Iran is estimated to have about 231 fighter jets in its air force as of mid-2025. The Iranian Air Force, known as the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), has a total active aircraft inventory of around 400 planes, with fighters making up about 58% of this force. The types of fighter jets in Iran's fleet include:
- 63 F-4D/E/RF Phantom II fighter bombers
- 41 F-14A/AM interceptors (notably the F-14 Tomcat)
- 35 F-5E fighters
- 23 Su-24MK strike aircraft
- 18 MiG-29A fighters
- 17 F-7 fighters
- 12 Mirage F1EQ fighters
- Smaller numbers of domestically produced jets such as 12 HESA Saeqeh fighters, 6 HESA Azarakhsh fighters, and 4 Kowsar fighters
Iran has been considering modernizing its air force with new acquisitions like Chinese J-10CE fighter jets and reportedly purchased Su-35 fighters from Russia, though deliveries are uncertain due to geopolitical factors. Despite having a relatively large number of fighter jets, many of Iran's aircraft are older models from the 1970s and 1980s, making maintenance and modernization challenging under current sanctions and geopolitical constraints. The F-14 Tomcat fleet, for example, dates back to before the 1979 revolution and is costly to maintain without foreign support. In summary, Iran currently has approximately 231 fighter jets in service, composed of various older and some domestically produced models, with ongoing efforts to modernize the fleet amidst geopolitical hurdles.
