Ceremony remembering military commanders lost in 1981 air tragedy

Above: banner showing image of IRIAF Major General Javad Fakoori

Iran's military on 29SEP15 remembered it's fallen commanders lost in an air crash thirty-four years ago to the day, during the Iran-Iraq War.

On 29SEP81, IRIAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules, serial 5-8552 en route from Ahvaz to Mehrabad crashed near Kahrizak, 20 kilometers south of Tehran, killing 80 on board including wounded from the front and the following Iranian top ranking military commanders:

- IRIA Major General Valiollah Fallahi, commander joint chief of staff

- IRIAF Major General Javad Fakouri, IRIAF commander and deputy commander joint chief of staff
(IRIAF Tactical Fighter Base 2 at Tabriz is named "Shahid Fakhouri" in his honor)

- IRIA Brigadier General Seyed Mousa Namjoo, minister of defense

- IRGC Brigadier General Yousef Kolahdouz, acting IRGC commander

- IRGC Major General Mohammad Ali Jahanara
(Hero during the Abadan siege and combat commander during Battles of Khoramshahr)

IRIAF Brigadier General 2C Hossein Khalili speaking at the commemoration ceremony

Seated in the audience, far right: IRIAF Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Alireza Barkhour

IRIAF Brigadier General 2C Farajollah Baratpour. An IRIAF F-4 Phantom pilot, Baratpour flew combat in the celebrated H-3 airstrike during the Iran-Iraq War.

Brig. Gen. Alireza Barkhour distributes honor plaques to family members of military commanders lost in the 1981 air tragedy.

  

Group of IRIAF colonels seated at the commemoration ceremony

IRGC brigadier general 2C breaks ground onsite of planned monument for those military servicemen lost in the 1981 air tragedy.

Photos: Mahdi Shamohammadi at Tasnim News Agency

Iraqi minister of defense, in the news

Still from an Iraqi MOD video posted 08DEC14 of Iraqi Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid al-Obeidi, seen saluting upon disembarking from IqAF Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 "Super Hercules" transport aircraft at Camp Speicher (ORSH).

Of note,  US DSCA announced the last week of November that the Government of Iraq requested a possible 5-year sustainment package for its C-130E/J fleet that includes operational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, spare and repair parts, support equipment, repair and return, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. Estimated cost is $800M, and American observers are somewhat skeptical of this request given the poor performance of Iraq's military against ISIL, and the current, cheap price of crude oil. [source: Defense Industry Daily]

Interesting to see the Iraqi minister's adoption of tan CWU27/P nomex fire-retardant flight suit. He wears a distinctive ID patch marked "MINISTER.O.D".

YouTube video posted 08DEC14 depicting Iraqi Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid al-Obeidi at this week's tour of recently liberated Baiji refinery and University of Tikrit.

YouTube video posted 08DEC14 depicting Iraqi Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid al-Obeidi at this week's tour  of Kadhimiya (northern Baghdad). During the last question posed by a member of the press, he is asked about Russian arms developments for Iraq. The minister responds "there's been a few complications regarding recent deliveries."

Photo of outgoing U.S. SecDef Chuck Hagel (right) with Iraqi MOD Dr. Khalid al-Obeidi dated 09DEC14 in Baghdad. [photo: AP]

Iraqi leadership reportedly told SecDef Hagel on Tuesday that their army is "taking the offensive" against the Islamic State group but needs more air power and heavy weaponry to prevail.

Domestically upgraded C-130 flown by Iran

Iranian media reports that Iran has successfully flown a domestically upgraded C-130 aircraft.

click photos to enlarge

Upgraded aircraft appears to be the older C-130E variant in IRIAF service.

Iranian media reports upgrades have been performed to the fuselage, wings, engines and avionics.

Note attachment of flat screen monitor to main instrument panel, with presumed addition of an integrated GPS capability.

Video:

Photos: Vahid Reza Alaee at Iranian Student's News Agency

Video: PressTV