The most advanced air forces in the world are known for their offensive capabilities. Fighter and interceptor aircraft are a particularly important component of these air forces. They serve a few functions, but ultimately, they are meant to establish air superiority. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the air forces that employ these fighter jets. (These are the NATO countries with the most military aircraft.)
To determine the countries with the most fighter and interceptor aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We included supplemental information regarding total military aircraft, and helicopters. We included the overall military strength score as well which is a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is.
The United States tops the list with the largest number of fighter and interceptor aircraft. The U.S. military operates hundreds of these jets like the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and F-15 Eagle. The sheer number of these jets, each featuring cutting-edge technology, demonstrates the global military strength that the United States holds.
Russia and China rank fairly high on this list as well. Both of these nations have significant strides in modernizing their fleets of fighter jets. Most of this push has been with the fifth generation of fighter jets which now feature advanced avionics and vastly improved stealth capabilities. (These are the stealth planes used by global superpower sir forces.)
While India is not as large as the U.S., Russia, or China, it still has a formidable fleet of fighter jets. India, like these other global superpowers, is engaged in an ongoing modernization effort to further strengthen its national defense.
Here is a look at the countries with the most fighter and interceptor aircraft:
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Source: sndr / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
30. Sweden
Source: dynasoar / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 71
- Total military aircraft: 212
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 53
- Attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score: 0.4009 – #29 out of 145
29. Ukraine
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 72
- Total military aircraft: 321
- Attack aircraft: 30
- Total helicopters: 130
- Attack helicopters: 33
- Military strength score: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145
28. Thailand
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 73
- Total military aircraft: 501
- Attack aircraft: 18
- Total helicopters: 231
- Attack helicopters: 7
- Military strength score: 0.3389 – #25 out of 145
27. Kazakhstan
Source: sagesolar / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 81
- Total military aircraft: 243
- Attack aircraft: 38
- Total helicopters: 75
- Attack helicopters: 22
- Military strength score: 0.9495 – #58 out of 145
26. Morocco
Source: Matt Cardy / Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 83
- Total military aircraft: 255
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 70
- Attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score: 1.0081 – #61 out of 145
25. Italy
Source: usairforce / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 90
- Total military aircraft: 800
- Attack aircraft: 67
- Total helicopters: 402
- Attack helicopters: 57
- Military strength score: 0.1863 – #10 out of 145
24. Qatar
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 92
- Total military aircraft: 228
- Attack aircraft: 6
- Total helicopters: 67
- Attack helicopters: 24
- Military strength score: 1.0789 – #63 out of 145
23. United Arab Emirates
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 99
- Total military aircraft: 560
- Attack aircraft: 18
- Total helicopters: 246
- Attack helicopters: 30
- Military strength score: 0.8083 – #51 out of 145
22. Singapore
Source: Courtesy Boeing Co.
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 100
- Total military aircraft: 247
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 87
- Attack helicopters: 18
- Military strength score: 0.4087 – #30 out of 145
21. Algeria
Source: Thinkstock
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 102
- Total military aircraft: 605
- Attack aircraft: 42
- Total helicopters: 298
- Attack helicopters: 75
- Military strength score: 0.3589 – #26 out of 145
20. United Kingdom
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 120
- Total military aircraft: 664
- Attack aircraft: 29
- Total helicopters: 276
- Attack helicopters: 52
- Military strength score: 0.1443 – #6 out of 145
19. Germany
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 133
- Total military aircraft: 618
- Attack aircraft: 76
- Total helicopters: 318
- Attack helicopters: 55
- Military strength score: 0.2847 – #19 out of 145
18. Spain
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 139
- Total military aircraft: 513
- Attack aircraft: 12
- Total helicopters: 121
- Attack helicopters: 17
- Military strength score: 0.2882 – #20 out of 145
17. Syria
Source: Thinkstock
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 168
- Total military aircraft: 452
- Attack aircraft: 57
- Total helicopters: 153
- Attack helicopters: 27
- Military strength score: 1.0026 – #60 out of 145
16. Iran
Source: Anton Petrus / Moment via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 186
- Total military aircraft: 551
- Attack aircraft: 23
- Total helicopters: 129
- Attack helicopters: 13
- Military strength score: 0.2269 – #14 out of 145
15. Greece
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 194
- Total military aircraft: 632
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 289
- Attack helicopters: 29
- Military strength score: 0.4349 – #32 out of 145
14. Turkey
Source: Thinkstock
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 205
- Total military aircraft: 1,069
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 502
- Attack helicopters: 111
- Military strength score: 0.1697 – #8 out of 145
13. Japan
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 217
- Total military aircraft: 1,459
- Attack aircraft: 36
- Total helicopters: 577
- Attack helicopters: 119
- Military strength score: 0.1601 – #7 out of 145
12. France
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 224
- Total military aircraft: 972
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 447
- Attack helicopters: 69
- Military strength score: 0.1878 – #11 out of 145
11. Egypt
Source: guvendemir / E+ via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 238
- Total military aircraft: 1,080
- Attack aircraft: 88
- Total helicopters: 338
- Attack helicopters: 100
- Military strength score: 0.2283 – #15 out of 145
10. Israel
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 241
- Total military aircraft: 612
- Attack aircraft: 39
- Total helicopters: 146
- Attack helicopters: 48
- Military strength score: 0.2596 – #17 out of 145
9. Saudi Arabia
Source: usairforce / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 283
- Total military aircraft: 914
- Attack aircraft: 81
- Total helicopters: 262
- Attack helicopters: 34
- Military strength score: 0.3235 – #23 out of 145
8. Taiwan
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 286
- Total military aircraft: 750
- Attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 236
- Attack helicopters: 91
- Military strength score: 0.3302 – #24 out of 145
7. South Korea
Source: heaadricofrohan / iStock via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 354
- Total military aircraft: 1,576
- Attack aircraft: 98
- Total helicopters: 758
- Attack helicopters: 112
- Military strength score: 0.1416 – #5 out of 145
6. Pakistan
Source: InkkStudios / E+ via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 387
- Total military aircraft: 1,434
- Attack aircraft: 90
- Total helicopters: 352
- Attack helicopters: 57
- Military strength score: 0.1711 – #9 out of 145
5. North Korea
Source: Jozsef Soos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 440
- Total military aircraft: 951
- Attack aircraft: 132
- Total helicopters: 205
- Attack helicopters: 20
- Military strength score: 0.5313 – #36 out of 145
4. India
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 606
- Total military aircraft: 2,296
- Attack aircraft: 130
- Total helicopters: 869
- Attack helicopters: 40
- Military strength score: 0.1023 – #4 out of 145
3. Russia
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 809
- Total military aircraft: 4,255
- Attack aircraft: 730
- Total helicopters: 1,547
- Attack helicopters: 559
- Military strength score: 0.0702 – #2 out of 145
2. China
Source: Anton Petrus / Moment via Getty Images
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,207
- Total military aircraft: 3,304
- Attack aircraft: 371
- Total helicopters: 913
- Attack helicopters: 281
- Military strength score: 0.0706 – #3 out of 145
1. United States
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,854
- Total military aircraft: 13,209
- Attack aircraft: 896
- Total helicopters: 5,737
- Attack helicopters: 1,000
- Military strength score: 0.0699 – #1 out of 145
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