Iran F-4D/E/RF-4E Fleet Update

An Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force F-4E Phantom II crashed during a nocturnal training exercise in the Nowbaran district between Hamedan and Markazi provinces in western Iran on the night of February 19, 2026. The two-seat aircraft was operating from Hamedan Airbase when it went down under circumstances still under investigation. One of the two pilots was killed in the crash, while the second crew member survived and was rescued unharmed. The aging F-4 fleet has been a mainstay of Iran's air force since deliveries in the 1970s, and the fleet has suffered multiple attrition losses in recent years due to maintenance difficulties under long-standing international sanctions.

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