Why didn't Iran use its Fakour 90 missile to attack Israel?
Israel's latest war saw it using its most important and expensive weapon to inflict the greatest damage on Iran: the F-35, which costs approximately $120 million per aircraft, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
This was evident in the inability of Iranian air defenses to withstand heavy attacks and bombing on several areas, including known uranium enrichment sites.
However, Iran did not use all of its known weapons.
According to Military Watch, a military sciences organization, there was no significant participation by the Iranian Air Force, particularly F-14s equipped with the long-range Fakour 90 missile.
The Fakour 90 is considered a locally developed version of the American AIM-54 missile, which the US supplied to Iran in the 1970s. It is believed to have a range of approximately 300 kilometers, compared to the original missile's 190 kilometers. It also has a 60-kilogram warhead and active radar tracking capabilities.
While it doesn't match the range of modern Russian or Chinese missiles, it is the longest-range missile in the Middle East and was intended to give Iran a significant offensive capability against long-range Israeli fighters.
According to Military Watch, Iran yet to use this type of missile due to the ease with which the AN/AWG-9 radar of Iranian F-14 fighters can be jammed.
Israel's tendency to attack from abroad using fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and the F-35 stealth fighter poses a double challenge, as their stealth technologies exceed the capabilities of Iran's outdated radars.
Iran needs to mobilize all its forces in the war it is waging against Israel, which has air superiority, according to the World Guide to Modern Military Aircraft – Tactical Military Equipment website.
The website points to Israel's clear air superiority, according to 2025 data, which shows that the Israeli Air Force possesses an active fleet of 605 aircraft, distributed among fighters, helicopters, transport, training, refueling, and special mission aircraft.
According to the TruVal global ranking, the Israeli Air Force received a rating of 56.3 points, ranking ninth among 129 air forces worldwide, relying primarily on suppliers from the United States, Germany, France, and Italy.
In contrast, the global TruVal ranking stated that the Iranian Air Force received a rating of only 25.8 points, placing it 42nd out of 129 air forces worldwide.
According to the World Guide to Modern Military Aircraft – Tactical Military Equipment website, the Iranian Air Force's fleet is divided into 231 combat and attack units, 78 general support units, and 91 units dedicated to training pilots and aircrew.
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