Air Forces comparison: Iran vs United States
United States's air force fields 12,860 active aircraft — 21:1 Iran's 627. The breakdown includes 286 vs 3,120 combat aircraft, 0 vs 147 bombers, 160 vs 5,479 helicopters, 81 vs 1,507 transport aircraft, 88 vs 1,598 trainers (Iran vs United States). Iran has 0 aircraft on order vs 3,389 for United States. The Iran air force is officially the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, while United States's is the United States Air Force.
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force 🇮🇷
| Official Name | Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force |
| Local Name | نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران (Nīrvī-ye Havāyī-ye Arteš-e Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān) |
| Active aircraft | 627 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
|
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 12860 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3389 |
| Roundel |
|
Iranian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
286 | |
Bomber
|
0 | |
Helicopter
|
160 | |
Training
|
88 | |
Transport
|
81 | |
Other
|
12 | |
United States aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
3120 | |
|
Bomber
|
147 | |
|
Helicopter
|
5479 | |
|
Training
|
1598 | |
|
Transport
|
1507 | |
|
Other
|
1009 | |
Evolution of Iranian Air Force fleet
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Iran or United States?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,860 active aircraft compared to Iran's 627, a difference of 12,233 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Iran or United States?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,120 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Iran's 286.
Which country has more military helicopters, Iran or United States?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,479 compared to Iran's 160.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Iran or United States?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,507 compared to Iran's 81.
How do the Iran and United States air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 18.6 times larger than Iran's in terms of total active aircraft (1,507 vs 81).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Iran or United States?
United States has 3,389 aircraft on order compared to Iran's 0.