Air Forces comparison: United States vs Iran
United States's air force fields 12,784 active aircraft — 20:1 Iran's 627. The breakdown includes 3,101 vs 286 combat aircraft, 147 vs 0 bombers, 5,442 vs 160 helicopters, 1,483 vs 81 transport aircraft, 1,598 vs 88 trainers (United States vs Iran). United States has 3,432 aircraft on order vs 0 for Iran. The United States air force is officially the United States Air Force, while Iran's is the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.
United States Air Force 🇺🇸
| Official Name | United States Air Force |
| Local Name | US Air Force |
| Active aircraft | 12784 as of 2026 |
| Aircraft on order | 3432 |
| Roundel |
|
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 aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
Combat
|
3101 | |
Bomber
|
147 | |
Helicopter
|
5442 | |
Training
|
1598 | |
Transport
|
1483 | |
Other
|
1013 | |
Iranian aircraft by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
|
Combat
|
286 | |
|
Bomber
|
0 | |
|
Helicopter
|
160 | |
|
Training
|
88 | |
|
Transport
|
81 | |
|
Other
|
12 | |
Evolution of United States Air Force fleet
Evolution of Iranian Air Force fleet
Aircraft Types Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more military aircraft, United States or Iran?
United States has more military aircraft with 12,784 active aircraft compared to Iran's 627, a difference of 12,157 aircraft.
Which air force has more combat aircraft, United States or Iran?
United States has more combat aircraft with 3,101 fighters and attack aircraft compared to Iran's 286.
Which country has more military helicopters, United States or Iran?
United States operates more military helicopters with 5,442 compared to Iran's 160.
Which air force has more transport aircraft, United States or Iran?
United States has more transport aircraft with 1,483 compared to Iran's 81.
How do the United States and Iran air forces compare in size?
United States's air force is 18.3 times larger than Iran's in terms of total active aircraft (1,483 vs 81).
Which country has more aircraft on order, United States or Iran?
United States has 3,432 aircraft on order compared to Iran's 0.