How Many Fighter Jets Does Iran Have?

Tensions are often on high in the Middle East and as of mid-2025, it appears things could escalate further with the United States indicating its support for Israel against Iran. Iran is not a weak nation that can be railroaded via a short invasion — the country has a large military with over one million personnel and an air force with plenty of planes in its service.

Iran has several types, primarily supplied by the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union, and its successor, the Russian Federation. While the Iranian military has weapon systems and several aircraft, they don't have nearly as many as some nations. The World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft's 2025 assessment of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) estimates that there are only 400 total aircraft in its active inventory. That's a fairly small air force when compared to something like the United States, which boasts over 5,000 active aircraft. 

Iran's total number of fighter jets is estimated to be 231. Comparatively, Israel's air force has 340 aircraft in its inventory, 314 of which are fighter jets , including the blazing fast F-16 Fighting Falcon. Iran's air force consists of aircraft supplied by numerous manufacturers, and there are several American-made aircraft as well, though these are older than the ones their adversaries fly.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force has hundreds of aircraft, and while 231 are combat vehicles, the rest are used for support and training. Iran's fighter jets include 63 F-4D/E/R/F fighter bombers, 41 F-14A/AM interceptors, 35 F-5E fighters, 23 Su-24ML strike aircraft, 18 MiG-29A fighters (also called the Fulcrum), 17 F-7 fighters, 12 Mirage F1EQ fighters, 12 HESA Saeqeh fighters, six HESA Azarakhsh fighters, and four Kowsar fighters. The IRIAF also has four helicopters, though they're all used for utility purposes.

With transport and other aircraft making up the rest of the inventory, that makes Iran's fighters account for 58% of the IRIAF's total strength. There's a good reason why Iran has American-made fighters like the F-14 Tomcat. Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran and the United States had good diplomatic relations, so it was perfectly normal for the two nations to have such dealings.

The F-14 Tomcat wase manufactured before 1979, making maintenance costly and challenging today. Upgrades to the fighters' various weapon systems, sensors, and avionics remain absent outside of anything Iran is capable of performing on its own. Regardless, the above aircraft are believed to be in working order. It's likely that a direct engagement with Iran would ensure its fleet of fighters take to the skies, which might struggle against Israel's and America's more modern fighter jets.