The most widely flown military aircraft around the globe include combat helicopters, fighter jets, transport aircraft, and other attack aircraft. Having a powerful air force with up-to-date technology is critical for any nation’s defense. The most widely flown aircraft is a combat helicopter used by the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Poland. Read on to discover the most widely used military aircraft used by nations today. (Also check out the world’s future military aircraft.)
To identify the military aircraft that are most widely used, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the report 2024 World Air Forces from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. We ranked each aircraft by the number of units in service in the 163 countries reporting to FlightGlobal. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft, how many are on order, and notable countries that use these aircraft also came from FlightGlobal.
Here is a look at the most widely flown military aircraft in the world:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the most widely used military aircraft in the world is important because it provides insight into military operations. This also offers a deeper understanding of history, geopolitics, and military alliances.
25. NH90 Caiman
- Active aircraft: 433
- Aircraft on order: 93
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Australia, France, Netherlands
24. Chengdu J-7 Fishcan
- Active aircraft: 452
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: China
23. Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
- Active aircraft: 468
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Armenia, Belarus, North Korea, Russia
22. Bell 206 JetRanger
- Active aircraft: 475
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Argentina, Germany, Iraq, Italy
21. F-5 Tiger II
- Active aircraft: 558
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Switzerland
20. Eurocopter H145
- Active aircraft: 560
- Aircraft on order: 63
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Albania, Germany, United States
19. T-38 Talon
- Active aircraft: 575
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Training aircraft
- Notable countries: Turkey, United States
18. Aero L-39 Albatros
- Active aircraft: 580
- Aircraft on order: 32
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Libya, Mali, Russia
17. MD500 Defender
- Active aircraft: 584
- Aircraft on order: 86
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Argentina, Colombia, North Korea
16. AH-1 Cobra
- Active aircraft: 594
- Aircraft on order: 61
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Pakistan
15. Mil Mi-17 Hip
- Active aircraft: 764
- Aircraft on order: 17
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Bangladesh, India, Venezuela
14. Mil Mi-24 Hind
- Active aircraft: 816
- Aircraft on order: 37
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine
13. C-130 Hercules
- Active aircraft: 842
- Aircraft on order: 98
- Type: Combat aircraft, special mission, tanker, transport
- Notable countries: United States, Austria, Israel
12. F-35 Lightning II
- Active aircraft: 869
- Aircraft on order: 2,703
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Canada, Israel, United States
11. Mikoyan MiG-29
- Active aircraft: 898
- Aircraft on order: 72
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, Egypt
10. CH-47 Chinook
- Active aircraft: 938
- Aircraft on order: 234
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Notable countries: Australia, Germany, United States
9. Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- Active aircraft: 992
- Aircraft on order: 31
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: United States, Turkey, South Korea
8. T-6 Texan
- Active aircraft: 1,001
- Aircraft on order: 58
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Thailand, United States, Iraq
7. Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker
- Active aircraft: 1,005
- Aircraft on order: 60
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: China, Kazakhstan, Russia
6. F-15 Eagle
- Active aircraft: 1,044
- Aircraft on order: 162
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Indonesia, Israel, Japan, United States
5. F/A-18 Hornet
- Active aircraft: 1,108
- Aircraft on order: 116
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Canada, Spain, Switzerland, United States
4. AH-64 Apache
- Active aircraft: 1,249
- Aircraft on order: 327
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Greece, India, United States
3. Mil Mi-8 Hip
- Active aircraft: 2,039
- Aircraft on order: 17
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Algeria, Croatia, Cuba, Russia
2. F-16 Fighting Falcon
- Active aircraft: 2,767
- Aircraft on order: 255
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt
1. S-70 Black Hawk
- Active aircraft: 3,884
- Aircraft on order: 921
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: United States, Saudi Arabia, Poland
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The post Nearly 4,000 of These Widely Used Military Aircraft Are in Service Worldwide appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..
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Author: Jennifer Geer
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