▁successfully ▁started ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁the ▁Iran - 1 4 0 ; ▁a ▁lic ence - built ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Anton ov ▁An - 1 4 0 ▁transport ▁aircraft . ▁Sim ult ane ously , ▁Iran ▁began ▁construction ▁of ▁two ▁ 1 0 0 % ▁dom est ically ▁produced ▁f igh ters , ▁upgrad ed ▁using ▁technology ▁from ▁the ▁F - 1 4 ▁Tom cat ▁and ▁the ▁F - 5 ▁T iger ▁II . ▁The ▁f igh ters ▁have ▁been ▁named ▁the ▁Az ar akh sh ▁and ▁the ▁Sh af a q . ▁ ▁Since ▁then ▁the ▁country ▁has ▁also ▁become ▁self - su fficient ▁in ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁hel ic op ters . ▁The ▁country ▁claims ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁capable ▁of ▁producing ▁the ▁old ▁U . S . ▁A H - 1 ▁Cob ra ▁gun ship . ▁Additionally , ▁Iran ▁also ▁produces ▁Bell ▁Hel ic opter ▁Bell ▁ 2 1 2 ▁and ▁Bell ▁ 2 0 6 ▁hel ic op ters ▁in ▁serial ▁production . ▁These ▁are ▁known ▁respectively ▁as ▁the ▁Sh ab av iz ▁ 2 - 7 5 ▁and ▁the ▁Sh ab av iz ▁ 2 0 6 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁pil ots ▁ ▁Un like ▁many ▁other ▁nations ▁with ▁modern ▁air ▁forces , ▁Iran ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁an ▁inten se ▁and ▁prot ract ed ▁war . ▁The ▁ 8 ▁year ▁long ▁conflict ▁with ▁Ira q ▁gave ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁develop ▁some ▁battle - test ed ▁and ▁hard ened ▁f ighter ▁pil ots .