Editing Northrop F-5 (section)

===Iran===
[[File:IIAF F-5A 3-417.jpg|thumb|F-5A Freedom Fighters of the Imperial Iranian Air Force]]
[[File:IRIAF Northrop F-5E Tiger II Talebzadeh.jpg|thumb|An F-5E of the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force]]]]

The [[History of the Iranian Air Force|Imperial Iranian Air Force]] (IIAF) received extensive US equipment in the 1960s and 1970s. Iran received its first 11 F-5As and two F-5Bs in February 1965 which were then declared operational in June 1965. Ultimately, Iran received 104 F-5As and 23 F-5Bs by 1972. From January 1974 with the first squadron of 28 F-5Fs, Iran received a total of 166 F-5E/Fs and 15 additional RF-5As with deliveries ending in 1976. While receiving the F-5E and F, Iran began to sell its F-5A and B inventory to other countries, including Ethiopia, Turkey, Greece and South Vietnam; by 1976, many had been sold, except for several F-5Bs retained for training purposes.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Isayev, Jafarov|first1=S., T.|title=Iran now capable of overhauling and modifying F-5 Freedom fighter jet|url=http://en.trend.az/iran/1995755.html|publisher=Trend News Agency|date=23 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204135613/http://en.trend.az/iran/1995755.html|archive-date=4 February 2016|url-status=dead|access-date=29 January 2016}}</ref> F-5s were also used by the IIAF's aerobatic display team, the [[Golden Crown]].

After the Iranian revolution in 1979, the new [[Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force]] (IRIAF) was partially successful at keeping Western fighters in service during the [[Iran–Iraq War]] in the 1980s and the simple F-5 had a good service readiness until late in the war. Initially, Iran took spare parts from foreign sources; later it was able to have its new aircraft industry keep the aircraft flying.<ref>[http://www.iiaf.net/aircraft/jetfighters/F5/f5.html "The first air force to receive F-5E was the Imperial Iranian Air Force."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924033341/http://www.iiaf.net/aircraft/jetfighters/F5/f5.html |date=24 September 2015}} iiaf.net. Retrieved: 6 June 2010.</ref>

IRIAF F-5s were heavily involved, flying air-to-air and air-to-ground sorties. Iranian F-5s took part in air combat with Iraqi MiG-21s, [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23|MiG-23s]], [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25|MiG-25s]], [[Sukhoi Su-17|Su-20/22s]], [[Mirage F1]]s and [[Super Etendard]]s. The exact combat record is not known with many differing claims from Iraqi, Iranian, Western, and Russian sources.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} There are reports that an IRIAF F-5E, piloted by Major [[Yadollah Javadpour]], shot down a MiG-25 on 6 August 1983.<ref>[http://www.iiaf.net/iiafmisc/announcements/announcements.html IRIAF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201002512/http://iiaf.net/iiafmisc/announcements/announcements.html |date=1 February 2009}}. ''iiaf.net''. Retrieved: 6 June 2010.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100323174626/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_211.shtml "Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf Database: Iranian Air-to-Air Victories, 1982."]}} acig.org, 16 September 2003. Retrieved: 15 May 2010.</ref> Russian sources state that the first confirmed kill of a MiG-25 occurred in 1985.<ref>Jakubovich, Nickolai (2012). "Neizvestnii MiG. Gordost sovetskogo aviaproma"/Razvedchiki/bombardirovshiki. Eksmo. (Russian:"Неизвестный «МиГ». Гордость советского авиапрома"/Разведчии/бомбардировщики, Николай Якубович, 2012)</ref>

During their first years of service, Iranian F-5s had the advantage in missile technology, using advanced versions of the [[infrared homing]] [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]], later lost with deliveries of new missiles and fighters to Iraq.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cordesman |first1=Anthony H. |last2=Wagner |first2=Anthony H. Cordesman and Abraham |date=1990-05-01 |title=The Lessons of Modern War - Volume II - The Iran-Iraq War – Chapter 2: The Conditions That Shaped The Iran - Iraq War |url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/lessons-modern-war-volume-ii-iran-iraq-war-chapter-2-conditions-shaped-iran-iraq-war |language=en}}</ref>

[[Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company]] currently produces three aircraft, the [[HESA Azarakhsh|Azarakhsh]], [[Saeqeh]], and [[HESA Kowsar|Kowsar]], derived from the F-5.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/why-irans-fighter-jet-ripoff-just-fake-news-19487 |title=Why Iran's Fighter-Jet Ripoff Is Just Fake News |date=18 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522113434/http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/why-irans-fighter-jet-ripoff-just-fake-news-19487 |archive-date=22 May 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>