Eight years of war in 1980s made Iran stronger
By Brig. Gen. Vali Oveisi
Former Air Force pilot
September 22, 1980, stands as a turning point in Iran’s modern history — the day Iraq launched its war against Iran and an unrelenting military and popular mobilization began to defend the homeland and preserve territorial integrity. This determined resistance, remembered as the “Sacred Defense,” was not merely a military confrontation; it embodied the spirit, sacrifice, and deep commitment of Iranian fighters to the national and Islamic ideals of the nation.
One of the most remarkable aspects of that defense was the unique role of the Air Force. In the opening days of the war, the Air Force played a decisive role in preventing Iraqi forces from penetrating Iranian territory. Despite being weakened in the early years of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and lacking full operational readiness, the force quickly stepped in and, through careful planning, carried out critical and game-changing missions.
Throughout the eight-year war, the Air Force maintained an active presence in all battles, executing landmark operations such as “Kaman 99” and the complex and successful “H3” strike deep inside Iraq’s westernmost bases. These missions dealt severe blows to the enemy and have since been recorded in the annals of world air warfare as outstanding examples. Iran’s distinctive use of its Air Force fleet demonstrated only a fraction of the capability the service was able to mobilize during that period.
Between 1980 and 1988, despite the Iraqi Ba’athist regime’s extensive foreign support and the heavy damage inflicted on Iran’s military infrastructure, Iranian pilots and commanders — through ingenuity, training of fresh recruits, and the reconstruction of damaged equipment — assumed the critical role of air operations and support for ground forces. Efforts to maintain and upgrade aircraft, develop indigenous missiles, and arm jets with effective bombs reflected the determination and creativity of the Air Force in countering enemy threats.
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