The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) (Persian: نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران) is the aviation branch of the Iranian Armed Forces. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed. The Air Force did not play a significant role in the long Iran–Iraq War, being crippled by purges in its early stages and then being relegated to defensive duties. The IRIAF operates many aircraft, many of which are American-made, such as the famous F-14 Tomcat jet fighter or the CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter. Aside from American craft, the Iranian Air Force also has its own set of aircraft.