TEHRAN — February 23, 2026 : Iran has received up to six Russian-made Mi-28NE “Night Hunter” attack helicopters since January 2026 as part of a broader €500 million defense agreement signed with Moscow in December 2025, according to a February 22 assessment by the Financial Times citing leaked Russian documents. The deliveries represent Iran’s first major foreign acquisition for its dedicated attack helicopter fleet in several decades.
Helicopter Deliveries and Transfer Flights
The Financial Times reported that the helicopters were transported to Iran through repeated heavy-lift sorties conducted by Russian Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft between late December 2025 and early January 2026. Flight tracking data identified multiple Il-76TD and Il-76MD movements from Mineralnye Vody in Russia’s North Caucasus to Karaj, west of Tehran, with at least three flights recorded over an eight-day period in late February. Additional flights on the same route were observed in late December 2025 and January 2026.
Imagery and video footage captured in February 2026, including photographs from Mehrabad International Airport, show at least one Mi-28NE operating over Tehran in Iranian Army Aviation service. The aircraft are painted in digital desert camouflage and appear in operational configuration.
No formal public confirmation has been issued by Iranian authorities regarding the deliveries.
Mi-28NE Configuration and Capabilities
The Mi-28NE is the export variant of Russia’s Mi-28N “Night Hunter,” manufactured by Rostec subsidiary Russian Helicopters and marketed internationally through Rosoboronexport. The aircraft is designed for day-and-night, all-weather anti-armor and close air support missions.
Key technical characteristics include:
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Mast-mounted N025ME radar
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Advanced electro-optical targeting systems
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Helmet-mounted sighting system
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Laser rangefinder
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Directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) suite
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Dual Klimov TV3-117 turboshaft engines rated at approximately 2,200 horsepower each
The helicopter has a maximum take-off weight of approximately 11.7 to 12.1 tonnes, a top speed between 280 and 320 km/h, and a ferry range of around 1,000 kilometers. Armament includes a 30 mm automatic cannon, guided air-to-ground missiles, and unguided rocket systems. The cockpit and fuel systems are armored, and the aircraft incorporates redundant flight controls to improve survivability.
Each unit is estimated to cost between $18 million and $20 million.
Integration into Iran’s Existing Fleet
Prior to the Mi-28NE acquisition, Iran’s attack helicopter capability relied primarily on legacy U.S.-supplied platforms delivered before the 1979 revolution. The fleet has consisted of approximately 40 to 50 Bell AH-1J International Cobra helicopters supplied between 1975 and 1978.
Many of these aircraft have been upgraded domestically by the Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (Panha) under the Toufan and Panha 2091 programs. These upgrades incorporate reverse-engineered components, digitized cockpits, indigenous avionics, electro-optical systems, anti-tank guided missiles, and rocket pods.
Iran also operates a limited number of Shahed 285 light attack helicopters derived from the Bell 206 platform.
Operational readiness of the older AH-1J and Toufan fleet has been affected by long-term spare parts shortages and combat attrition. Several airframes were reportedly destroyed during regional hostilities with Israel in 2025.
The Mi-28NE introduces heavier armor protection, improved night-fighting capability, modern targeting systems, and greater payload capacity compared to the existing Cobra-based platforms. The helicopters are operated by Iranian Army Aviation, which maintains an overall rotary-wing inventory of approximately 300 helicopters across attack and transport roles. Analysts assess that the aircraft could also support operations alongside elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force.
€500 Million Defense Agreement
The helicopter transfers coincide with a €495 million (commonly rounded to €500 million) arms agreement concluded in Moscow in December 2025 between Russia’s state arms export agency Rosoboronexport and Ruhollah Katebi, a Moscow-based representative of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).
The primary focus of the December 2025 contract is the supply of 9K333 “Verba” man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). The agreement covers 500 Verba launchers and 2,500 9M336 surface-to-air missiles, along with associated night-vision equipment and support systems.
The Verba system is an infrared-guided, shoulder-fired air defense weapon designed to engage low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Official contract schedules indicate deliveries will occur in three tranches between 2027 and 2029, although the Financial Times reported that a limited number of systems may have already been transferred.
The agreement is intended in part to rebuild segments of Iran’s air defense network that were degraded during the June 2025 conflict with Israel. That conflict lasted approximately 12 days and reportedly involved temporary U.S. military intervention.
Broader Procurement Context
Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Mehdi Farahi confirmed in November 2023 that Tehran planned to acquire the Mi-28 attack helicopter, along with the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft and the Yak-130 advanced trainer. The Mi-28NE deliveries represent the first post-Soviet combat aircraft supplied by Russia to Iran.
Additional Mi-28NE deliveries are expected as implementation of the broader procurement agreement continues. The developments occur amid ongoing U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations and elevated regional security tensions.
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