The Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger II 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 Fighters and later F-5E/F Tiger II variants, using them for air defense, interception, and ground attack missions. Despite post-revolution sanctions and parts shortages, Iran has maintained and upgraded its F-5 fleet through domestic modifications, avionics improvements, and reverse engineering, keeping it as a key component of the Iranian fighter force.