The Iranian army wants to set up a military base several hundred meters below the surface. A location for drones is said to have been opened beforehand.
According to state media, the Iranian army unveiled its first underground base for fighter jets on Tuesday. The military base “Oghab 44” (“eagle” in Persian) could accommodate “all types of fighter jets and bombers” as well as drones, the state news agency Irna reported. The exact location has not been revealed, but the base is reportedly “several hundred meters below the mountains” and is capable of withstanding US attacks.
Iranian media published photos and videos from the base, showing high-ranking military figures such as Chief of Staff Mohammed Bagheri. “Oghab 44” is “one of numerous tactical underground bases for the army air force that have been built in various areas of the country in recent years,” Irna reported.
Opening just before the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution
The base was unveiled a day before “Iranian Air Force Day” and a few days before the 44th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on Saturday. In May 2022, Iran first showed images of a drone base in the Sagros Mountains in the west of the country.
Iran has mostly Soviet-era Russian Mig and Sukhoi fighter jets, as well as some Chinese planes. The Iranian fleet also includes some US F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, which date back to before the revolution in Iran.
