 |  Seventy-three UK troops have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001  |
The MoD said the soldiers, from 1st Battalion The RoyalAnglian Regiment, were killed at around 1830 local time (1500 BST) onThursday.
It is understood they died when the planes dropped a bomb near their patrol in Helmand province.
Two other soldiers were also injured. Next of kin have been informed.
The fighter planes had been called in to give air support to ground troops, the Ministry of Defence said.
The United States expresses its deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who died 
US Embassy statement
Defence Secretary Des Browne said he was "very saddened"by the death of "three brave men who were tragically killed in what isbelieved to be a friendly fire incident".
He said such incidents were "rare" and it would be thoroughly investigated.
‘Very seriously injured‘
"We will look at this incident very carefully and makesure the families, who are uppermost in our thoughts, know exactly whathappened to their loved ones," he said.
The US Embassy in London said in a statement: "TheUnited States expresses its deep condolences to the families and lovedones of the soldiers who died, and we wish those who were injured aspeedy recovery."
The MoD said all of the soldiers had been taking part ina fighting patrol to disrupt Taleban activity to the north west ofKajaki, in Helmand province.
They came under attack from Taleban insurgents andduring the firefight that followed, close air support was called infrom two US F15 aircraft, according to the MoD.
Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Mayo, a spokesman for Britishtroops in Helmand province told BBC Radio 4‘s The World at One: "Duringthis patrol they came into contact with some Taleban from a number offiring positions.
"As they came under fire they then called in some closeair support to assist them and an aircraft came in, it dropped a bomband tragically this bomb killed three of the soldiers and injured twomore."
The three soldiers were declared dead at the scene. Theinjured two were evacuated by helicopter to the medical facility atCamp Bastion.
Lt Col Mayo said one of the two was very seriously wounded and the other seriously wounded.
BBC Kabul correspondent Alastair Leithead said this wasthe second case of British service personnel being killed in a friendlyfire incident involving American military personnel in Afghanistan.
Royal Anglian fatalities
An inquiry was launched into the death of marineJonathan Wigley, 21, after he was killed during an intense battle inHelmand province in December 2006.
In February, Mr Browne told MPs that since 1990, 12 UKservice personnel had been killed in friendly fire incidents involvingAmerican military personnel in Iraq.
The three deaths on Thursday mean the total number of UKtroops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 has risento 73. Fifty have been killed in action.
The Royal Anglians, which have been based at Pirbrightin Surrey for about five years, have been one of the regiments hardesthit by the fighting in Afghanistan.
There has now been a total of nine soldiers killed fromthe regiment. It is one of the worst casualty rates since OperationHerrick, the campaign in Afghanistan, began in 2001.
On 11 August the regiment‘s Captain David Hicks waskilled during an attack by the Taleban on his patrol base northeast ofSangin in Helmand province.
The regimental headquarters of the Royal Anglians is inBury St Edmunds. The regiment recruits mainly from the counties ofEssex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
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