Iranian Military Aircraft Crashes During Test Flight, Killing 2 Pilots
An Iranian military aircraft crashed during a test flight in the country’s south on Wednesday, killing both pilots on board, according to state media. The crash occurred near the town of Firouzabad, about 770 kilometers (480 miles) from Tehran. The pilots, identified as Col. Hamid Reza Ranjbar and Col. Manouchehr Pirzadeh, were conducting the test flight following an overhaul of the aircraft.
Authorities have not said the type of aircraft involved or the cause of the crash. Footage shared by the Fars news agency, which is close to the military, displayed thick white smoke rising from the crash site.
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Iran’s air force operates a mix of aging military planes, including US-made Tomcat F-14s purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and Russian-made MiG and Sukhoi models. Maintaining these aircraft has become increasingly difficult due to decades of Western sanctions that restrict access to spare parts and modern equipment.
Aircraft incidents are not uncommon in Iran due to the air force’s aging fleet. In 2022, a fighter jet crashed in Iran’s central desert, killing two pilots, while another crash that year in Tabriz claimed the lives of two pilots and a civilian when a plane hit a soccer field.
