F-16 Superpowers: These Nations Have the Biggest F-16 Fleets

By Chris Lange Published Oct 10, 1:00PM EDT

Key Points

Air forces around the world are constantly seeking to get the most bang for their buck, and they’ve found that in F-16 Fighting Falcons
As a relatively cheap and effective option, the F-16 has found its way into militaries around the world
Early variants of the F-16 sell for roughly $13 million with more recent variants starting between $25 and $30 million
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F-16 Superpowers: These Nations Have the Biggest F-16 Fleets — © 39955793@N07 / Flickr

Air forces around the world are constantly seeking to get the most bang for their buck in terms of combat effectiveness for their fighter jets. For many, the F-16 Fighting Falcon fills that roll perfectly. As a relatively cheap and effective option, the F-16 has found its way into militaries around the world.

For some quick background, early variants of the F-16 sell for roughly $13 million with more recent variants starting between $25 and $30 million. However, the most advanced versions of this aircraft can cost anywhere upwards of $60 million. This cost compared–to newer fighter aircraft like the F-35 (~$110 million)–is relatively cheap which also owes to the F-16’s longevity in international fleets. (Turkey and the F-35: A Real Threat or Overblown Concern?)

To identify the countries with the most F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries according to the number of F-16 currently in service. We included supplemental information regarding active F-16s in respective fleets, military branches that will be using these aircraft, and what variants of the F-16 are on order or are currently in service.

Here is a look at the countries with the most F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets:

Why Are We Covering This?

Tracking global F-16 Fighting Falcon arsenals sheds some light on which nations are prioritizing affordability and versatility in their air forces, while still maintaining a cutting-edge fleet. The F-16 is a fourth-generation fighter jet with a solid track record. The Fighting Falcon is a proven workhorse capable of carrying out a wide range of missions, from air-to-air combat to precision ground strikes. Knowing which countries operate the F-16 helps map out global defense alignments.

29. Argentina

Active F-16 aircraft: 0
F-16 aircraft on order: 24
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Argentinian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16

Argentina has a total of 239 military aircraft, including 23 fighter aircraft and 11 attack aircraft. It has 108,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with no reserve force. Of these active-duty personnel, 14,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Argentina has a defense budget of $928,897,000, which ranks #89 in the world. Argentina has a total population of 47.0 million and its military ranks #33 out of 145 countries.

28. Bulgaria

Bulgaria+military+aircraft | grumman image

Active F-16 aircraft: 0
F-16 aircraft on order: 16
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Bulgarian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16V

Bulgaria has a total of 65 military aircraft, including 10 fighter aircraft and 5 attack aircraft. It has 37,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 3,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 8,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Bulgaria has a defense budget of $1,373,232,000, which ranks #80 in the world. Bulgaria has a total population of 6.8 million and its military ranks #61 out of 145 countries.

27. Philippines

Active F-16 aircraft: 0
F-16 aircraft on order: 12
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Philippine Air Force
Variant(s): F-16V

The Philippines has a total of 202 military aircraft, including 25 attack aircraft. It has 150,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 1,200,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 33,600 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, the Philippines has a defense budget of $4,380,000,000, which ranks #55 in the world. Philippines has a total population of 118.3 million and its military ranks #41 out of 145 countries.

26. Ukraine

NATO Exercises Take Place In Poland

Active F-16 aircraft: 2
F-16 aircraft on order: 58
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Ukrainian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A

Ukraine has a total of 324 military aircraft, including 70 fighter aircraft and 36 attack aircraft. It has 900,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 1,200,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 35,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Ukraine has a defense budget of $53,700,000,000, which ranks #10 in the world. Ukraine has a total population of 35.7 million and its military ranks #21 out of 145 countries.

25. Slovakia

Active F-16 aircraft: 2
F-16 aircraft on order: 12
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Slovak Air Force
Variant(s): F-16V

Slovakia has a total of 41 military aircraft, including 2 fighter aircraft. It has 19,500 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with no reserve force. Of these active-duty personnel, 3,200 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Slovakia has a defense budget of $2,656,000,000, which ranks #64 in the world. Slovakia has a total population of 5.6 million and its military ranks #71 out of 145 countries.

24. Venezuela

NATO+airpower | 150714-F-QN515-050

Active F-16 aircraft: 4
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Venezuelan Military Aviation
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Venezuela has a total of 229 military aircraft, including 30 fighter aircraft. It has 109,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 8,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 20,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Venezuela has a defense budget of $4,093,120,000, which ranks #57 in the world. Venezuela has a total population of 31.3 million and its military ranks #50 out of 145 countries.

23. Morocco

Active F-16 aircraft: 23
F-16 aircraft on order: 24
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Moroccan Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D/V

Morocco has a total of 260 military aircraft, including 83 fighter aircraft. It has 195,800 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 150,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 13,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Morocco has a defense budget of $13,400,000,000, which ranks #27 in the world. Morocco has a total population of 37.4 million and its military ranks #59 out of 145 countries.

22. Oman

Active F-16 aircraft: 23
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Air Force of Oman
Variant(s): F-16C/D

Oman has a total of 128 military aircraft, including 29 fighter aircraft and 10 attack aircraft. It has 42,600 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 100,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 5,600 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Oman has a defense budget of $8,200,000,000, which ranks #36 in the world. Oman has a total population of 3.9 million and its military ranks #82 out of 145 countries.

21. Portugal

Active F-16 aircraft: 25
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Portuguese Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Portugal has a total of 115 military aircraft, including 28 fighter aircraft. It has 24,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 211,700. Of these active-duty personnel, 6,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Portugal has a defense budget of $4,627,000,000, which ranks #52 in the world. Portugal has a total population of 10.6 million and its military ranks #39 out of 145 countries.

20. Romania

Active F-16 aircraft: 26
F-16 aircraft on order: 23
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Romanian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Romania has a total of 140 military aircraft, including 21 fighter aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 81,300 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 55,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 11,700 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Romania has a defense budget of $9,700,000,000, which ranks #33 in the world. Romania has a total population of 18.1 million and its military ranks #51 out of 145 countries.

19. Bahrain

Active F-16 aircraft: 28
F-16 aircraft on order: 7
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Bahraini Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D/V

Bahrain has a total of 132 military aircraft, including 24 fighter aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 18,400 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 110,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 1,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Bahrain has a defense budget of $1,597,200,000, which ranks #75 in the world. Bahrain has a total population of 1.6 million and its military ranks #81 out of 145 countries.

18. Indonesia

F-16C | Polish Air Force F-16C

Active F-16 aircraft: 32
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Indonesian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/C/D

Indonesia has a total of 459 military aircraft, including 41 fighter aircraft and 34 attack aircraft. It has 400,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 400,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 30,100 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Indonesia has a defense budget of $10,600,000,000, which ranks #29 in the world. Indonesia has a total population of 281.6 million and its military ranks #13 out of 145 countries.

17. Iraq

Active F-16 aircraft: 34
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Iraqi Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D/IQ

Iraq has a total of 391 military aircraft, including 26 fighter aircraft and 36 attack aircraft. It has 193,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with no reserve force. Of these active-duty personnel, 5,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Iraq has a defense budget of $7,923,000,000, which ranks #37 in the world. Iraq has a total population of 42.1 million and its military ranks #43 out of 145 countries.

16. Denmark

Active F-16 aircraft: 41
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Danish Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Denmark has a total of 117 military aircraft, including 31 fighter aircraft and 4 attack aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 20,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 12,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 3,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Denmark has a defense budget of $7,225,466,250, which ranks #40 in the world. Denmark has a total population of 6.0 million and its military ranks #45 out of 145 countries.

15. Chile

Chile+F-16 | FIDAE Air and Space Trade Show

Active F-16 aircraft: 46
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Chilean Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/C/D

Chile has a total of 277 military aircraft, including 45 fighter aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 80,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 40,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 12,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Chile has a defense budget of $5,032,500,000, which ranks #48 in the world. Chile has a total population of 18.7 million and its military ranks #47 out of 145 countries.

14. Thailand

Active F-16 aircraft: 47
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Thai Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Thailand has a total of 493 military aircraft, including 72 fighter aircraft and 20 attack aircraft. It has 360,850 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 200,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 46,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Thailand has a defense budget of $5,887,883,500, which ranks #45 in the world. Thailand has a total population of 69.9 million and its military ranks #26 out of 145 countries.

13. Poland

Active F-16 aircraft: 48
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Polish Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D

Poland has a total of 479 military aircraft, including 59 fighter aircraft and 44 attack aircraft. It has 202,100 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 350,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 16,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Poland has a defense budget of $48,700,000,000, which ranks #12 in the world. Poland has a total population of 38.7 million and its military ranks #22 out of 145 countries.

12. Belgium

Active F-16 aircraft: 51
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Belgian Air Component
Variant(s): F-16A/B

Belgium has a total of 108 military aircraft, including 43 fighter aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 25,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 6,400. Of these active-duty personnel, 6,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Belgium has a defense budget of $10,200,000,000, which ranks #31 in the world. Belgium has a total population of 12.0 million and its military ranks #62 out of 145 countries.

11. Jordan

Active F-16 aircraft: 59
F-16 aircraft on order: 12
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Royal Jordanian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/V

Jordan has a total of 274 military aircraft, including 44 fighter aircraft and 6 attack aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 100,500 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 65,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 14,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Jordan has a defense budget of $2,500,000,000, which ranks #65 in the world. Jordan has a total population of 11.2 million and its military ranks #76 out of 145 countries.

10. Singapore

Active F-16 aircraft: 60
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Republic of Singapore Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D

Singapore has a total of 230 military aircraft, including 100 fighter aircraft. It has 51,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 252,500. Of these active-duty personnel, 13,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Singapore has a defense budget of $15,000,000,000, which ranks #26 in the world. Singapore has a total population of 6.0 million and its military ranks #29 out of 145 countries.

9. Pakistan

Active F-16 aircraft: 75
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Pakistan Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/C/D

Pakistan has a total of 1,399 military aircraft, including 328 fighter aircraft and 90 attack aircraft. It has 654,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 550,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 78,128 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Pakistan has a defense budget of $7,640,000,000, which ranks #38 in the world. Pakistan has a total population of 252.4 million and its military ranks #12 out of 145 countries.

8. United Arab Emirates

Active F-16 aircraft: 76
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: United Arab Emirates Air Force
Variant(s): F-16E/F

The United Arab Emirates has a total of 551 military aircraft, including 99 fighter aircraft and 16 attack aircraft. It has 65,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 130,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 4,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, the United Arab Emirates has a defense budget of $2,212,360,382, which ranks #70 in the world. The United Arab Emirates has a total population of 10.0 million and its military ranks #54 out of 145 countries.

7. Taiwan

Active F-16 aircraft: 138
F-16 aircraft on order: 66
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Republic of China Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/V

Taiwan has a total of 761 military aircraft, including 285 fighter aircraft. It has 215,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 2,310,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 35,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Taiwan has a defense budget of $19,740,000,000, which ranks #23 in the world. Taiwan has a total population of 23.6 million and its military ranks #23 out of 145 countries.

6. Greece

Active F-16 aircraft: 152
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Hellenic Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D

Greece has a total of 558 military aircraft, including 178 fighter aircraft. It has 142,700 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 221,350. Of these active-duty personnel, 42,500 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Greece has a defense budget of $6,500,000,000, which ranks #44 in the world. Greece has a total population of 10.5 million and its military ranks #30 out of 145 countries.

5. South Korea

Active F-16 aircraft: 167
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Republic of Korea Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D

South Korea has a total of 1,592 military aircraft, including 315 fighter aircraft and 98 attack aircraft. It has 600,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 3,100,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 65,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, South Korea has a defense budget of $46,300,000,000, which ranks #14 in the world. South Korea has a total population of 52.1 million and its military ranks #5 out of 145 countries.

4. Egypt

Active F-16 aircraft: 218
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Egyptian Air Force
Variant(s): F-16A/B/C/D

Egypt has a total of 1,093 military aircraft, including 238 fighter aircraft and 90 attack aircraft. It has 440,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 480,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 50,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Egypt has a defense budget of $5,879,500,000, which ranks #46 in the world. Egypt has a total population of 111.3 million and its military ranks #19 out of 145 countries.

3. Israel

Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons fly over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility

Active F-16 aircraft: 223
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Israel Air and Space Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D/I

Israel has a total of 611 military aircraft, including 240 fighter aircraft and 38 attack aircraft. It has 170,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 465,000. Of these active-duty personnel, 89,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Israel has a defense budget of $30,500,000,000, which ranks #17 in the world. Israel has a total population of 9.4 million and its military ranks #15 out of 145 countries.

2. Turkey

Active F-16 aircraft: 238
F-16 aircraft on order: 40
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: Turkish Air Force
Variant(s): F-16C/D/V

Turkey has a total of 1,083 military aircraft, including 201 fighter aircraft. (Note that some of these F-16s are classified as trainer aircraft.) It has 355,200 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 378,700. Of these active-duty personnel, 115,000 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, Turkey has a defense budget of $47,000,000,000, which ranks #13 in the world. Turkey has a total population of 84.1 million and its military ranks #9 out of 145 countries.

1. United States

Active F-16 aircraft: 875
F-16 aircraft on order: 0
Military branches employing F-16 aircraft: United States Air Force, United States Navy
Variant(s): F-16A/B/C/D

The United States has a total of 13,043 military aircraft, including 1,790 fighter aircraft and 889 attack aircraft. It has 1,328,000 active-duty personnel for its entire armed forces, with a reserve force of 799,500. Of these active-duty personnel, 701,319 are dedicated Air Force personnel. Also, to afford these aircraft, the United States has a defense budget of $895,000,000,000, which ranks #1 in the world. The United States has a total population of 342.0 million and its military ranks #1 out of 145 countries.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.