The Northrop F-5 entered Iranian Air Force service in the 1960s under the Shah, as part of the U.S.-supplied arsenal before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran operated both F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and later F-5E/F Tiger II variants. The aircraft served primarily as a lightweight fighter and trainer, performing air defense, ground attack, and interception roles. Despite sanctions and spare parts challenges after 1979, Iran has kept its F-5 fleet operational through domestic upgrades, maintenance, and reverse-engineering, making it a backbone of the Iranian fighter fleet alongside older F-4 Phantoms.