An Iranian Air Force C-130 military transport aircraft crashes into a ten-floor apartment building in a residential area of Tehran, killing all 84 on board and 44 more on the ground.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. More than 40 variants of the Hercules, including civilian versions marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations.
The C-130 entered service with the U.S. in 1956, followed by Australia and many other nations. During its years of service, the Hercules has participated in numerous military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. In 2007, the C-130 became the fifth aircraft to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, which for the C-130 is the United States Air Force. The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at more than 60 years, with the updated Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules currently being produced.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF; Persian: نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران, Nirvi-ye Hevayi-ye Artesh-e Jimhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Iran) is the aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present Air Force came into being when the Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed in 1979. It is one of the few air forces in the Middle East with experience in a conventional war, having fought the Iran-Iraq War. It has carried out major operations like Operation Kaman 99, Operation Sultan 10, the H-3 airstrike, and the first attack on a nuclear reactor in history, Operation Scorch Sword. As a result of fighting a brutal and intense non-stop air war for 8 years, the IRIAF has the highest number of fighter aces in the region (besides the IAF), having as many as 7 people with more than 6 kills. Most of these aces achieved their status flying the F-14 Tomcat jet. Evolving from its experiences in that conflict, the IRIAF has developed real battle tested tactics and a cadre of skillful pilots. Many of them, both veterans of the 8-year war and senior generals, form the core of today's IRIAF command.
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 Russian and Chinese aircraft, as well as pressing ex-Iraqi and indigenously built aircraft into service, in order to maintain a capable force. As of 2021, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force possesses 161 fighters, making it the 17th largest air arm in the world in terms of the number of fighter planes, as per Global Firepower.