IRIAA Airbases - 5th Combat Group
Introduction : Based in Mashhad, the Havanirooz's 5th Combat Group is responsible for providing rotary-wing support to the Ground Force's Northeast Operations Headquarters . Its relatively small size means it lacks some of the capabilities of the IRIAA's other bases . The group was established between 1992 and 1996 in response to the lack of regional aviation and the pressing need for border security during Afghanistan's civil war. [1] As of 2014 the base was commanded by Col. Abdulreza Khodadi. [2] Employment : In the conventional role the 5th CG is expected to perform attack and air assault missions to support corps-level maneuver, consistent with the IRIAA's broader doctrine. While the IRIAA has traditionally maintained a robust air assault capability, the 5th CG's small size means that they would be restricted to small actions. This was demonstrated during exercises in November 2015 when units from the northeast operations HQ were reinforced with heavy-lift