Iran unveils an underground Airbase in response to US-Israel exercise

Middle East, News February 9, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Iranian military revealed an underground Airbase on February 7, 2023, at an undisclosed location. According to the Iranian state-owned media, the base can withstand possible strikes by U.S. bunker-busting bombs.

Iran’s state-owned news agency IRNA released several videos and images of the base named Oghab 44 (Eagle 44). The report said that it can accommodate “all types of fighter jets and bombers, in addition to drones.” Without mentioning the exact location of the base, the report said that it is located “at the depth of hundreds of meters in the mountains.”

Released videos and images showed Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri and the Army’s Commander-in-Chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi visiting the new base. In the videos and images, it can be seen that the base is equipped with Russian MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets that date back to the Soviet era.

The Iranian air force also operates some Chinese aircraft, including the F-7. Some American F-4 and F-5 fighter jets dating back to before the revolution are also part of its fleet.

The unveiling of the underground bases comes less than two weeks after the U.S. and Israel held their largest-ever joint drill, using thousands of troops and dozens of aircraft in addition to naval vessels and artillery systems in what was widely seen as a message to Iran and rising tension in the region.

In response to the U.S.-Israel joint military training, Iran also held a wide-ranging military exercise to show its combat readiness.

^{Iran’s Army chief, Maj.-Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi and Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Bagheri visit the first underground air force base, called ”Eagle 44” at an undisclosed location in Iran. (Image Credit: Iran Army/WANA/via Reuters)}

Last week, there was also a significant drone attack on a key Iranian defense facility in the city of Isfahan. The site hit in the strike was reportedly a weapons production facility for Iran’s Shahed-136 drones.

Recently, Iran has also unveiled a new missile called Asef, which was described as a long-range, air-fired cruise missile that can be mounted on Iran’s Russian-made Sukhoi-24 jets. There have also been reports that Iran could take delivery of more advanced Su-35 jets from Russia as Tehran and Moscow rapidly expand their bilateral relations. Iranian military officials have expressed interest in the aircraft, but have not commented on when delivery could take place.

This is not the first time that Iran unveiled an underground base at an undisclosed location. In May 2022, Iranian media showed footage of an underground airbase for the military attack drones built beneath the Zagros Mountain range.

The base contained at least 100 drones including Iran’s most advanced and newly built Ababil-5 drone which is equipped with a Qaem-9 missile system. Ababil-5 is the Iranian version of the U.S. Hellfire air-to-surface attack drone. The base also contained a Kaman-22 UAV that can carry a payload of 300 kilograms and is able to fly at least 2,000 kilometers.