armed_forces.json

[
  {
    "id": "idf",
    "name": "Israel Defense Forces",
    "abbreviation": "IDF",
    "aliases": ["IDF", "Tzahal", "צה\"ל"],
    "country_code": "IL",
    "country_name": "Israel",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Combined armed forces",
    "parent": null,
    "branches": ["Ground Forces", "Air Force", "Navy"],
    "notes": "Unified military of Israel; overall command of Israeli defensive and offensive operations"
  },
  {
    "id": "iaf",
    "name": "Israeli Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "IAF",
    "aliases": ["IAF", "Heyl HaAvir", "חיל האוויר"],
    "country_code": "IL",
    "country_name": "Israel",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": "idf",
    "notes": "Primary operator of Arrow, David's Sling, and Iron Dome interception systems"
  },
  {
    "id": "israeli_navy",
    "name": "Israeli Navy",
    "abbreviation": null,
    "aliases": ["Heyl HaYam", "חיל הים"],
    "country_code": "IL",
    "country_name": "Israel",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Navy",
    "parent": "idf",
    "notes": "Operates Sa'ar-class corvettes with Barak-8 naval air defense"
  },
  {
    "id": "irgc",
    "name": "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps",
    "abbreviation": "IRGC",
    "aliases": ["IRGC", "Sepah", "Pasdaran", "سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Military branch (parallel to regular armed forces)",
    "parent": null,
    "branches": ["IRGC Ground Forces", "IRGC Aerospace Force", "IRGC Navy", "Quds Force"],
    "notes": "Controls Iran's ballistic missile program and drone operations; primary force conducting strikes in this conflict"
  },
  {
    "id": "irgc_asf",
    "name": "IRGC Aerospace Force",
    "abbreviation": "IRGC-ASF",
    "aliases": ["IRGC Aerospace Force", "نیروی هوافضای سپاه"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Aerospace/missile force",
    "parent": "irgc",
    "notes": "Operates all Iranian ballistic missiles and most attack drones; responsible for Operation True Promise strikes"
  },
  {
    "id": "irgc_navy",
    "name": "IRGC Navy",
    "abbreviation": "IRGCN",
    "aliases": ["IRGC Naval Forces", "نیروی دریایی سپاه"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Naval force",
    "parent": "irgc",
    "notes": "Operates fast attack craft, mines, and anti-ship missiles in Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz"
  },
  {
    "id": "artesh",
    "name": "Islamic Republic of Iran Army",
    "abbreviation": "Artesh",
    "aliases": ["Artesh", "IRIA", "ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Regular armed forces",
    "parent": null,
    "branches": ["Ground Forces", "Air Force (IRIAF)", "Navy (IRIN)", "Air Defense Force"],
    "notes": "Iran's conventional military; distinct from IRGC. Air Defense Force operates radar networks and SAM systems"
  },
  {
    "id": "iriaf",
    "name": "Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "IRIAF",
    "aliases": ["IRIAF", "نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": "artesh",
    "notes": "Conventional air force; operates aging fleet of F-4, F-5, F-14, Su-24, MiG-29"
  },
  {
    "id": "iran_air_defense",
    "name": "Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force",
    "abbreviation": null,
    "aliases": ["Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense", "قرارگاه پدافند هوایی خاتم‌الانبیاء"],
    "country_code": "IR",
    "country_name": "Iran",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Air defense force",
    "parent": "artesh",
    "notes": "Separated from IRIAF in 2008; operates Bavar-373, S-300PMU2, and other SAM systems"
  },
  {
    "id": "us_navy",
    "name": "United States Navy",
    "abbreviation": "USN",
    "aliases": ["US Navy", "USN"],
    "country_code": "US",
    "country_name": "United States",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Navy",
    "parent": "us_military",
    "notes": "Fifth Fleet (NAVCENT) headquartered in Bahrain; carrier strike groups in Persian Gulf / Arabian Sea"
  },
  {
    "id": "us_air_force",
    "name": "United States Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "USAF",
    "aliases": ["US Air Force", "USAF"],
    "country_code": "US",
    "country_name": "United States",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": "us_military",
    "notes": "AFCENT operates from Al-Udeid (Qatar), Ali Al-Salem (Kuwait), and other Gulf bases"
  },
  {
    "id": "us_centcom",
    "name": "United States Central Command",
    "abbreviation": "CENTCOM",
    "aliases": ["CENTCOM", "USCENTCOM"],
    "country_code": "US",
    "country_name": "United States",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Combatant command",
    "parent": "us_military",
    "notes": "Unified combatant command responsible for Middle East theater; forward HQ at Al-Udeid, Qatar"
  },
  {
    "id": "raf",
    "name": "Royal Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "RAF",
    "aliases": ["RAF", "Royal Air Force"],
    "country_code": "GB",
    "country_name": "United Kingdom",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Participated in interception operations during Operation True Promise strikes; operates Typhoons from regional bases"
  },
  {
    "id": "royal_navy",
    "name": "Royal Navy",
    "abbreviation": "RN",
    "aliases": ["Royal Navy", "RN"],
    "country_code": "GB",
    "country_name": "United Kingdom",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Navy",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Type 45 destroyers with Aster missile defense; HMS Diamond notably engaged Iranian drones in 2024"
  },
  {
    "id": "french_air_force",
    "name": "French Air and Space Force",
    "abbreviation": "AAE",
    "aliases": ["Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace", "French Air Force"],
    "country_code": "FR",
    "country_name": "France",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Participated in interception of Iranian drones during Operation True Promise; operates Rafale from regional bases"
  },
  {
    "id": "rjaf",
    "name": "Royal Jordanian Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "RJAF",
    "aliases": ["RJAF", "Royal Jordanian Air Force"],
    "country_code": "JO",
    "country_name": "Jordan",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Intercepted Iranian drones and missiles transiting Jordanian airspace"
  },
  {
    "id": "hezbollah",
    "name": "Hezbollah",
    "abbreviation": null,
    "aliases": ["Hezbollah", "Hizballah", "حزب‌الله"],
    "country_code": "LB",
    "country_name": "Lebanon",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Non-state armed group / militia",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Iranian-backed Lebanese militia; operates rockets, ATGMs, and drones against northern Israel"
  },
  {
    "id": "houthis",
    "name": "Ansar Allah (Houthis)",
    "abbreviation": null,
    "aliases": ["Houthis", "Ansar Allah", "أنصار الله"],
    "country_code": "YE",
    "country_name": "Yemen",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Non-state armed group / militia",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Iranian-backed Yemeni group; operates ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against Israel and Red Sea shipping"
  },
  {
    "id": "iraqi_militias",
    "name": "Islamic Resistance in Iraq",
    "abbreviation": null,
    "aliases": ["Iraqi militias", "Islamic Resistance in Iraq", "Iran-backed Iraqi groups"],
    "country_code": "IQ",
    "country_name": "Iraq",
    "side": "Iran / Axis of Resistance",
    "type": "Non-state armed group / militia coalition",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Umbrella term for Iranian-backed Iraqi Shia militia groups including Kata'ib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, etc."
  },
  {
    "id": "rsaf",
    "name": "Royal Saudi Air Force",
    "abbreviation": "RSAF",
    "aliases": ["RSAF", "Royal Saudi Air Force"],
    "country_code": "SA",
    "country_name": "Saudi Arabia",
    "side": "Israel / Coalition",
    "type": "Air force",
    "parent": null,
    "notes": "Operates Patriot PAC-3 air defense; may have participated in intercept operations over Saudi airspace"
  }
]