During the Vietnam War, thousands of U.S. aircraft were lost to anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and fighter interceptors (MiG)s. The great majority of U.S. combat losses in all areas of Southeast Asia were to AAA. The Royal Australian Air Force also flew combat and airlift missions in South Vietnam, as did the South Vietnamese Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF). Among fixed-wing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation.

The United States lost 578 Ryan Model 147 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China).Dark Eagles: A History of the Top Secret U.S. Aircraft (1999). Peebles Curtis. Presidio Press. P.39 More than 400 QH-50C/D UAVs were also lost."For ALL QH-50 Programs, operating on 165 U.S. Naval Ships to ARPA Vietnam-Operations, over 50 QH-50s are shot down over Vietnam and 350 are lost Fleet-wide during the entire Vietnam War"/Milestones. Gyrodyne Helicopter Historical Foundation

There were about 11,846 U.S. helicopters that served in the Vietnam War. The U.S. records show 5,607 helicopter losses.

In total, the United States military lost almost 10,000 aircraft (3,744 planes,Assessing the War's Costs. Colonel Donovan. Vietnam Magazine, April 1996 5,607 helicopters and about 1,000 UAVs).

South Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. 877 Republic of Vietnam aircraft were captured at the end of the war in 1975.Toperczer, Istvan. MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War. Osprey 2001, No. 29. pp. 80–81 Of the 2,750 aircraft and helicopters received by South Vietnam, only about 308 survived (240 flew to Thailand or US warshipsAir War Vietnam Plans and Operations 1969–1975. Elizabeth Hartsook, Stuart Slade. 2013. P.463 and 68 returned to the United States).

In total, the US, South Vietnam and Australia lost about 12,800 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs.

North Vietnam lost 150 to 170 aircraft and helicopters.

United States aircraft

United States Air Force All told, the U.S. Air Force flew 5.25 million sorties over South Vietnam, North Vietnam, northern and southern Laos, and Cambodia, losing 2,251 aircraft: 1,737 to hostile action, and 514 in accidents. A total of 2,197 of the losses were fixed-wing, and the remainder rotary-wing. The USAF sustained approximately 0.4 losses per 1,000 sorties during the conflict, which compared favorably with a 2.0 rate in Korea and a 9.7 figure during World War II. Page 103Hobson 2001.

USAF fixed-wing

A-1 Skyraider—191 total, 150 in combat First loss: A-1E 52-132465 (1st Air Commando Squadron [ACS], 34th Tactical Group [TG]) shot down during night training mission on 29 August 1964 near Bien Hoa, SVN (Capt Richard Dean Goss KIA, one RVNAF observer [name unknown] KIA) Final loss: A-1H 52-139738 (1st Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing) which was shot down 28 September 1972 (pilot was rescued by an Air America helicopter) A-7D Corsair II six total, four in combat First loss: 71–0310 (355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 354th TFW) on 2 December 1972 shot down on a CSAR mission in Laos (Capt Anthony Shine KIA) Final loss: 70–0945 (354th TFW) shot down in Cambodia on 25 May 1973 (Capt Jeremiah Costello KIA) A-26 Invader—22 total First loss: B-26B 44-35530 (Detachment 2A, 1st ACG) shot down in IV CTZ on the night of 4–5 November 1962, killing the three crew Final loss: A-26A 64-17646 (609th SOS, 56th SOW) lost over Laos on the night of 7–8 July 1969, killing both crewmen A-37 Dragonfly—22 total First loss: 1967, final loss: 1972

AC-47 Spooky—19 total, 12 in combat First loss: 1965, final loss: 1969 AC-119 Shadow/Stinger—six total, two in combat First loss: AC-119G 52-5907 (Det.1, 17th SOS, 14th SOW) which crashed on take-off from Tan Son Nhut, SVN, on 11 October 1969, killing six of 10 crewmen Final loss: AC-119K 53-7826 (18th SOS, 56th SOW out of Bien Hoa AB), shot down by 37mm flak over An Lộc, SVN, on 2 May 1972, seven survivors of 10 crewmen AC-130 Spectre—six total, all in combat First loss: AC-130A 54-1629 (16th SOS, 8th TFW) hit by 37mm anti-aircraft gun over Laos and crash-landed at Ubon RTAFB, two crewmen died (one died of injuries before reaching Ubon) but 11 others survived Final loss: 1972

B-52 Stratofortress—31 total (17 in combat, two more being scrapped after sustaining battle damage, and 12 crashed in flight accidents) First losses were operational (non-combat) mid-air collision two B-52F 57-0047 and 57-0179 (441st Bomb Squadron, 320th Bomb Wing), 18 June 1965, South China Sea during air refueling orbit, eight of 12 crewmen killed Final loss: B-52D 55-0056 (307th Bomb Wing Provisional) to SAM 4 January 1973, crew rescued from Gulf of Tonkin B-57 Canberra—56 total, 38 in combat First loss: 1964, final loss: 1970 C-5A Galaxy—one total, 0 in combat Crashed while attempting emergency landing at Tan Son Nhut AB 4 April 1975, as part of Operation Babylift. C-7 Caribou—19 total, 9 in combat First loss: C-7B 62-4161 (459th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 483d Tactical Airlift Wing) which was hit by a US 155mm shell on 3 August 1967 in SVN killing the three crewmen. Note: there were two fatal crashes during Operation Red Leaf transition training of USAF crews in Army CV-2's, on 4 and 28 October 1966. Final loss: C-7B 62-12584 (483d TAW) which crashed in SVN on 13 January 1971, all four crewmen survived. C-47 Skytrain—21 total A C-47 was the very first USAF aircraft lost in the SEA conflict, C-47B 44-76330 (315th Air Division) on TDY at Vientiane, Laos which was shot down by the Pathet Lao on 23 March 1961 killing seven of the eight crewmen. The sole survivor, US Army Maj. Lawrence Bailey was captured and held until August 1962. Final loss: EC-47Q 43-48636 (361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, 56th SOW) shot down in Laos on the night of 04/5 4–5 February 1973, killing all eight crewmen. C-123 Provider—53 total, 21 in combat First loss: C-123B 56-4370 attached to the 464th TAW which came down on an Operation Ranch Hand (defoliation) training flight between Bien Hoa and Vung Tau, SVN on 2 February 1962 Final loss: 1971

C-130 Hercules—55 total, 34 in combat First loss: C-130A 57-0475 (817th Troop Carrier Squadron, 6315th Operations Group) on 24 April 1965, a Blind Bat flareship that crashed into high ground near Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, attempting to land in bad weather with a heavy load, two engine failures, and low fuel, killing all six crewmen. This was the 14th recorded loss of a C-130 to all causes. Final loss: C-130E 72-1297 (314th TAW) destroyed by rocket fire at Tan Son Nhut AB on 28 April 1975. C-141 Starlifter—2 total, 0 in combat First loss: C-141A 65-9407 (62d Military Airlift Wing) destroyed in a night runway collision with a USMC A-6 at Danang, SVN on 23 March 1967 killing 5 of the 6 crewmen. Final loss: C-141A 66-0127 (4th Military Airlift Squadron, 62d MAW) crashed soon after take-off from Cam Ranh Bay, SVN on 13 April 1967 killing 6 of the 8-man crew. E/RB-66 Destroyer—14 total First loss: RB-66B 53-0452 (Det 1, 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group) which crashed 22–23 October 1965 west of Pleiku, SVN killing the crew. Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. A total of 3 crewmen were KIA. EC-121 BatCat—2 total, 0 combat First loss: EC-121R 67-24193 (554th Reconnaissance Squadron, 553d RW) crashed 25 April 1969 on take-off in a thunderstorm from Korat RTAFB, killing all 18 crewmen. Final loss: EC-121R 67-21495 (554th RS) crashed on approach to Korat RTAFB on 6 September 1969, 4 of the 16 men were killed. F-4 Phantom II—445 total, 382 in combat First loss: operational (non-combat), F-4C 64-0674 (45TH TFS, 15th TFW) which ran out of fuel after strike in SVN on 9 June 1965; first combat loss F-4C 64-0685 (45th TFS, 15th TFW) shot down Ta Chan, NW NVN on 20 June 1965. A total of 9 of the losses were parked aircraft struck by rockets. Final loss: F-4D 66-8747 (432d TRW) on 29 June 1973. F-5 Freedom Fighter—9 total First loss: 1965, final loss: 1967 F-100 Super Sabre—243 total, 198 in combat First loss: 1964, final loss: 1971 F-102 Delta Dagger—14 total, 7 in combat First loss: 1964, final loss: 1967. A total of 4 of the combat losses were parked aircraft. F-104 Starfighter—14 total, 9 in combat First loss: 56–0937 (476th TFS, 497th TFW) shot down by enemy ground fire during CAS mission near Tri Dao, Vietnam, on 29 June 1965, pilot Capt. R. Cole rescued Final loss: 57-0922 (435th TFS, 8th TFW) operational loss due to engine failure on 14 May 1967 in Thailand, pilot name unknown, survived

F-105D Thunderchief—335 total, 283 in combat First loss: 62–4371 (36th TFS, 6441st TFW) written off from battle damage over Laos 14 August 1964, at Korat, Thailand Final loss: 61–0153 (44th TFS, 355th TFW) shot down Laos 23 September 1970, pilot Capt. J. W. Newhouse rescued F-105F/G Thunderchief—47 total, 37 combat First loss: EF-105F 63-8286 (13th TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by AAA RP-6 July 1966, Maj. Roosevelt Hestle and Capt. Charles Morgan KIA Final loss: F-105G 63-8359 (Det.1 561st TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by SAM 16 November 1972, RP-3, crew rescued F-111A Aardvark—11 total, 6 in combat First loss: mission-related TFR failure, 66-0022 (428th TFS 474th TFW, Project Combat Lancer), 28 March 1968, Maj. H.E. Mccann and Capt. D.L. Graham MIA Final loss: 67–0111 (474th TFW) mid-air collision over Cambodia, 16 June 1973, both crewmen rescued HU-16 Albatross—4 total, 2 in combat First loss: 51–5287 to unknown cause 19 June 1965 51–0058 to unknown cause, 3 July 1965 51-0071 (33d ARRS) shot down by AAA 14 March 1966, two crewmen killed Final loss: 51-7145 (37th ARRS) disappeared 18 October 1966, 7 crewmen KIA-BNR KB-50 Superfortress tanker—1 total, 0 combat Only loss: KB-50J 48-0065 (421st Air Refueling Squadron Detachment) at Takhli RTAFB which crashed in Thailand on 14 October 1964, all 6 crewmen survived KC-135 Stratotanker—3 total, 0 combat Two crashes in 1968, one 1969, all operational (non-combat) O-1 Bird Dog—172 total, 122 in combat First loss: 1963 Final loss: 1972 O-2 Skymaster—104 total, 82 in combat First loss: 1967 Final loss: 1972 OV-10 Bronco—63 total, 47 in combat First loss: 1968 Final loss: 1973 QU-22 Pave Eagle—8 lost, 7 in combat First loss: YQU-22A 68-10531 (554th RS, 553d RW) crashed due to engine failure on 11 June 1969 Final loss: QU-22B 70-1546 (554th RS) on 25 August 1972, pilot killed RF-4C Phantom II—83 total, 76 in combat First loss: 1966 Final loss: 1972

RF-101 Voodoo—39 total, 33 in combat First loss: 1964 Final loss: 1968 SR-71A Blackbird—2 total, 0 combat First loss: 64-17969 (Det OL-8, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) suffered engine failure over Thailand on 10 May 1970, both crewmen ejected safely Final loss: 64-17978 (Det OL-KA, 9th SRW) crashed on landing at Kadena, Okinawa on 20 July 1972, both crewmen survived T-28 Trojan—23 total First loss: 1962 Final loss: 1968 U-2C "Dragon Lady"—1 total, 0 combat Only loss: 56–6690 (349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 100th SRW) which crashed on 8 October 1966 near Bien Hoa, SVN, Maj. Leo J Stewart ejected and was rescued U-3B Blue Canoe—1 total, 1 in combat Only loss: 60–6058, destroyed on the ground during a VC attack on Tan Son Nhut, SVN on 14 June 1968. U-6A Beaver—1 total, 0 in combat Only loss: 51-15565 (432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing) which crashed in Thailand 28 December 1966, both crewmen survived U-10D Courier—1 total, 1 in combat Only loss: 63-13102 (5th SOS, 14th SOW) shot down 14 August 1969 near Bien Hoa, killing 1/Lt Roger Brown

USAF rotary-wing CH/HH-3 Jolly Green Giant—34 total, 25 in combat First loss: CH-3E 63-9685 (38th ARRS) to AAA North Vietnam on 6 November 1965, three crewmen POW, one rescued