Air-to-air combat losses between the Soviet Union and the United States



After World War II, there were many instances of air-to-air combat between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Korean War
During the Korean War formally the air forces did not meet, as the Soviet Union was not a combatant in the conflict. In August 1945 the USSR declared war on Japan and commenced their offensive campaigns against the Japanese Army. Moving into Japanese occupied Korea, the Soviets gained a foothold in that region, ultimately making it North Korea, and an ally to the Soviet Union. Nearly 72,000 Soviet personnel served in North Korea and their presence was suppressed by both the Soviet and American governments; air dogfights between USSR and US pilots were numerous. The Soviets flew planes that had Chinese or North Korean markings and were initially forbidden from speaking in Russian over the airwaves. The ban was soon lifted due to obvious problems with using Korean to communicate in critical battle situations.

Vietnam War
Unlike North Korea, China invaded French Indochina (Vietnam) in 1945 to regain the region from the occupying Japanese military at the end of World War II. Unable to gain a foothold in North Vietnam, as they had done in North Korea, the Soviets were highly restricted in conducting military functions in North Vietnam. Student North Vietnamese MiG pilots were sent to China and the Soviet Union for up to three years for training. Student North Vietnamese SAM operators were sent to the USSR for about six to nine months of training. Soviet and Chinese Communist pilots were restricted to test flying MiGs which had been exported to North Vietnam from their countries. Due to the urgency brought on by Operation Rolling Thunder, and until North Vietnamese missilemen could be trained, Soviet PVO SAM Anti-Aircraft Missile operator/instructors were quickly deployed to North Vietnam in 1965, and through 1966 were responsible for downing approximately 48 US aircraft during the course of defending North Vietnam.

Cold War
During the Cold War many nations including the Soviet Union and the United States were fiercely protective of their respective airspaces. Aircraft which entered an opposing nation's airspace were often shot down in air-to-air combat. The incidents produced a heightened sense of paranoia on both sides that resulted in the downing a number of innocent civilian craft. Please note that many of the aircraft listed at that link were not shot down as a result of Cold War paranoia by US or USSR aircrews; but rather direct action by active combatants (for example, the two Air Rhodesia flights).

Table lists air combat losses outside of the war zones, such as Korean War or Vietnam War. It does not include losses to ground-based defenses, and it does not include civilian aircraft.