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NATIONAL FORCES · COMPARISON
Iran vs Saudi Arabia
| Overview | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
Active personnel DefinitionFull-time active military personnel; exclude reserves and paramilitary unless explicitly identified. | 610,000Estimate · people · November 2025 IISS assessmentSingle sourceNational full-time active military personnel; the separately reported reserve, gendarmerie and paramilitary totals are excluded. | 250,000Estimate · people · 2025Single sourceReported full-time active military personnel, including serving conscripts where present; reserve pools are not added. This is an estimated headcount, not an authorised establishment, mobilisation potential or readiness measure. IMPORTANT COVERAGE DIFFERENCE: includes 125,000 Ministry of Defense personnel and 125,000 Saudi Arabian National Guard personnel. This is not a regular Ministry of Defense forces-only total. |
Armed forces personnel DefinitionActive-duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces whose training, organisation, equipment and control allow them to support or replace regular forces. This is not an active-regular-only count. | 650,000people · 2020Single source2020 annual observation. Active-duty military personnel, including qualifying paramilitary forces; not an active-regular-only count. | 282,000people · 2020Single source2020 annual observation. Active-duty military personnel, including qualifying paramilitary forces; not an active-regular-only count. |
Combat aircraft DefinitionIn-service fixed-wing combat aircraft; exclude stored, retired and ordered aircraft. In service does not establish readiness. | 218Estimate · aircraft · 8 Oct 2024Single sourceNational in-service fixed-wing aircraft classified as Combat aircraft by FlightGlobal/Cirium, summing the Active column across all military services listed for the country. Excludes the separately classified trainers, special-mission aircraft, tankers and helicopters, as well as aircraft in storage, undergoing or awaiting upgrades, and orders. This is the directory's active-role inventory estimate, not a measure of combat readiness. | 364Estimate · aircraft · 8 Oct 2024Single sourceNational in-service fixed-wing aircraft classified as Combat aircraft by FlightGlobal/Cirium, summing the Active column across all military services listed for the country. Excludes the separately classified trainers, special-mission aircraft, tankers and helicopters, as well as aircraft in storage, undergoing or awaiting upgrades, and orders. This is the directory's active-role inventory estimate, not a measure of combat readiness. |
Defence spending DefinitionAnnual military expenditure in current US dollars. State fiscal year, coverage and conversion basis in notes. | US$7.89bnUSD · 2024Single source2024 annual observation. Annual military expenditure, current US dollars at the year's exchange rate; not procurement orders. | US$72.5bnEstimate · USD · 2025 IISS defence budget assessmentSingle sourceSource-reported annual official defence budget/appropriation in current US dollars; it is a budget figure, not an assertion of final expenditure or readiness. Explicit 2025 economic-table year column; USD 72.5bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. Source coverage/fiscal-year notes: [a] Military budget only - excludes security budget |
GDP DefinitionAnnual nominal GDP in current US dollars, not purchasing-power parity. | US$376bnEstimate · USD · 2026 IISS nominal GDP forecast (November 2025 assessment)Single sourceAnnual nominal GDP at current market prices, in source-reported current US dollars. Excludes purchasing-power-parity GDP and real GDP growth. Explicit 2026 economic-table year column; USD 376bn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. The explicit 2026 column is forward-looking relative to the November 2025 assessment and is retained as a forecast, not an observed final outturn. | US$1.32tnEstimate · USD · 2026 IISS nominal GDP forecast (November 2025 assessment)Single sourceAnnual nominal GDP at current market prices, in source-reported current US dollars. Excludes purchasing-power-parity GDP and real GDP growth. Explicit 2026 economic-table year column; USD 1.32trn. The table was compiled in the November 2025 IISS assessment; this annual figure is an assessment/estimate and does not assert a final audited outturn. The explicit 2026 column is forward-looking relative to the November 2025 assessment and is retained as a forecast, not an observed final outturn. |
Main battle tanks DefinitionIn-service main battle tanks; exclude storage and orders. | ≥1,513Estimate · vehicles · 2025 edition; census date not statedSingle sourceCombined regular Army and IRGC Ground Forces MBT inventory. Source explicitly includes IRGC holdings and reports a minimum, with some serviceability in doubt. Excludes Scorpion light tanks. | 1,085Estimate · vehicles · 2025 edition; census date not statedSingle sourceSaudi national MBT inventory comprising AMX-30, M1A2S and M60A3. Excludes wheeled National Guard vehicles and future procurement. |
Major surface combatants DefinitionCommissioned cruisers, destroyers and frigates. Exclude patrol craft and support vessels. | 8Estimate · vessels · 30 Jan 2025Single sourceCommissioned cruisers, destroyers and frigates in the national fleet; excludes aircraft carriers, corvettes, patrol, amphibious and support vessels. Fleet count, not immediately deployable strength. | 7Estimate · vessels · 1 Feb 2025Single sourceCommissioned cruisers, destroyers and frigates in the national fleet; excludes aircraft carriers, corvettes, patrol, amphibious and support vessels. Fleet count, not immediately deployable strength. |
Population DefinitionTotal resident population; retain the source's reference year. | 92,417,681people · 2025Single source2025 annual observation. Midyear resident population estimate. | 36,973,555people · 2025Single source2025 annual observation. Midyear resident population estimate. |
Reserve personnel DefinitionReported reserve personnel, with mobilisation and training definitions stated in notes. | 350,000Estimate · people · November 2025 IISS assessmentSingle sourceNational military reserve pool; excludes the separately reported active and paramilitary personnel. Training/mobilisation definitions remain source-specific. | 0Estimate · people · January 2026 assessmentSingle sourceSaudi Arabia's reported organized military reserve component in the January 2026 assessment. Excludes separately reported active personnel and paramilitary forces; zero does not mean that no civilians or former servicemembers could ever be mobilized. |
Submarines DefinitionCommissioned submarines; exclude vessels on order and decommissioned vessels. | 25Estimate · vessels · 30 Jan 2025Single sourceCommissioned military submarines in the national fleet; excludes orders, construction and uncommissioned trial boats. Fleet count, not immediately deployable strength. | 0Estimate · vessels · 1 Feb 2025Single sourceCommissioned military submarines in the national fleet; excludes orders, construction and uncommissioned trial boats. Fleet count, not immediately deployable strength. |
Transport aircraft DefinitionIn-service dedicated fixed-wing military transport aircraft; exclude trainers and orders. | 87Estimate · aircraft · 8 Oct 2024Single sourceNational in-service fixed-wing military transport aircraft classified as Transport by FlightGlobal/Cirium, summing the Active column across all military services listed for the country. Includes strategic, tactical and light liaison/utility transport aircraft; excludes the separately classified trainers, special-mission aircraft, tankers and helicopters, as well as aircraft in storage, undergoing or awaiting upgrades, and orders. This is the directory's active-role inventory estimate, not a measure of immediate availability. | 49Estimate · aircraft · 8 Oct 2024Single sourceNational in-service fixed-wing military transport aircraft classified as Transport by FlightGlobal/Cirium, summing the Active column across all military services listed for the country. Includes strategic, tactical and light liaison/utility transport aircraft; excludes the separately classified trainers, special-mission aircraft, tankers and helicopters, as well as aircraft in storage, undergoing or awaiting upgrades, and orders. This is the directory's active-role inventory estimate, not a measure of immediate availability. |
Nuclear warheads DefinitionWarheads in the military stockpile, deployed or in reserve; exclude retired warheads awaiting dismantlement. Independent estimates, labelled as such. | —Not yet documented | —Not yet documented |
EQUIPMENT & WEAPONS
Equipment listed in inventory and operator sources, grouped by force and category. Sourced quantities retain their date, variant coverage and inventory status. Equipment without a documented count is listed by type.
574 matching equipment types
| Equipment | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||
| Boeing F-15EX Eagle II | — | In service |
| Chengdu J-7 | 18Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2025Wikipedia | — |
| Dassault Mirage F1 | 10Air Force · 2025 17Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2025Wikipedia | — |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | — | 71Air Force · 2025 71Royal Saudi Air Force · 2025 72Royal Saudi Air Force · 2025Wikipedia |
| F-15 Eagle | — | 68Air Force · 2025 |
| F-35 Lightning II | — | In service |
| Grumman F-14 Tomcat | 7Air Force · 2025 40Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2026Wikipedia | — |
| Hawker Hunter | — | In service |
| HESA Azarakhsh | ≤6Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2025 | — |
| HESA Saeqeh | 6Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2026Wikipedia | — |
| McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle | — | 83Air Force · 2025 |
| McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II | 63Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force · 2025Wikipedia | — |
| Equipment | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Tanks | ||
| Al-Khalid tank | — | In service |
| AMX-30 | — | 1402025 |
| Chonma-ho | In service | — |
| FV101 Scorpion | 80Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia 80Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia | — |
| Karrar (tank) | In service | — |
| Leclerc | — | In service |
| M1 Abrams | — | 5752025 |
| M48 Patton | In service | In service |
| M60 tank | 150Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia 150Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia 150Army · 2025 | 3702025 |
| Mobarez (tank) | 100Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia 100Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia | — |
| Stingray light tank | — | In service |
| T-62 | ≥75Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia ≥75Iranian Army · 2026Wikipedia ≥75Army · 2025 | — |
| Equipment | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Air defence | ||
| AK-630 | In service | — |
| AN/TWQ-1 Avenger | — | 400Air Defence Forces · 2025 |
| Crotale (missile) | — | 40Air Defence Forces · 2025 |
| DARDO | — | In service |
| Herz-9 | In service | — |
| HN-5 | In service | — |
| HQ-7 | 250Air Defence Force · 2025 | — |
| M163 VADS | — | 90Air Defence Forces · 2025 |
| M167 VADS | — | 30National Guard · 2025 |
| Mersad | In service | — |
| Mesbah 1 | In service | — |
| MIM-23 Hawk | — | 128Air Defence Forces · 2025 |
| Equipment | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Small arms | ||
| Accuracy International Arctic Warfare | — | In service |
| Accuracy International AWM | — | In service |
| AGS-17 | In service | — |
| AGS-30 | — | In service |
| AK-103 | In service | In service |
| AK-47 | In service | — |
| AK-63 | In service | — |
| AKM | In service | — |
| Arash anti-materiel rifle | In service | — |
| Barrett M82 | — | In service |
| Beretta M12 | In service | In service |
| Beretta M1951 | In service | — |
| Equipment | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|---|
| Radar & sensors | ||
| AN/FPS-117 | — | In service |
| Nebo-SVU | In service | — |
| P-12 radar | In service | — |
| Communications & electronic warfare | ||
| Krasukha | In service | — |
| Mark 36 SRBOC | — | In service |
Coverage is incomplete. “Not documented” means no linked inventory evidence, not zero equipment. Methodology ↗
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 cited source period | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 1 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 10 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 107 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | approved |
| November 2025 IISS assessment | 100 units | International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) | superseded |
| 2026 cited source period | 107 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 7 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | ≥8 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 12 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 12 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 17 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 21 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 15 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 27 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 12 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | ≥1 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 12 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 823 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 3 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | ≥42 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | ≥4,500 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 40 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 3–6 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 2,813 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 29 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 621 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 1 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 61 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 59 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 12 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| Source snapshot 2026-10-02 · inventory date unstated | 13 units | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
No shared land boundary is represented in the Natural Earth dataset. Approximate separation between the dataset’s country label points: 1,400 km.
Generalized geography from Natural Earth 1:110m, version 5.1.1. Label-point distance is calculated on a sphere and rounded to the nearest 100 km; it is not a capital-to-capital distance, route, border distance or operational range. Dataset boundaries do not imply recognition of territorial claims.
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m, v5.1.1 · Public domain · Research catalogue highlighted
Scores out of 100 on the ForceTally Index. Each bar splits in proportion to the two scores. A point at the centre of the chart means no sourced figure for that part.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 cited source period | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 20 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 25 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 55 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 81 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 15 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 14 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 22 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 33 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 17 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 4 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 1 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 9 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 7 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 2 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 6 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 81 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
| 2025 cited source period | 72 units | Wikipedia contributors | approved |