Aviation News – Iran has reportedly taken delivery of its first batch of Russian-built Mil Mi-28NE attack helicopters, strengthening Tehran’s battlefield aviation capabilities and signaling deeper defense ties with Moscow.
Images circulating on social media show a Mi-28 helicopter in digital desert camouflage parked inside a hangar, while an Iranian defense reporter with the state-controlled Tasnim news agency indicated earlier in January 2026 that the first aircraft had arrived. Tehran first announced the agreement to purchase an unspecified number of Mi-28 helicopters from Russia in November 2023, marking one of the country’s most significant rotary-wing acquisitions in recent years amid ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces.
The Mi-28NE, known by NATO as the “Havoc,” is a twin-seat, heavily armored attack helicopter designed for anti-armor strikes, close air support, and all-weather operations. Equipped with guided missiles, rockets, and a 30mm cannon, the platform can engage targets day or night and operate in harsh desert environments, offering Iran improved rapid-response and precision strike capabilities across difficult terrain.