Isfahan 4th Combat Support Base is the largest Havanirouz base of the country which played a role in the Sacred Defense.

Havanirouz (Army Ground Forces Aviation), under the command of the Army Ground Forces, includes a headquarters in Tehran and bases in Isfahan, Kermanshah, Masjed Soleyman, Mashhad, Tabriz, Abyek and Kerman⁠[1] and is responsible for support tasks including air attack against the enemy, movement of troops and equipment, and evacuation of the wounded.⁠[2]

Activity of Isfahan Havanirouz Base began on 6 November 1963 with transfer of 6 airplanes from Tehran to Isfahan airport.⁠[3] Havanirouz base was created in Isfahan which both geographically is center of country and support of all Iran is possible and in terms of weather has best conditions for training and maintenance of helicopter.⁠[4] Late 1964 with arrival of 17 H-43 helicopters activities of this base expanded⁠[5] and from 1969 with purchase of new helicopters, initial core of other bases was also created in Isfahan; when another base was to be established, forces and helicopters were designated in Isfahan and then dispatched to new base.⁠[6] Finally Isfahan base was equipped with Bell-206, Bell-205, Bell-214, Cobra⁠[7] and Chinook helicopters⁠[8] and operationally and technically supported Havanirouz bases.⁠[9]

After victory of Islamic Revolution and beginning of internal crisis in Kurdistan, Havanirouz helicopters including Isfahan base supported forces.⁠[10] As example Sardasht for 2 years from 1979 to 1981 was besieged by counter-revolution and supplies of garrison of this city were done through Havanirouz helicopters including Chinook.⁠[11]

After beginning of Imposed War, Army and IRGC operations⁠[12] were carried out with Havanirouz support including Isfahan base.⁠[13] For example in Fath al-Mobin Operation (April 1982), Isfahan base with 4 Cobra helicopters, 4 Bell-214s, 4 Bell-206s and 4 Chinook helicopters was stationed in Haft Tappeh region and supported operation.⁠[14]

In Beit al-Moqaddas Operation (liberation of Khorramshahr) also 10 Cobra helicopters, 12 Bell-214s, 5 Bell-206s, 2 Bell-205s and 8 Chinooks from Isfahan base, one day before battle began, on 30 April 1982 in Khazriyeh (17 km south of Ahvaz) were stationed and supported forces.⁠[15]

One of most extensive presences of Havanirouz in Imposed War relates to Kheibar Operation (March 1984).⁠[16] 12 Chinook helicopters, 8 Cobras, 12 214s, 2 206s and 2 205s from Isfahan base⁠[17] participated in this operation and nightly heliborne of forces on first night of operation was done by Chinook and Bell-214 helicopters. These helicopters for 10 nights in Isfahan (without having night vision goggles) practiced night flight. Last night of practice, helicopters at 11 PM flew south and with lights off landed at Ahvaz airport.⁠[18] Then, night of 22 February 1984, 6 Chinooks in each of which 60 combatants were present moved toward island and after 14 minutes landed on island.⁠[19]

In Badr Operation (March 1985) also 8 Chinook helicopters, 12 Bell-214s and 2 Bell-206s from Isfahan base⁠[20] were stationed in Jofeir region and near Barzegar checkpoint.⁠[21] One week before beginning of this operation, exercises were done in Ramhormoz and Ramshir region. These exercises were done at different hours of day and night and Bell-214 and Chinook helicopters did practice heliborne.⁠[22] In six days of Badr Operation, Bell-214 helicopters transferred forces and wounded.⁠[23]

Isfahan base in August 1988 also with 12 Chinook helicopters participated in Mersad Operation.⁠[24] In this operation movement of forces to operational region and Chaharzabar Strait (Mersad Strait) was done by Chinook helicopters.⁠[25]

Isfahan Havanirouz Base in Sacred Defense performed more than 300 thousand flight hours in fire support (air attacks against enemy), transfer of supplies and ammunition or evacuation of wounded and martyrs, transfer of forces and search and rescue missions.⁠[26]

From Isfahan base in Sacred Defense 16 pilots, 15 technical personnel, 2 medical staff and 17 conscript soldiers were martyred, 2 soldiers became missing; 143 persons were also wounded and 6 are freed POWs.⁠[27]

Colonel Pilot Amir-Hossein Azarbarzin, Colonel Pilot Fazlollah Afshin, Colonel Pilot Mahmoud Ansari and Colonel Pilot Gholam-Reza Safaeinejad held command of Isfahan base in Sacred Defense.⁠[28]

After Imposed War and in 1999 Ya Ali Reconstruction and Optimization Center of Havanirouz as a repair center to support Havanirouz bases was launched in Isfahan base.⁠[29] Project of arming Bell-214 helicopters with rocket and machine gun and equipping them with night vision systems and also installing Toofan anti-armor missile on Cobra attack helicopters are among measures of this center.⁠[30]

Isfahan 4th Combat Support Base is largest helicopter complex in West Asia⁠[31] which in addition to operational flights also performs pilot training flights. This base is responsible for air coverage of country emergency in three provinces of Isfahan, Markazi and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. Also finding bodies of victims of ATR-72 airplane crash in Dena mountain (2018) is among measures of this base.⁠[32]