Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years, as Babak Taghvaee explains.
Formed almost six years ago, the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). Over the past four years, the IRGCAA has been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, Qaem-114, was unveiled for the first time on July 7.
![Iranian AH-1J Cobra [Ahmad Mahgoli]](https://fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/inline-images/Lead_010.jpg)
Early days
