missiles. Khodkar – wide-body combat and surveillance; using J85 turbojet engine (converted Lockheed T-33) Kian 2Introducing the top 5 military drones of the Iranian army Retrieved 13 December 2023 Kian – the newest Iranian UCAVIntroducing the top 5 military drones of the Iranian army Me’raj-214 – Target drone Me’raj-504 – Target and suicide drone - suicide drone similar to the US Switchblade kamikaze drone Meraj-532 - suicide drone with a range of 450 km and a warhead of 50 kg Meraj (UAV) – a reconnaissance drone that has a service ceiling of with a maximum speed of 140 km/h Mobin (UAV) Mohajer I/II/III/IV Mohajer-6 (UAV) Mohajer 92Getting to know the military products of the Islamic Republic of Iran Nazir (surveillance)https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100208/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_unmanned_aircraft_2 Nazir long-range radar Retrieved 18 December 2023 Oghab – a combat drone capable of carrying air-to-surface missilesIran Unveils Its First Underground Air Force Base Retrieved 18 December 2023 Omid - an anti-radiation drone used for electronic warfare Pelican-2 – a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) naval drone. Qods Mohajer 10 Ra'ad 2/3, Saeqeh - suicide drones Raad 85 – Loitering munition. Rezvan - suicide drone with a reported range of 20 km and an endurance of 20 minutes. Sabokbal – First Iranian lightweight drone, capable of recording and dispatching films and can be prepared for flight in five minutes. Sadeq – a newer version of Mohajer-4 Saeghe – Target drone Saegheh Safir - training drone H-110 Sarir – capable of carrying air-to-air missiles. Sepeher, Shahab-2 and Hodhod-4 – vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) naval drones Shahab - training and reconnaissance drone Shahed-107 - suicide drone with a reported range of 1,500 km Shahed 121 Shahed 131 – A suicide drone (kamikaze) Shahed-133 Shahed 147 – HALE drone Shahed 238 jet droneIran Officially Unveils Shahed-238 Retrieved 2 March 2024Shahed 238 jet drone Retrieved 2 March 2024 Muharram - A 25 kg warhead-equipped drone system is utilized for the purpose of eliminating enemy targets and fortifications."Muharram" suicidal destruction drone Retrieved 3 March 2024 Shahed 129 – UCAV with 24-hour flight capability and armed with Sadid missiles.Drone 'Shahed 129', efficient bird with brilliant operational history Retrieved 18 December 2023 Shahin – an autonomous loitering aerial drone that can collect information on the positions and movements of enemy forces on reconnaissance missions, and carry out a "kamikaze" attack.Iran unveils new Shahin-1 Loitering Munition also called Kamikaze Drone Retrieved 18 December 2023 It is equipped with a 24/7 vision camera and is able to climb up to a height of 15,000 feet.The latest achievements of the Iranian Army's aviation were exhibited + weapons specifications and video, section "Shahin" native drone system, Sputnik, Iran (in Persian) 3 February 2024 It has two to three hours endurance. Shaparak (Butterfly) – has a maximum operational radius of , and a maximum flight ceiling of . This UAV is capable of three and half hours of non-stop flying, and can carry an 8-kilogram (17-pound) payload.Iran Produces New Military Drone Retrieved 18 December 2023 Shahrivar 10th, Akhgar Sina, Fateh and Sanjar - suicide drones Sofreh Mahi – Stealth UCAV (under development) Talash 1,2 – Iranian training UAV. Yasir – A modified ScanEagle, it has a 19,500 ft service ceiling, an endurance of 24 hours, and an operational radius of 750 km. Zohal – VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle Hadid-110 – A suicide drone (Kamikaze).

Aircraft upgrades and components Iran claims to have upgraded its F-4, F-5, and F-14 fighter jets, and produced spare parts including tires, avionics, and engine components.GlobalSecurity.org – Simorgh F-5 Upgrade Shahed (Observer) flight recorder – able to record flight, image, and sound parameters. Jahesh-700 Turbofan engine - Reverse engineered Williams FJ33. IAIO Owj Reverse engineered General Electric J85. Toloue-4 Turbojet engine - Reverse engineered Microturbo TRI 60.

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