Country profile · SD Strength Index
Iran Military Strength 2026
Score by area
| Air power | 15 | |
| Missiles & strike | 50 | |
| Air & missile defence | 17 | |
| Sea power | 18 | |
| Land forces | 41 | |
| Manpower | 62 | |
| Budget & industry | 13 |
Armed forces in 2026
Key figures
As of 2026-10| Defence budget | 7.4–25 $bn | B |
| Share of GDP | 2.5–5.5 % | C |
| Active personnel | 520k–610k | C |
| Reserves | 350k | B |
| Combat aircraft | 100–250 | C |
| Fifth-generation fighters | 0 | A |
| Attack helicopters | 10–50 | C |
| All military aircraft | 300–550 | C |
| Main battle tanks | 1,300–1,900 | C |
| Rocket artillery | 1,000–1,600 | C |
| Aircraft carriers | 0 | A |
| Destroyers | 0–2 | C |
| Frigates | 0–2 | C |
| Submarines | 10–21 | C |
| Ballistic missiles | 1,000–2,500 | C |
| Longest missile range | 2,000 km | B |
| Long-range air-defence batteries | 2–8 | C |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | B |
A confirmed B strong estimate C estimated range
Main equipment
| Equipment | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile ballistic missile launchers (TEL) | 120–330 | C |
| MRBM fleet (Shahab-3/Ghadr/Emad/Kheibar Shekan/Fattah/Sejjil/Khorramshahr) | 1,000–2,500 | C |
| S-300PMU2 | 0–4 | C |
| Bavar-373 | 0–6 | C |
| Mi-28NE | 1–6 | C |
| Yak-130 | 2–6 | B |
| Su-35 | 0–20 | C |
| F-14A / F-4D/E / MiG-29 / Su-24 legacy fleet | 60–150 | C |
| Shahed-131/136/238 | — | C |
| IRGCN fast attack craft / missile boats | 100–300 | C |
| Ghadir-class midget submarines | 11–20 | C |
| Verba MANPADS | 0–500 | C |
How strong is Iran's military after the 2026 war?
Weaker than a year ago, and lopsided. The US and Israeli air campaign that opened on 28 February 2026 and stopped with the ceasefire of 8 April took apart most of Iran's integrated air defences, assessed at 85 to 90 per cent degraded by March. The surface navy fared worse. The frigate Dena was sunk, and no seagoing warship is reported left afloat.
What survived is what Tehran buried. Missiles sit in tunnel bases, bombed entrances were reopened within weeks, and production has reportedly resumed underground at lower volume. On the Silent Dossier index Iran now sits behind Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the region.
How many missiles does Iran have left?
Nobody outside Tehran knows. Silent Dossier's working range is 1,000 to 2,500 operational medium and short range ballistic missiles, after an estimated 400 to 650 were fired at Israel and about 1,200 at Gulf states during the war. Surviving mobile launchers are put at 120 to 330, against a prewar fleet of roughly 400 to 500.
Launchers decide how much of that stock can be used. A missile with no vehicle to fire it is inventory. Before the war, output estimates ran from about 50 missiles a month to a potential 240. There is no credible figure for the current rate. Sejjil and Khorramshahr, the longest ranged types, reach about 2,000 km, a cap Iran sets for itself.
How many fighter jets does Iran have?
Silent Dossier estimates 60 to 150 legacy fighters and strike jets still on strength, and the flyable share after war losses is unknown. The fleet is F-4 Phantoms, a handful of F-14A Tomcats, MiG-29s and Su-24s, kept flying with copied spare parts. There are no fifth generation jets.
Iran reportedly ordered 48 Su-35s from Russia in 2023. A first batch was rumoured complete in mid-2026, but no delivery has been confirmed, and Tehran has denied earlier reports. A few Mi-28NE attack helicopters, first seen in January 2026, are the only new Russian combat aircraft confirmed in the country.
What are Iran's real strengths?
Ground mass and cheap drones. The army holds an estimated 1,600 tanks, about 2,000 towed guns and some 1,400 rocket launchers. Around 4,400 Shahed attack drones were launched by early April 2026, and an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of that capability survived. Drone production restarted during the ceasefire.
The Revolutionary Guard's fast attack craft were hit hard but dispersed, and 100 to 300 are thought to remain. Iran also has a strategic partnership with Russia, ties to China and armed allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. None of them is bound by treaty to fight for it.
Is Iran close to a nuclear weapon?
Silent Dossier rates Iran's nuclear status as latent. It has no warheads, but it keeps much of the knowledge and industry needed to move towards one. Until that changes, Iran can punish a neighbour at range and still cannot protect its own sky.
Combat record and readiness
Fought a 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025, then a US and Israeli air campaign from 28 February 2026 until a ceasefire on 8 April. It fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones at Israel and Gulf states.
Builds ballistic and cruise missiles, Shahed drones, Bavar-373 and Khordad air defence systems, the Karrar tank and small warships. Strikes hit missile and propellant plants in 2025 and 2026. Missile and drone production has reportedly restarted at lower volume.
The 2026 war destroyed most of the air defence network, the surface navy and at least one Kilo submarine. The air force flies pre-1979 and 1990s airframes kept going under sanctions. The IRGC's buried missile force survived better, and a US naval blockade limits rebuilding.
Latest Silent Dossier analysis
Questions readers ask
Is Iran's military strong?
In missiles, drones and manpower, yes. In the air and at sea, no. The 2026 war destroyed most of its air defences and surface navy, leaving a force that can strike far but defends itself poorly.
How many soldiers does Iran have?
Silent Dossier estimates 520,000 to 610,000 active personnel across the regular army and the Revolutionary Guard, with about 350,000 reserves. The Basij militia adds roughly 90,000 active members and a far larger pool it can mobilise.
How many fighter jets does Iran have?
An estimated 60 to 150 legacy fighters and strike jets, mainly F-4, F-14, MiG-29 and Su-24 types. Reported Su-35 deliveries from Russia remain unconfirmed.
Does Iran have nuclear weapons?
No. Iran has no nuclear warheads, but Silent Dossier assesses its programme as latent, meaning it retains much of what it would need to build one.
What is Iran's military budget?
The official 2025 defence budget was about $7.4bn. Revolutionary Guard and proxy spending outside the budget is estimated to lift the real figure to $15bn to $25bn, and the rial's exchange rate makes any dollar figure rough.
How did the 2026 war change Iran's military?
It wrecked most long range air defence, sank the seagoing navy and destroyed many missile launchers. Missile production has reportedly restarted underground since the ceasefire of 8 April 2026.