Air Forces comparison: 
Iran vs 
Saudi Arabia
Iran operates 636 active military aircraft vs 914 for Saudi Arabia.
AIRS (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
IranWorld #30
14.8
AIRS Index / 100
Saudi Arabia leads on 4 of 5 categories
Saudi ArabiaWorld #5
33.0
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Bars: weighted contribution to the AIRS Index (airframes × category weight; combat and bombers by unit price, helicopters by era) · figures: active airframes at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
| Iran | Saudi Arabia | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force | Royal Saudi Air Force | |
| Active aircraft | 636 | 914 | 🇸🇦 1.4× |
| Aircraft on order | 0 | 319 | 🇸🇦 |
| Combat aircraft | 295 | 384 | 🇸🇦 1.3× |
| Combat share of fleet | 46.4 % | 42.0 % | 🇮🇷 1.1× |
| Aircraft types in service | 36 | 26 | 🇮🇷 1.4× |
| Main supplier | United States · 52 % | United States · 59 % |
Show full breakdown · 4 more rowsHide the 4 extra rows
| Helicopters | 160 | 262 | 🇸🇦 1.6× |
| Transport aircraft | 81 | 46 | 🇮🇷 1.8× |
| Special-mission aircraft | 12 | 66 | 🇸🇦 5.5× |
| Trainers | 88 | 156 | 🇸🇦 1.8× |
Backbone aircraft most numerous in service
Fleet evolution · Iran
Fleet evolution · Saudi Arabia
Analyst Assessment
Run the wargame simulation →Verdict
Edge: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Royal Saudi Air Force holds a decisive qualitative and material edge over the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, fielding roughly 384 modern Western combat aircraft — F-15E, F-15EX and Typhoon — against an Iranian combat fleet of about 295 airframes built largely on 1970s F-4, F-5 and F-14 designs sustained without their original supplier. Sanctions-driven attrition, an empty Iranian order book and a 319-aircraft Saudi pipeline widen the gap further, though Iran's dispersed geography and improvised sustainment give it some defensive resilience.
Domain by domain
Fighter & multirole fleet
Edge: Saudi Arabia
🇮🇷 Iran295 combat aircraft, mostly F-4 Phantom II (63), F-5E (44) and F-14 Tomcat (35) from the pre-1979 US inventory, plus 30 MiG-29 and 30 Su-24; ageing avionics, limited beyond-visual-range capability.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia384 combat aircraft: 148 F-15E Strike Eagle, 84 F-15EX Eagle II, 71 Typhoon and 81 Tornado. Modern radars, datalinks and precision weapons across a numerically larger and generationally newer force.
Strike & bombers
Edge: Saudi Arabia
🇮🇷 IranStrike rests on ~30 Su-24 Fencer and surviving F-4 Phantoms, with limited precision munitions integration; doctrine leans on missile and drone forces outside the air force proper.
ISR / AEW & tankers
Edge: Saudi Arabia
🇮🇷 Iran12 special-mission aircraft, a thin and largely improvised capability with no substantial AEW or dedicated tanker force.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia66 special-mission aircraft including AEW and tanker types, with four Airbus A330 MRTT on order — a persistent surveillance and refuelling backbone Iran cannot match.
Procurement pipeline & industry
Edge: Saudi Arabia
🇮🇷 IranZero aircraft on order; sanctions since 1979 force cannibalisation, reverse-engineering and domestic overhaul to keep 36 types flying, an unusually wide type spread for the fleet size.
Helicopters & rotary lift
Edge: Saudi Arabia
🇮🇷 Iran160 helicopters: 35 CH-47 Chinook, 30 Bell 214, 30 Mi-17 and 25 JetRanger — a mixed US/Russian fleet with uneven spares availability.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia262 helicopters led by 81 UH-60 Black Hawk, 34 AH-64 Apache, 36 UH-1 and 33 Cougar, with 300-plus rotary airframes on order.
Wildcards
- Sustainment under sanctions Iran keeps US-origin airframes flying through domestic overhaul and cannibalisation, giving unusual repair depth but low readiness rates. Saudi availability depends on foreign contractor support, which is capable but sensitive to political conditions.
- Geography and dispersal Iran's size and mountainous terrain favour dispersed basing and defensive depth. Saudi bases are fewer, larger and closer to potential threat axes, placing a premium on hardened shelters and integrated air defence.
- Alliances and access Saudi Arabia benefits from US and European training, logistics and intelligence access, plus coalition interoperability. Iran operates without an equivalent partner network, limiting doctrinal exchange and modern weapons integration.
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Editorial assessment produced from the figures on this page and public sources; it is an informed reading, not a military assessment or a prediction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has more military aircraft with 914 active aircraft compared to Iran's 636, a difference of 278 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has more combat aircraft with 384 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Iran's 295.
Which country has more military helicopters, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia operates more military helicopters with 262 compared to Iran's 160.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
Iran has more transport aircraft with 81 compared to Saudi Arabia's 46.
How do the Iran and Saudi Arabia air forces compare in size?
Iran's air force is 1.8 times larger than Saudi Arabia's in terms of total active aircraft (81 vs 46).
Which country has more aircraft on order, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has 319 aircraft on order compared to Iran's 0.