Iran Air Force 2025: Assessing Its Combat Aircraft Strength

Richard Stiedemann II 01 Jul 2025

The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East remains a complex tapestry of alliances, rivalries, and strategic maneuvers, with air power often playing a pivotal role in regional stability and conflict. As we approach 2025, understanding the state of the Iran Air Force, particularly its number of combat aircraft, becomes crucial for analysts, policymakers, and indeed, the general public interested in global security dynamics. Iran, officially an Islamic Republic and a cradle of civilization, has long maintained a distinctive cultural and social continuity, yet its modern military capabilities, especially its air force, face unique challenges and considerations.

Amidst ongoing regional tensions and the specter of international sanctions, Iran's military doctrine emphasizes self-reliance and asymmetric warfare. The nation, a mountainous, arid, and ethnically diverse country of southwestern Asia, ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population. Its capital, Tehran, serves as the nation's financial and strategic hub. The capabilities of its air force are therefore not just a matter of military statistics but reflect the broader strategic choices confronting the leadership, particularly Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the wake of various regional developments and international pressures. This article delves into the projected strength and challenges facing the Iran Air Force in 2025, examining its current inventory, modernization efforts, and the strategic implications of its air power.

Table of Contents:

The Foundations of Iranian Air Power
A Fleet Grappling with Age and Sanctions
- The Legacy of Pre-1979 Aircraft
- Impact of Sanctions on Modernization
The 2025 Military Balance Report and Its Implications
Modernization Efforts and Domestic Production
- New Advanced Jets and Indigenous Development
- Seeking Technological Advancements
Challenges for the Iranian Air Force in 2025
Air Superiority and Defensive Posture
Geopolitical Context and Strategic Choices
Conclusion: The Future of Iranian Air Power

The Foundations of Iranian Air Power

Iran's military history is deeply intertwined with its geopolitical ambitions and defensive needs. The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) is a critical component of the nation's defense capabilities, tasked with protecting its vast borders, strategic assets, and national interests. Historically, Iran's air force benefited from significant Western military aid prior to the 1979 revolution, acquiring advanced aircraft that formed the backbone of its fleet. This era saw the acquisition of sophisticated fighter jets and support aircraft, establishing a relatively modern air force for its time. However, the political shift brought about by the revolution, followed by decades of international sanctions, drastically altered the trajectory of its military development, particularly concerning its air power. The challenge for the IRIAF has since been to maintain operational readiness with an aging fleet while simultaneously attempting to develop indigenous capabilities and acquire new assets under stringent international restrictions. The strategic importance of air power in the region, particularly in defending against an increasing number of potential air strikes, underscores the constant pressure on Iran to enhance its aerial capabilities.

A Fleet Grappling with Age and Sanctions

One of the most significant challenges facing the Iran Air Force, and a key factor in determining the Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025, is the advanced age of its existing fleet. According to the 2025 Military Balance Report, Iran possessed approximately 150 fighter jets before the war. However, a substantial portion of these aircraft dates back to before the 1979 revolution, making them some of the oldest active combat aircraft in the world. This reliance on vintage platforms presents a myriad of operational and strategic difficulties.

The Legacy of Pre-1979 Aircraft

Many of Iran's combat aircraft, such as the F-4 Phantoms, F-5 Freedom Fighters, and F-14 Tomcats, were acquired in the 1960s and 1970s. While these aircraft were state-of-the-art at the time of their acquisition, decades of service, coupled with limited access to original spare parts and modern upgrades, have severely impacted their combat effectiveness. Maintaining these complex machines requires immense ingenuity and reverse-engineering capabilities, which Iran has largely developed out of necessity. However, even with these efforts, the operational readiness rates of such aged aircraft are typically low, and their avionics, radar systems, and weapon capabilities are often far outmatched by contemporary fighter jets used by regional adversaries and global powers. The ability of the Iran Air Force to project power or even defend its airspace effectively is directly constrained by the technological limitations of this legacy fleet.

Impact of Sanctions on Modernization

The persistent international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the U.S., have been a primary impediment to Iran's efforts to modernize its air force. These sanctions have largely cut off Iran from the global arms market, preventing it from purchasing new, advanced combat aircraft from major manufacturers. This isolation has forced Iran to rely on a combination of domestic production, often based on reverse-engineered foreign designs, and limited acquisitions from countries willing to defy sanctions, primarily Russia and China. However, even these avenues have proven insufficient to replace the aging fleet on a large scale or to introduce truly fifth-generation capabilities. The result is an air force that, while numerically significant with its estimated 150 fighter jets, struggles to compete qualitatively with more modern air forces in the region. This makes the precise Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025 less about raw quantity and more about the qualitative capabilities of those aircraft.

The 2025 Military Balance Report and Its Implications

The "2025 Military Balance Report" serves as a critical benchmark for assessing Iran's air power. While the report indicates Iran had approximately 150 fighter jets before the war, the crucial caveat is the age of these aircraft. This figure, though seemingly substantial, must be viewed through the lens of operational readiness and technological obsolescence. The report likely includes all combat-capable aircraft, regardless of their current state of maintenance or upgrade. For instance, an aircraft dating back to before 1979 might technically be a "fighter jet," but its ability to engage modern threats is severely limited. This means the effective Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025, in terms of deployable, modern assets, is likely much lower than the raw count suggests.

The report's findings underscore the challenges for the Iranian air force in achieving air superiority over potential adversaries. In a hypothetical scenario, such as the reported incident in the night between June 15 and 16, 2025, where multiple U.S. forces were involved, or Iranian media reports on Friday that one of Israel’s most advanced fighter aircraft was shot down during an early morning raid, the true test of Iran's air power comes into focus. While such reports require careful verification, they highlight the high-stakes environment in which the IRIAF operates. The ability to defend against or conduct offensive operations relies not just on the quantity of aircraft, but crucially on their technological parity, pilot training, and integrated air defense systems. The report implicitly suggests that Iran's air force, despite its numerical strength, remains largely a defensive force, prioritizing air defense over offensive projection due to its aged inventory.

Modernization Efforts and Domestic Production

Despite the formidable challenges posed by sanctions and an aging fleet, Iran has actively pursued various strategies to upgrade its aged air force in the near term. These efforts primarily revolve around domestic production, reverse engineering, and limited foreign acquisitions, aiming to bolster the Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025 with more capable platforms.

New Advanced Jets and Indigenous Development

Iran has consistently emphasized self-sufficiency in its military production. The Iranian army has debuted a new advanced jet during major joint maneuvers enlisting the force’s various divisions in the country’s southern coastline and waters. While details about this "new advanced jet" are often shrouded in secrecy and subject to strategic messaging, it represents Iran's commitment to indigenous development. These domestically produced aircraft, such as the Saeqeh and Kowsar, are often based on reverse-engineered designs of older U.S. aircraft like the F-5, but with modern avionics and weapon systems integrated. While they may not rival fifth-generation fighters, they provide a valuable, albeit limited, capability boost and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The continuous unveiling of such aircraft, even if in small numbers, is critical for maintaining and potentially increasing the effective Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025.

Seeking Technological Advancements

Beyond producing entire aircraft, Iran also focuses on upgrading existing platforms and developing advanced components. The Air Force has asked Northrop Grumman for continued targeting radar technology development for combat aircraft, indicating a desire to enhance the capabilities of its existing fleet. While this specific request might be complex given the sanctions, it underscores Iran's recognition of the importance of modern targeting systems. Such upgrades can significantly improve the combat effectiveness of older aircraft, allowing them to engage targets with greater precision and from safer distances. Furthermore, Iran has invested in developing its own missile technology, including air-to-air missiles, to complement its air force assets. These efforts, though incremental, are vital for enhancing the overall combat readiness and effectiveness of the Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025.

Challenges for the Iranian Air Force in 2025

The challenges for the Iranian air force in 2025 are multifaceted and deeply rooted in its historical context and geopolitical environment. Beyond the aging fleet and sanctions, operational readiness, pilot training, and technological parity remain significant hurdles. Maintaining older aircraft is resource-intensive, requiring specialized skills and a robust logistics chain for spare parts, which are often difficult to procure. This impacts the number of aircraft that can be kept in flying condition at any given time, effectively reducing the actual deployable Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025.

Furthermore, the lack of regular access to advanced training exercises with modern air forces limits the exposure of Iranian pilots to contemporary aerial warfare tactics and technologies. While Iran conducts its own exercises, the scope and realism of these can be constrained by the capabilities of its own fleet. The technological gap with potential adversaries, particularly in areas like stealth technology, advanced electronic warfare, and networked operations, poses a severe disadvantage. This disparity means that even if Iran manages to increase its total number of combat aircraft, their effectiveness in a high-intensity conflict against a technologically superior foe would be questionable. The need to defend against an increasing number of Iraqi air strikes in the past, for example, highlighted the constant demand for a capable air defense, a role that often falls to the air force.

Air Superiority and Defensive Posture

Given the qualitative limitations of its air force, Iran's strategic focus leans heavily towards air defense rather than achieving outright air superiority over its adversaries. While a sizeable helo and fighter force (of which many are multirole types), and hundreds of transport aircraft, might suggest offensive capabilities, the primary role of the Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025 is likely to be defensive. This involves protecting its airspace, critical infrastructure, and population centers from potential air attacks. The integration of its air force with its extensive network of ground-based air defense systems, including various types of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), is crucial to this strategy.

The reported downing of an Israeli fighter aircraft, if confirmed, underscores Iran's emphasis on air defense. While the details remain contested, such an event, even if hypothetical, points to the potential effectiveness of Iran's layered air defense strategy, which combines radar systems, SAMs, and interceptor aircraft. However, gaining air superiority over Iran, as Arash Azizi, a senior lecturer, might suggest, remains a significant challenge for any aggressor due to Iran's vast geographic size, mountainous terrain, and dispersed military assets, coupled with its air defense network. The role of the IRIAF combat aircraft in this defensive posture is to act as interceptors, engaging incoming threats that penetrate the outer layers of air defense, or to conduct limited retaliatory strikes.

Geopolitical Context and Strategic Choices

The state of the Iran Air Force in 2025 cannot be separated from the broader geopolitical context. President Donald Trump's statements about not offering Iran anything despite suggesting new nuclear talks with Tehran highlight the ongoing tension and lack of diplomatic breakthroughs. Iran's foreign minister has warned that the U.S. decision to join Israel’s war against Iran would have “everlasting consequences,” emphasizing the delicate balance of power in the region. After U.S. and Israeli strikes, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei faces a critical choice: rebuild the same regime or open up in a way that could threaten his hold on power. These strategic choices directly impact military spending, procurement priorities, and the future development of the Iran Air Force.

The global air powers ranking for 2025 will undoubtedly reflect Iran's unique position—a nation with significant military aspirations but constrained by external pressures and internal economic realities. The IRIAF's capabilities are a key factor in Iran's deterrence strategy against external threats. The ongoing development of its drone program and ballistic missile capabilities also plays a significant role in its overall military posture, potentially compensating for some of the air force's limitations. The strategic calculus for Iran involves balancing the need for a credible air defense with the prohibitive costs and political complexities of acquiring a truly modern combat aircraft fleet. The future Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025 will therefore be a reflection of these complex internal and external pressures.

Conclusion: The Future of Iranian Air Power

As we look towards 2025, the Iran Air Force remains a force grappling with significant challenges, primarily an aging fleet and the enduring impact of international sanctions. While the "2025 Military Balance Report" indicates a numerical strength of around 150 fighter jets, the qualitative limitations of these pre-1979 aircraft are undeniable. Iran's determined efforts in domestic production, reverse engineering, and seeking advanced technologies like targeting radar development represent its commitment to self-reliance and gradual modernization. However, these efforts are unlikely to close the significant technological gap with leading air forces globally or even regionally in the immediate future.

The strategic role of the Iran Air Force number of combat aircraft 2025 will likely continue to be primarily defensive, integrated within a robust air defense network. The geopolitical environment, marked by ongoing tensions and critical choices for Iran's leadership, will heavily influence the pace and scope of any future air force modernization. To stay informed on these critical developments, keeping up with reliable news sources like AP News, which provides the latest news from Iran as it happens, is essential. From articles to the latest videos, all you need to know is here. Understanding the intricacies of Iran's air power is not just about numbers; it's about comprehending the strategic implications for regional stability and global security. What are your thoughts on Iran's air force capabilities in the coming years? Share your insights in the comments below, or explore other related articles on our site to deepen your understanding of military and geopolitical affairs.

Why did US bomb Iran? In Trump's vibes war, it's impossible to trust

Iran Isreal War Videos: Download 359+ Free 4K & HD Stock Footage Clips

What happens next in US-Iran relations will be informed by the two

RapidInsight