Military
Iran Has More F-4 Phantoms Than Any Nation—Here’s What That Means in a Fight With Israel
Published:
Key Points
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Iran’s tensions with Israel came to blows last week as both nations exchanged missiles across Middle Eastern airspace
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Each of these nations will be relying heavily on their respective air forces to gain an upper hand in the conflict
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Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the U.S. sold a large number of Phantoms to Iran as part of an effort to modernize the Shah’s military
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Iran’s tensions with Israel came to blows last week as both nations exchanged missiles across Middle Eastern airspace. While these two nations are involved in a hot conflict, there are larger geopolitical questions to answer as to which nations are coming to the aid of Israel or Iran as this is ongoing. But one thing is for sure, each of these nations will be relying heavily on their respective air forces to gain an upper hand in the conflict.
Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force. One thing that stands out for Iran’s air force is that it has more F-4 Phantom II fighter jets in service than any other nation on Earth.
The F-4 Phantom II rose prominence in the 1960s, noteworthy is its widespread use by the United States during the Vietnam War. These jets were known for their speed, payload, and adaptability, ultimately becoming a symbol of American air power in that era. But how did these jets end up in Iran’s hands?
Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the U.S. sold a large number of Phantoms to Iran as part of an effort to modernize the Shah’s military. However, despite decades of international sanctions and aging hardware, Iran still maintains a fleet of over 60 operational F-4s. Another key asset in Iran’s arsenal is its fleet of F-14 Tomcats which were some of the best strike fighter aircraft to come out of the 1970s. (How Today’s Fighter Jets Stack Up Against Yesterday’s Icons.)
Although Iran may have a fleet of fighter jets from half a century ago, these are still formidable assets as many nations around the world still regularly use aircraft from this era.
To identify every Iranian combat aircraft currently in service, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft by how many are currently in active service. We also included supplemental data on the type of aircraft, top speed, armament and which Iranian military branch they serve under.
Here is a look at all of Iran’s fighter jets and combat aircraft currently in service:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the combat aircraft within Iran’s arsenal gives context for what the country is capable of in terms of its military. Recent tensions on the geopolitical stage raise the question of military strength within the region.
16. Bell 206 (JetRanger / LongRanger)
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1967
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- Active aircraft: 5
- Top speed: 122 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
15. CH-53 Sea Stallion
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky
- Type: Heavy-lift transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1966
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
- Active aircraft: 6
- Top speed: 196 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, 7.62mm machine guns
14. SH-3 Sea King
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky
- Type: Anti-submarine warfare helicopter
- Year introduced: 1961
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
- Active aircraft: 8
- Top speed: 166 mph
- Armament: Mark 44 / 46 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, naval depth charges, 7.62mm machine guns
13. Bell 212
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Type: Medium-lift utility / transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1968
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
- Active aircraft: 9
- Top speed: 140 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
12. Su-22 Fitter
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi
- Type: Strike fighter
- Year introduced: 1970
- Military branch: Iranian Revolutionary Guard
- Active aircraft: 9
- Top speed: 718 mph
- Armament: 30mm autocannons, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs, rocket pods, gun pods, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles
11. Mirage F1EQ
- Manufacturer: Dassault
- Type: Interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1973
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 12
- Top speed: 1453 mph
- Armament: 30mm DEFA internal automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles, Magic missiles, Matra missiles, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, Armat missiles
10. AH-1J SeaCobra
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Type: Dedicated two-seat attack helicopter
- Year introduced: 1970
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- Active aircraft: 13
- Top speed: 175 mph
- Armament: 20mm M197 triple barrel gatling gun, Hydra rocket pods, Zuni rocket pods, BGM-TOW missiles, Sidewinder missiles
9. F-7 Fishcan
- Manufacturer: Shengyang / Chengdu
- Type: Interceptor / Strike fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1980
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 17
- Top speed: 1367 mph
- Armament: 30mm internal cannons, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods
8. MiG-29 Fulcrum
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan / United Aircraft Corporation
- Type: Lightweight multirole fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1984
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 18
- Top speed: 1519 mph
- Armament: 30mm GSh-1 internal automatic cannon, Alamo missiles, Adder missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs
7. Su-24 Fencer
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi
- Type: Long-range strike / attack aircraft
- Year introduced: 1974
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 21
- Top speed: 1439 mph
- Armament: 23mm GSh internal six-barrel cannon, Ahpid missiles, Archer missiles, Kingbolt missiles, Krypton missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs
6. Mi-171 Hip-H
- Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Russian Helicopters
- Type: Medium-lift transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1981
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, Iranian Revolutionary Guard
- Active aircraft: 22
- Top speed: 158 mph
- Armament: Shturm missiles, rocket pods, 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns
5. Bell 214
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1972
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- Active aircraft: 24
- Top speed: 162 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
4. F-5E Tiger II
- Manufacturer: Northrop Aircraft Corporation
- Type: Multirole fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1962
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 35
- Top speed: 1077 mph
- Armament: 20mm M39A2 automatic cannons, Sidewinder missiles, Maverick missiles, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs
3. CH-47C Chinook
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Type: Medium-lift, tandem rotor transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1962
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Islamic Republic of Iran Army
- Active aircraft: 40
- Top speed: 180 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
2. F-14 Tomcat
- Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft
- Type: Swing-wing, carrierborne fleet defense fighter
- Year introduced: 1974
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 41
- Top speed: 1544 mph
- Armament: 20mm internal gatling gun, Phoenix missiles, Sparrow missiles, Sidewinder missiles, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs
1. F-4 Phantom II
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
- Type: Strike fighter
- Year introduced: 1960
- Military branch: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
- Active aircraft: 65
- Top speed: 1473 mph
- Armament: 20mm M61 Vulcan, Skyflash missiles, Sparrow missiles, Sidewinder missiles, rocket pods, gun pods, conventional drop bombs, guided bombs
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