We’ve lately been talking about aircraft which have gone for combat several times. Now we’ve been thinking of some statistics of various fighter aircraft in use. Below you can find the details – but first of all we would like to show you an overview, created by Wojtek Korsak, based on this article. Thanks for that Wojtek. Click enlarge. If it is still to small: Press and hold Ctrl and scroll up with your mouse.
Combat statistics for all fighter aircraft in use
The Format is:
[Name of aircraft] Air-to-air kills – Air-to-air losses – Losses to ground fire
[Name of conflict aircraft was used in]
[Nation that used aircraft in said conflict]
Air-to-air kills – Air-to-air losses – Losses to ground fire
Aircraft which were destroyed on the ground are not included in this analysis, because any plane can get destroyed on the ground no matter how good it or its pilot is.
F-16 Falcon 76-1-5
Gulf War (USA) 0-0-3
No-Fly Zones (USA) 2-0-0
Bosnia (USA) 4-0-1
Kosovo (USA) 1-0-1
Kosovo (Netherlands) 1-0-0
Kosovo (Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Turkey) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway) 0-0-0
Iraq (USA) 0-0-0
Syrian border clashes 1979-1986 (Israel) 6-0-0
Operation Opera (Israel) 0-0-0
Lebanon War (1982) (Israel) 44-0-0
Lebanon War (2006) (Israel) 3-0-0
Intifada (2000-present) (Israel) 0-0-0
Soviet-Afghan War (Pakistan) 10-0-0
Border clashes (Pakistan) 1-0-0
Kargil War (Pakistan) 0-0-0
Northwest border wars (Pakistan) 0-0-0
Aegean Sea clashes (Turkey) 1-1-0
Venezuelan Coup 1992 (Venezuela) 3-0-0
F-15A/C/I/S Eagle 102-0-0
Gulf War (USA) 32-0-0
Gulf War (Saudi Arabia) 2-0-0
Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Desert Fox (USA) 2-0-0
Bosnia (USA) 0-0-0
Kosovo (USA) 4-0-0
Afghanistan (USA) 0-0-0
Iraq (USA) 0-0-0
Syrian border clashes 1979-1981 (Israel) 19-0-0
Operation Opera (Israel) 0-0-0
Lebanon War (1982) (Israel) 38-0-0
Lebanon War 1982-2000 (Israel) 4-0-0
Lebanon War (2006) (Israel) 0-0-0
Iran Gulf Clash 1984 (Saudi Arabia) 1-0-0
An interesting fact here – the F-15 once shot down a satellite!
https://youtu.be/pRH8X_Pr-dE
F-15E Strike Eagle 1-0-3
Gulf War (USA) 1-0-2
Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Desert Fox (USA) 0-0-0
Bosnia (USA) 0-0-0
Kosovo (USA) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (USA) 0-0-0
Iraq War (USA) 0-0-1
Lebanon War 1982-2000 (Israel) 0-0-0
Lebanon War (2006) (Israel) 0-0-0
Yemen Border Clashes (Saudi Arabia) 0-0-0
F/A-18 Hornet 2-1-1
Gulf of Sidra 1986 (USA) 0-0-0
Gulf War (USA) 2-1-1
Gulf War (Canada) 0-0-0
Kosovo (USA) 0-0-0
Kosovo (Spain) 0-0-0
Kosovo (Canada) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (USA, Australia) 0-0-0
Iraq (USA, Australia) 0-0-0
F/A-18E/F/G Super Hornet 0-0-0
NFZs (USA) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (USA) 0-0-0
Iraq (USA) 0-0-0
F-14 Tomcat 135-4-4
Vietnam (1975) (USA) 0-0-0
Gulf of Sidra (USA) (1980) 2-0-0
Lebanon 1983 (USA) 0-0-0
Gulf of Sidra (1986) 0-0-0
Gulf of Sidra (1989) 2-0-0
Gulf War (USA) 1-0-1
Iraq NFZs (USA) 0-0-0
Bosnia (USA) 0-0-0
Kosovo (USA) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (USA) 0-0-0
Iraq (USA) 0-0-0
Iran-Iraq War (Iran) 130-4-4
F-4 Phantom 306-106-545
Vietnam War (US Navy) 40-7-66
Vietnam War (USMC) 3-1-74
Vietnam War (USAF) 108-33-337
Desert Storm (USAF) 0-0-1
NFZs (Turkey) 0-0-0
Soviet border clash 1976 (Iran) 1-0-0
Dhofar War (Iran) 0-0-1
Kurdish rebellion (Iran) 0-0-1
Iran-Iraq War (Iran) 68-29-33
Iran Gulf Clash 1984 (Iran) 0-1-0
Kurdish Civil War (Iran) 0-0-1
War of Attrition (Israel) 26-3-5
Yom Kippur War (Israel) 55-28-22
Syrian border clashes 1974-1981 (Israel) 4-3-1
Lebanon War (1982) (Israel) 1-1-1
Lebanon War 1982-2000 (Israel) 0-0-2
Mirage 2000 1-0-1
Gulf War (France, UAE) 0-0-0
Bosnia (France) 0-0-1
Kosovo (France) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (France) 0-0-0
Aegean Sea 1996 (Greece) 1-0-0
Kargil War (India) 0-0-0
Alto-Cenapa War (Peru) 0-0-0
Sea Harrier 21-0-3
Falklands War (UK) 21-0-2
Gulf War (UK) 0-0-0
Bosnia (UK) 0-0-1
Kosovo (UK) 0-0-0
Sierra Leone 2000 (UK) 0-0-0
Iraq War (UK) 0-0-0
Mirage F.1 24-43-20
Chadian-Libyan War (France) 0-0-0
Afghanistan (France) 0-0-0
Paquisha War (Ecuador) 0-0-0
Alto-Cenapa War (Equador) 2-0-0
Iran-Iraq War (Iraq) 15-35-11?
Gulf War (Iraq) 0-8-0
Gulf War (Kuwait) 3 (possibly 12)-0-0
Western Saharan War (Morocco) 0-0-7
Angola Border War (South Africa) 4-0-2
Aegean Sea clashes (Greece) 0-1-0
Rafale 0-0-0
Afghanistan (France) 0-0-0
Tornado ADV 0-0-0
Gulf War (UK, Saudi Arabia) 0-0-0
NFZs (UK) 0-0-0
Kosovo (Italy) 0-0-0
Iraq War (UK) 0-0-0
JF-17 Thunder 0-0-0
Waziristan War/NW Pakistan campaigns (Pakistan) 0-0-0
J-7 1-0-0
Sudanese Civil War (Sudan) 0-0-0
Uganda-Tanzania War (Tanzania) 0-0-0
Sri Lankan Civil War (Sri Lanka) 1-0-0
MiG-21 240-501-[too little information for an accurate count of losses to ground fire]
Vietnam War (North Vietnam) 78-95-0
Vietnam War (North Korea) 1-0-0
Vietnam War (USSR) 6-0-0
1967 border clashes (Syria) 0-7-0
Six-Day War (Egypt) 5-13-
Six-Day War (Syria) 0-7-
Six-Day War (Iraq) 0-1-
War of Attrition (Syria) 7-56
War of Attrition (USSR) 0-5-0
War of Attrition (Egypt) 18-93
Yom Kippur War (Syria) 30-26
Yom Kippur War (Egypt) 26-65
Yom Kippur War (Iraq) 1-9
Egypt-Libya Border War (Egypt) 6-1
Soviet-Iranian border clashes (USSR) 1-0-0
Syrian border clashes 1974-1981 (Syria) 5-26
Lebanon War 1982 (Syria) 2-38
Turkish border violation 1986 (Syria) 1-0-0
Ogaden War (Somalia) 1-6
Angola Bush War (Angola) 1-3
Congo Civil War (Zaire) 0-0-0
Congo Civil War (Angola) 0-0-1
Uganda-Tanzania War (Uganda) 0-0-1
Uganda-Tanzania War (Tanzania) 0-0-1
Mozambique Civil War (Mozambique) 1-0-0
Sudanese Civil War (Sudan) 0-0-3
Somali Civil War (Somalia) 0-0-0
Ethiopian-Eritrean War (Ethiopia) 0-3
Iran-Iraq War (Iraq) 32-40
Gulf War (Iraq) 0-4-0
Indo-Pakistani War 1965 (India) 0-0-
Indo-Pakistani War 1971 (India) 6-1-
Kargil War (India) 0-0-1
Soviet-Afghan War (Afghanistan) 0-4
Atlantique Incident 1999 (India) 1-0-0
Afghan Civil War 1992-1996 (United Front) 4-0-
Afghan Civil War 1992-1996 (Dostum-Gulbuddin Militia) 0-2-
Abkhazian War (Georgia) 0-0-0
Nagorno-Karabakh War (Azerbaijan) 0-0-6
Nagorno-Karabakh War (Armenia) 0-0-1
1986 Cuban border incursion (Cuba) 1-0-0
Slovenian War (Yugoslavia) 0-0-0
Croatian War (Yugoslavia) 1-0-7
Croatian War (Croatia) 0-0-1
Bosnia (Serbia) 0-0-0
Kosovo (Serbia) 1-0-0
Balloon shootdown (Belarus) 1-0-0
1966 US-China border violation 1-0-0
1963 US Czech border violation 1-0-0
Korean DMZ (North Korea) 1-0-0
Sa’dah Insurgency (Yemen) 0-0-1
MiG-23 25-102-[too little information for an accurate count of losses to ground fire]
Syrian border clashes 1974-1981 (Syria) 3-2-0
Lebanon War 1982 (Syria) 1-30-
Israeli UAV shootdown 2002 (Syria) 1-0-0
Iran-Iraq War (Iraq) 16-56
Gulf War (Iraq) 0-8-0
NFZs (Iraq) 0-1-0
Gulf of Sidra 1989 (Libya) 0-2-0
Egypt-Libya Border War (Libya) 0-2
Soviet-Afghan War (USSR) 0-3
Iran-Afghan border violations (USSR) 4-0-0
Ethiopian-Eritrean War (Ethiopia) 0-1
Angola Bush War (Cuba) 0-0-0
MiG-25 8-8-1
War of Attrition 0-0-0
Yom Kippur War 0-0-0
Syrian border clashes 1974-1981 (Syria) 0-2-0
Iran-Iraq War (Iraq) 5-1-0
Syrian-Iraqi border violation (1986) (Iraq) 1-0-0
Soviet-Iranian border violations (1986-87) (USSR) 0-2-0
Gulf War (Iraq) 1-2-0
NFZs (Iraq) 1-1-0
Nagorno-Karabakh War (Azerbaijan) 0-0-1
https://youtu.be/npSvKmXslpg
Did you know that MiGFlug once offered Edge of Space flights in the MiG-25 Foxbat?
MiG-29 6-18-1
Lebanon War 1982-2000 (Syria) 0-2-0
Gulf War (Iraq) 0-5-0
Transnistria War (Moldova, Russia) 0-0-0
Brothers in Rescue incident (Cuba) 2-0-0
Slovenian War (Yugoslavia) 0-0-0
Croatian War (Yugoslavia) 0-0-0
Bosnia (Serbia) 0-0-0
Kosovo (Serbia) 0-6-0
Kargil War (India) 0-0-0
Ethiopian-Eritrean War (Eritrea) 3-5-0
Georgian border violation 2008 (Russia) 1-0-0
Darfur War (Sudan) 0-0-1
Su-27 6-0-2
Abkhazia War (Russia) 0-0-1
First Chechen War (Russia) 1-0-0
South Ossetia War (Russia) 0-0-0
Ethiopian-Eritrean War (Ethiopia) 5-0-0
Somali Civil War (Ethiopia) 0-0-0
Angolan Civil War (Angola) 0-0-1
F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger 25-23-30
Vietnam War (USA) 0-0-1
Vietnam War (South Vietnam) ?-?-?
Vietnamese-Cambodia War (Vietnam) ?-?-?
Ogaden War (Ethiopia) 7-0-2
Yom Kippur War (Morocco) 0-0-0
Iran-Iraq War (Iran) 18-23-12
Western Saharan War (Morocco) 0-0-14
Yemen Border Clashes 1979 (Taiwan) ?-?-?
Gulf War (Saudi Arabia) 0-0-1
Fighters that have yet to see combat: F-22 Raptor, Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Ching-Kuo, J-10, Saeqeh, Azarakhsh, MiG-31, Su-30, Su-33, Su-35.
Observations:
1) US multi-role fighters seem to be primarily used in the strike role. They barely break even between kills and losses on the air-combat scorecard.
2) The F-15 Eagle is completely dominant as a fighter, 1) because it’s a really good aircraft, and 2) because it’s so expensive it can only be used by nations with enough money to invest in the training and maintenance it takes to make really good air forces.
3) Looking at the losses of the F-4 to ground fire, one can see how big of a threat SAMs were in the 1960s and 1970s. Compare this to more modern fighters and one can see how aircraft design has outpaced SAM systems.
4) The poor performance of the Mirage F.1 is somewhat surprising.
5) The ridiculously high kill ratio of the F-14 in Iranian service is also surprising. The common canard is that training trumps technology, but an air force with great technology but beset by political purges and struggling with maintenance problems and embargoes can still have a turkey shoot against an air force with both poor training and poor technology.
6) Su-27 is the only Russian fighter to have a positive kill ratio in combat, but as we all know this is likely due to “monkey model” export fighters, as well as the poor training standards of Arab air forces.
7) The unbeaten (aircraft that have engaged in significant air combat but never been shot down in air-to-air combat): F-15 Eagle, Sea Harrier, Su-27.
Additional readings –
- The MiG 15 Fagot
- What exactly is a fighter jock
- Pilot’s temptation of showing off
- Strangest and Weirdest – Aircraft edition
Author – Jake Meilak
Great list, well done!
Some remarks for Turkey:
Turkish F-16’s did not score an air-to-air kill in Aegean clashes. I don’t know if you counted the mid-air collision with a Greek F-16 in 2006.
On the other hand, Turkish F-16’s shot down a Syrian Mi-17 in 2013 and a MiG-23BN in 2014.
A Turkish RF-4E recce jet was shot down by Syrian air defence in 2012.
Regards,
Arda
Thank you for taking my comment. Educated guess that, all in all ,just sum it up ,you have to be at least it known,you know to say conservatively one called total of the kill ratio is 100 to 1. I have to say to Mr. Putin ,into what it is rather arbitrarily pursuit of nothingness,what it will be guns or butter ???
You forgot to add the one air air kill by the U.S. Super Hornet over Syria in 2017. I believe it shot down a Su-25.
PAf Shot down 120 IAF aircrafts in 1965 and 45 in 1971, 1 in Kargil War and least but not Last 2(Mig 21 & SU30) in recently on 28th Feb,2019.
So Pakistani agenda is full of lies as always. 65 IAF fighter jets were shot down in 1965 many of which were ground attacked. IAF demolished 50% of Pakistani airforce in 1971 and made them surrender with 93000 soldiers! What a shame ?? The dogfight on 27.2.2019 saw the shooting down of 1Mig 21 and as the radio electronic signature from Awacs proves 1F16 for certainty. But Su30mki???? ludicrous!
As usual Indian & Pakistanis fighting over country lines. There’s only one confirmed kill, that of Indian Mig 21. Period. That’s it, move on.
So a Paki with an fake alias pretending to be “Neutral” caught making false claims again? Pakistan admitted shooting two planes Major General Gafoor , PM Imran Khan did a press conference admitting to shoot two planes, Pakistani Media published videos of two planes being shot and 3 parachutes bailing out. 1 was definitely the Abhinandan flown MiG-21 which was the other one? Did Pakistan shoot one of their own? Or the F-16 it is still under denial of losing?
Hey there, thanks for sharing, it’s missing two of the most famous killers in numbers still in use: mirage III and mig 19. Would be moving the charts
Has F-22 raptor not takem part in Libya civil war by Nato?
IAF shot down 80 PAF jets in 1965 and 94 in 1971, Su30mki in 27 Feb?, you are unable to give a single proof about 2nd pilot..
Yeah Bari, keep shooting aircraft and become a dummy in hands of your own army. The inner zeal to expand and impose religion will take you no where.
how many were shot down by IAF u fool. don’t talk about 1971 know entire PAF was paralyzed from attack of IAF on airstrips.
Observation #3: Evolved tactics were as much or more significant than design evolutions in lowering the losses to ground fire. Precision guided weapons allowed for more standoff delivery. No flying in the AAA zone and flying high gives the airplane a better chance of seeing and defeating a SAM.
Looking the list closely, the Turkish F-16 A-A kill refers to the crash of a Mirage F-1 as a result of unsuccessful dive recovery during dogfight with Turkish F-16s back in 1992. Moreover the A-A kills (1 direct IR hit + 1 fuel kill) of Greek F-5s against Turkish F-102s on 22 July 1974 are also omitted!
in 1996 a Greek Mirage shot down a Turkish F16.
Why is the F-22A not on the list?
(Edit to my previous post)
My bad, I saw you counted the Mirage F1 incident, which can be sorted as air-to-air kill (maneuver)
What’s about Russian su-24 shoot down by Turkish F-16 in 2015?You should update it,so that we get clear information.
Turkish F-16 also shoot down 1 su-24 & 1 L-39 in recent past.You should add it after getting confirmation.
The list ist about aerial victories not about the shot down of unarmed planes. If you count the Su-24 as a kill you had to count every civil aircraft which was shot down by interceptors as an “aerial victory”. Obviously ridiculous.
Sea Harrier 21-0-3
Falklands War (UK) 21-0-2
None kill in Malvinas war was in a dog fight.
Argentine planes only carried bombs for ships. None of those shot down had missiles-
The Su-24 was a combat aircraft on a combat sortie over a war zone. It was a valid target. Stop the propaganda…
Su-24 has guns and R-60Ms for self-defense doesn’t it?
Nothing on the Harrier? They dominated the Falklands War with 23 kills and you don’t even have them listed? How pathetic…
If I remember correctly, a Mirage F.1 got a maneuver kill on a F 16 during the Aegean Clashes
I organized the data in a spreadsheet; then, we can improve the analysis. Have fun!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/xiqs2077j4bp2ml/Modern_Figthers_Combat_Statistic.xlsx?dl=0
Thanks Pedro!
Rafale got a kill in Libya so update your list.
Wasn’t that a G2 Galeb that was destroyed on the runway? That would not count as an air – to – air kill.
No you dont list shooting down 2 unarmed civilian light aircraft by MiG-29s as kills you dimwit No wonder your page gets so much heat for stupidity. SMH
I have made it better.
https://github.com/ingrahammark7/test/blob/master/tools/Misc/fighter.xlsx
I created mindmapping visual of Your stats.
there is link here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152726702176945&set=a.118642611944.102579.525866944&type=1&theater
greetings from Poland
Wojtek
Nice read ! I worked on the C&D model F-15
Hi there, great research, however I have 2 minor observations
1) it’s Cenepa instead of Cenapa
2) I miss the IAI kfir, no longer in service with IAF, but still flying in South America
Btw, just discovered ur page and having a good time reading it
Fly safe!
Your list has one MAJOR flaw :
Where are the Mirage III/V, just in Israeli service, they have close to 400 air to air kills
I was wondering that myself Bo Hermansen. These numbers and aircraft are definitely missing those figure.
Some observations on your observations:
1) The F-16 is a multi-role fighter. The US and Israel both use it more in the attack role than in air defense, particularly when F-15s are available for the latter role. With respect to the F-15E and F/A-18, you’re drawing a conclusion based on a total of four shoot-down events. That sample is far too small for a meaningful conclusion. You could also interpret it as a 75% success rate. Much lower than other modern US aircraft but much higher than everything else except the Harrier and Su-27.
2) Good call. One other aspect of that is effective radar surveillance support, both AWACS and ground-based. If you know where the bad guys are and engage before they even know of your presence, you’ve already won. If F-15s are ever upgraded with LPI (Low Probability of Intercept) radar, like that of the F-22, the first clue an adversary will have of a nearby a F-15 is when his aircraft explodes from an IR missile impact. In exercises, the F-22 can often achieve this advantage against fully upgraded F-15s and F-16s. LPI is a bigger game-changer than stealth.
3) It’s not the aircraft; it’s the radar warning gear, jamming gear, and anti-radar missiles that make it suck to be a SAM operator today. The USAF used to rely on dedicated aircraft for these functions (F-100F, F-105G, EF-4C, and F-4G) but now all the front-line aircraft carry the necessary electronics. The F/A-18G is the only remaining dedicated US SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense) aircraft.
4) Cf. your item 2) 2) Above. Additionally, there is great variety in quality of the avionics suites in French export aircraft. Crap avionics + crap pilots = crap results.
5) Again, avionics. The AWG-9 radar is still a marvel of technology, over 40 years after its introduction. The Iranians often used them as high-value mini-AWACS to draw Iraqi fighters out of their safe zones, only to pounce them with F-4s and F-5s. This preserved the F-14s and their precious AIM-54 missiles. The British copied this formula with the Tornado ADV even down to copying the mini-AWACS idea substituting swarms of BAe Hawks for the F-5s. There was never any opportunity to put the ADV to any real test, though. You can pull the Tornado ADV from your list, now, too. They were all retired by 2011.
6) You are absolutely correct. There is no way to overcome poor training. Situational awareness is the cornerstone of all success in air combat. There is some degree of natural talent here but training, discipline, good avionics, and AWACS support can increase the effect of that talent exponentially.
Great work compiling all the statistics!
Here is a compilation of claims by IAF pilots flying all types, all the way from 1948 to 2001.
Your stats on Angola for the MiG-23 are inaccurate with regard to ground losses. UNITA rebels shot down several with Stinger missiles, SADF 155 mm artillery destroyed one or more on a forward operating base, and one more was shot down by SADF 20 mm AAA during the raid on Caleque Dam
What about the Mirage III, Argentina still have some operationals (like F-21) and Ecuador have twelve or eleven former Venezuelans Mirage 50 (Mirage III modernized with Mirage 2000 avionics and canards), it’s role in the differents Israeli and Indo-Pakistani war’s count a lot.
What kind of BS list is this?! You’ve accepted every Western aircraft claim as confirmed when there is no supporting evidence! The f15 and f14 stats in particular are ridiculous! F15s have been shot down in air to air combat on a number of occasions. You can’t just automatically believe this shit!
Where is your evidence?
When? When have F15’s been shot down?
When was an F-15 shot down air to air? Please be specific. The truth is, those who use Russian planes are poorly trained and the aircraft are second rate versions of good aircraft with little of no RADAR support.
Can you provide info that backs that?
Umm James Anderson so ok it’s probably not true that f 15’s have a perfect record ( like when they say “mechanical failure” but really it is enemy fire) but it’s pretty dang close. I’m not aware of any confirmed air-to-air losses.
No evidence of F-15 shot down in air=air combat, which is why it’s believable. How many a plane shoots is harder than shot down, as if they’re shot down, they’re on the ground. Where’s the wreckage Jimmy?
I certainly wouldn’t buy Iran’s claims of their totals with the F-14, but the level of dominance is believable. Why is it so hard to believe Ferrari’s win Le Mans more than Yugo?
Due to Syrian sources in October 1983 not less than three Israeli F-15s were shot down by Syrian MiG-23MLs. They also claim to shot down several F-16s. Here ist the source:
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-23
However, I really doubt it. Aerial combat records are full of unconfirmed claims, especially in middle eastern wars. I think it’s just a false rumour.
Come back when you grow ip and can face facts. The F-15 has had zero losses in air combat. No more propaganda. MiG-23s are the worst fighter on the planet. Especially the export version.
The guy who gave you the BS record for the F15 also gave you the BS record for the F14. His name is Tom Cooper and he is a proven LIAR. If you don’t believe one then why should you believe the other?
Janes there is no claim for any F-15 being shot down in air to air combat. Also all Western jills are recorded via hud camera and backed up with radar data. You need to get a life.
During the Afghan-Soviet War, Pakistan lost an F-16 during a friendly fire incident. There are differing reports from Afghan air force claiming they shot it down.
http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/1205
Regardless, this is excellent work! Thank you for sharing!
It was shot down by a Soviet pilot flying a Mig 23. It was hushed up as Pakistan and Soviet Union were not at war. This was even reported in the New York Times.
NY Times is hardly a valid reference for anything. SMH
“That which can be claimed without evidence can be dismissed without evidence” – Christopher Hitchens
Hi:
Many of data are inaccurate and questionable and need update. For example Saudi F-15 losses in yemen war and also UAE F-16 losses in yemen war.
Also the sauid -iran F-15 1984 data is incorrect. Saudis lost around a dozen F-15s but the report in western media was filtered. Also saudi arabia lost half a dozen F-15 a few years ago when they crashed over the persian gulf.
Crashes are not combat losses unless due to groundfire or air to air.you have to read details
I was in Al Khobar SA 82-85 and remember day it happened in 84 being told by MD aircraft maintenance tech that SA F15 got 2 kills, not 1. Can’t confirm with own eyes on, but trust the source.
Sorry, but I need to challenge one of your stats: the claim by Iran to have shot down over 130 Iraqi aircraft. ALL reported kills are from the Tom Cooper Book ; From Air Space magazine: “Information about the Iran-Iraq air war is difficult to come by. It is impossible to tabulate, for example, how many air-to-air victories were scored by Iranian F-14s because air force records were repeatedly tampered with during and after the war for political, religious, or even personal reasons” As for Tom Cooper from ACIG.org, in the book mentioned in the first post he listed ALL Iranian CLAIMS to date for what they are – claims, he didn’t pretend they were all confirmed victories. We only know for sure the 5 kills by US pilots.
Perhaps exact numbers for Iranian F-14 air kills will never be known. Considering Iraqi Fighter Pilots avoided them like the plague during desert storm (Preferring to be eaten by F-15Cs instead) strongly suggest that Iranian F-14s did indeed dominate Iraqi fighters in air. It’s Speed, Range, Armament: AIM-54, Radar, IRST, and dedicated RIO / second set of eyes made it a beast in its day: many USN brass still bemoaning it’s retirement and replacement by “Rhino” F-18E/F …
Tom Cooper is a proven LIAR. He produces ZERO evidence for any of this publications. He just believes whatever he wants. If a Syrian claims a victory against an F15 then that is just a claim. If an Israeli claims a victory against a Syrian Mig then it is a confirmed kill in his eyes. LOL! What an asshat
The IAF lost only 25 aircrafts since 1948.
claiming israel lost 28 f-4 in yom cippur war is completlly absured.
*lost onlly 25 aircraft in air to air combat
you are really funny
during yom cuppujr war israel lost 102–387 aircraft
102 is about right, but not in air-to-air, mostly to AAA
During Iran-Iraq war MiG-25 shot down 19 Iranian, 1 Algerian and 1 Israeli aircraft for only 1 MiG-25PD lost in air combat 1986
To Liran, after 1948 Israel lost no less 150 aircraft in air combat. Egypt published dozens of guncameras in Yom Kippur war alone. During Iran-Iraq war MiG-23 shot down no less 25 Iranian aircraft for loss only 4 MiG-23MF, 3 MiG-23ML and 2 MiG-23MS
at least one paki f-16 was shot down but was written off as “friendly fire”, dunno about 10 kills too albeit they scored some hitting fighter-bombers without a cover
I like this mindmap by Wojtek. Thank you!
1) it’s political talk(claims)
2) most air forces with western aircrafts had good ground and awac support
3) you already know how the west has always been aggressive, most of these eastern aircraft buyers didn’t have time enough to prepare and/or have support of their aircraft makers since the USSR/Russia will always be enmitized by the numerous western stooges in the UN. eg. Ukraine
4) Many in western aircraft fought in pro-Western corridors where they could afford to accomplish their mission in low fuel and still divert elsewhere and land. After all after the war those aircraft will be returned diplomatically. Eg. A typical example has been the fate of the US in Korea and Vietnam an away match for them where their opponents had at least half the abilities of US GCI/AEW support and also an unrestricted(embargoed) supply route from friendly neighbours.
5) It’s simple we are westerners and our self righteous governments must tell us what we should hear “lest we all looseth faith” in them.
Very well made list! Came here looking for Isreali Mirage III kill ratios and they seem to be absent. Also, since the list was made the F-22 Raptor has seen some combat, albeit limited (CAP & strike)
yeb 1982 needed to addressed all the time with false propaganda as 100-0 86-0 some time 86-1 what ever you like but no one believes that at all
The radio has brought all the time the magic word (orphan ) 14 times on the air which was the cod for the ejected pilot in iAF so why they have make them selves chasing lost pilot for the sake of nothing all of that was recorded by UN communication observation unit also.
How ever few photos can tell also
https://youtu.be/b9ktQU_wA0A
Missed the A-10, two helos in Gulf War.
regarding mig 29, 2 were shot down in Bosnia in 1999 during Nato Serbia conflict, and more one or two inSerbia. In Serbia Iljo Arizanov, in Bosnia Slobodan Peric , Slobodan Radosavljevic, its on Serbian language https://youtu.be/IZKMP8gnMCA
no such thing as awesome or interesx or dominax or not
Please update to include the most recent air-to-air combat between India and Pakistan wherein an Indian MiG-21 was shot down by a PAK JF-17 Thunder.
also include that a f-16 was shot down by indian mig 21.
Do you have any evidence indian shot down an F-16? Butt Pakistan has proof we short down Indian 2 fighter jet in Feb-2019
update JF-17 log plz
shot down 2 indian jets 2-0-0
No the indian lost 1 Mig21 shot down by a F16.
f 16 was also shot down by mig 21. It’s possible in WVR combat. Depends on pilot not the machine.
indian mig also shot down an f 16. It’s possible in WVR combat. Depends on pilot not the machine.
Get a life, talk about your SU 30 shot down by PAF on 27 Feb 2019. IAF place an order for 12 more SU 30 jets to make up for the losses whereas your official record shows that 11 SU 30s destroyed in crashes, where is the 12th? That was shot down on 27 Feb.
IAF pilot of Mig 21 was so much capable that he shoot down Pak F16 on 27-Feb-2019 without launching the missile. And Lockheed Martin who counted F-16 sold to Pakistan is lying that Pakistan had lost not F-16 that dog fight. Looks very strange.
What about the hundreds of aicraft shot down by Uruguayan stealth fighers using various advanced crawftsmanships and authentic ultra-technologies? Much better the Brazalo/Brazalic air force. Please be objective.
Uruguayan Stealth fighters? What?
The list is very impressive, this is the first time I have seen something like it. I was disappointed, same as others, by not finding the Mirage 3 / Nesher / Kfir in the list, since some are still in service.
I would also like to suggest that you improve the list by listing all jet combat wins. This will include Korea and the 1956 middle east war.
thanks for the effort
Great poster!
On the F-5 kills you will need to add 2xF-5A kills credited to the Hellenic Air Force shooting down one Turkish Air Force F-102A with an AIM-9 missile on July 22nd 1974 over the Aegean Sea while the 2nd Turkish F-102A crashed due to fuel starvation when his pilot trying to evade the Greek F-5’s turned towards mainland Greece and when he realized it (using Full AB) he turned towards Turkey and crash landed on a road. Turkish aircraft lost were F-102A’s 54-1403 and 55-3413.
In the Angolan conflict 1 Mirage F1CZ no206 recieved damage from a Mig23 firing a missile head on. This F1 made it back to base but overran the runway do to damage on 27Sept88. Half that plane was used to repair another non combat damaged F1AZ. Another F1AZ, no245, was lost, with Pilot, Naj. Ed Every, to a SA13 SAM on 20Feb88. F1AZ no223 was lost with pilot during extreme low level exit of Angolan airspace on the night of 19Mar88. Compressor stall is suspended after wreckage was investigated.
You need to add the air to air kill by the F-18E against the Russian Su-22 in Syria. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/06/18/us-navy-fa18e-shoots-down-su22-over-syria.html
No mention of F111’s?
This list is complete and utter fabrication. The US aircraft losses are much greater. After Vietnam the Pentagon stopped accurate counting of aircraft during combat operations. They clean the numbers for congressional accounting audits with accidents state side over a number of years. Multiple F-15s and F-16s were lost in 1991 in air to air combat. The F-15s losses were accounted for with state side accidents over the next few years. F-16 had to claim SAM hits as the losses were too high to hide. This will be how Pakistan accounts for the lost F-16. F-22s had to be recalled from Syria as the stealth was utterly useless against new early warning radars and directed Su-27 type fighters. You will soon see the F-22 retired like the F-117 after it was shot down. Stealth is dead and is being replaced by electronic warfare. This is the only reason the F-35 still will be produced. The AESA and electronic warfare suite in the F-35 is what makes it survivable not the stealth.
Really now? you wouldn’t just happen to have an American inferiority complex and totally talking out of your backside here, right? So, the US Congress which can demand accurate records of weapon systems and accountability at anytime is just sitting there, for decades, having the wool pulled over their eyes because of what information exactly? The F-22 will be retired in about 35 years with a probable near spotless record. Stealth is far from dead and many nations are still trying to create their own. One F-117 was shot down (which was never really much of a plane to begin with) due to the pilot leaving his munitions door open and showing a signature. The hundreds and hundreds, and even thousands of Stealth sorties before and after that have resulted in not a scratch. Please show your facts on the F-15 hit to air losses you speak of.
Dears,
do you have a MiG-17 list?
I know Wikipedia has the list of Aerial Victories of MiG-17, but I would also like to know which aircraft shoot the Fresco down.
ALL of the US military weapons are outdated and were the main causes of this and most of our economic problems here like the housing crash and virus etc like Russia our economy will collapse. The US’s has one of the LOWEST standards of living of 1st world countries like Japan or Germany. We are the ONLY so called 1st world country WITHOUT universal health care. Fun Fact look at the neighborhood just outside ANY major US airport like LAX and compare it with say Narita in Japan then you will understand my point also Japan has less than 10k homeless in the entire country and the majority of them are foreigners or some who chose to homeless. Compare it with the US…
Sorry we lose in nearly everything nowadays compared with North Asia or Europe. The US lives on these foreign bases. Its why Trump is raising the costs to these countries like Germany and Japan (which btw most are in Okinawa which is only run by Jpn but like most ignorant yanks Okinawans are NOT Japanese its like Guam is to the US) wants all the US bases gone no one wants to support the US anymore lets face it people our warmongering and monopolizing days are over
So you make this long winded, emotional anti American statement here where they clearly show American superiority for what reason exactly? Did some American steal your girlfriend? We have probably given you more technology and know how then you could ever have made on your own. We make, others take, thats how it goes and some people (like yourself) just can’t stand to see that. The world is full of resentful people like yourself. The US should own Okinawa, as it did free them and lost 40k Marines to do so. They should consider themselves lucky to still have a culture, which they took away from Germany. No one wants to support the US anymore? Really now, thats why they beg for our Treasury like kids wanting the latest fashions for school. That Paris accord will give those (not wanting American influence people) a cool 1 trillion dollars to squander. Hell, the US people sent Haiti 2 billion of their own money. What did the rest of the world send? You bought into the propaganda hook, line, and sinker and deep down probable wish you were a tall, intelligent American coming out with latest and greatest stuff all the time. Pretty please tell me of these “outdated” weapons? Is it the New Ford class Aircraft carriers? The state of the art fighter jets? All the new ships, weapon systems, missiles, satellites, even the new Jeeps are top of the line. Which systems are outdated kid?
Who cares about all of that trash ? This is a list about air to air combat records.
Not a mention for that Pakistan Viper being shot down by an indian Bison, in February ’19. Hay?
Not a mention for that Pakistan Viper being shot down by an indian Bison, in February ’19. Hay?
That claim is dubious at best, deceptive at worst. Fuselage parts of MiG-21 wreckage were being shown as parts of an F-16 engine.
Would be interesting to add the Mirage III E and C
where is mig 29?
Hi. It’s tough to put an accurate list together due to varying claims, but you’re doing a good job. One suggested correction – several MiG-23 were lost to SAM and AAA in Angola. UNITA used Stinger missiles effectively to down several, a taxiing 23 was hit and destroyed by directed artillery strikes at Cuito airbase, and another 23 was shot down by AAA near the Caleque Dam.
Amazing record for israeli air force for all years, one of the best life experience, the pilot of the pilot Top Gun
Most effective supersonic fighters weren’t the F-15 series; it was the Mirage III series.
The Mirage III itself shot-down 48 aircraft in the Six Day War, and another 106 during the Yom Kippur War, while the Nesher derivative achieved a startling 140 kills during the same war. That doesn’t even include the Mirage III family’s air-to-air victories in other conflicts, such as the War of Attrition in 1969-72 and the Falklands War, and during border incidents.
That’s nearly triple the number of kills the F-15 has, and almost all of them were scored in a 6 -year timespan, between 1967 and 1973.
Would be good to add the Mirage III it had important use during wars
F-15K…
Jim, you should include Panavia Tornado, at least one was shot down by ground fire. The KSA lost one on 14 Feb. 2020 by Houthi Air Defense’s. Here is the link.
https://theaviationist.com/2020/02/15/ir-video-shows-the-moment-a-saudi-tornado-attack-jet-was-shot-down-by-houthi-rebels-over-yemen/
What’s shocking to me is the F-22 lack of combat experience. It’s like a Hollywood prop
Hi, I have the IAI Kfir at 1-0 and it’s still in use by several air forces.
Regarding the F-15, air combat is like formula 1 with no rules. Best plane & best pilot wins. Don’t complain about money, it is what it is. Even third world conflicts wind up with MiGs & US hardware in combat. Both the F-15 & F-14 racked up huge, one sided kill ratios because they both had the best equipment and the pilots with the most flying time per year to practice. In the F-14 example, in Iranian service the pilots trainers were American trained before 1979, but the Hughes AN/AWG-9 was so much better than any Soviet hardware at the time (scan & track), it dominated the skies over Iraq and obliterated nearly every MiG that dared take off.
F-22 has to be updated to 3-0-0 now.
You omitted the USAF A-10A with two confirmed air to air victories during the Gulf War.
Several problems with the list.
1. no idea how you got so many soviet losses. Fishbed was used sparingly in Vietnam. for mig 23 you’re combining the mig 27 which is a bomber. It’s like counting the A7 as a crusader.
2. obviously ukraine war changes the numbers a lot.
3. the air force overclaimed in the gulf war. Sayhood let them win. the actual fulcrum losses in the gulf war were one or two.
4. you’re including all the soviet versions together but not the Americans. for example the foxbat losses were recon planes then you exclude the f4g etc.
5. it’s not mathematically possible for syria to lose 82 aircraft at bekaa. they had 100 migs 21 initially and lost most of them in 1973.
6. how did pakistan kill 10 planes with f16s?
7. turkey lost in 1996 and you record it as a kill. they fought several mock dogfights the Mirage won then one real one.
8. the “soviet border clash” f16 kill is an f 16 killing another f16.
9. the 1992 air engagement over Bosnia never happened and there is no information on it. also package q ran away before being slaughtered.
10. you count every time america kills a drone as a air to air dogfight while Iraq kills cruise missiles and you ignore it.
11. you count the agean 1996 as a zero loss kill for both sides
12. you (correctly) admit israel hid losses in 73 but ignore the nesher got all the kills and the phantom was nil
13. you conveniently drop American aircraft with deplorable kill ratios (a4, f8, f105) while including every obsolete soviet recon bomber plane