Global tensions have been on the rise in recent years, driven by events including Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine and China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea. To uphold its position as the world’s preeminent military force, the United States continues to invest in its military capabilities. This includes the maintenance of its formidable fleet of military aircraft, which plays a vital role in every setting: combat, surveillance, and search and rescue missions.
To identify all of the planes in active service in the U.S. military, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the report, 2023 World Air Forces, from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. We ranked aircrafts by the number of units in active service. We excluded all trainer aircraft and helicopters and all aircraft from the Coast Guard. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft, how many are in active service, and how many are on order came from FlightGlobal. Data on each aircraft’s first flight came from various military and historical sources.
The U.S. military currently operates roughly 13,300 aircraft, making it the largest and most powerful air force in the world. This fleet consists of various types of aircraft, including fighters, bombers, transport, and surveillance planes, each with its own set of unique capabilities. (These are the largest air forces in the world.)
Among the fighter aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II stands out as a cutting-edge machine, representing the next generation of air combat. With over 300 units in service, the F-35 forms the backbone of the military’s air dominance strategy. This advanced multirole fighter, developed by Lockheed Martin, combines stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, and networking technology, making it an indispensable tool for maintaining military superiority.
Another aircraft in the U.S. military arsenal is the F-22 Raptor, which is known for its air-to-air combat prowess. With over 150 units in service the F-22 holds a critical role in air superiority missions. Its stealth capabilities, integrated avionics, and ability to reach supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners provide a notable advantage over potential adversaries. (These are the U.S. military’s fastest planes.)
In terms of long-range strategic bombers, the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is capable of delivering precision-guided munitions, and it plays a key role in penetrating heavily defended enemy territory. The B-2 saw its first action in Kosovo in 1999 where it delivered pinpoint strikes. This stealth bomber is also capable of delivering a nuclear payload.
Finally, transport and surveillance aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules and the E-3 Sentry are vital for logistical support and situational awareness. The C-130 Hercules, with hundreds of units in service, remains the workhorse for mobility and transport in the U.S. military. It also takes on a few different variants across branches. The E-3 Sentry is an airborne early warning and control aircraft, providing critical surveillance and command-and-control capabilities.
Here is every plane in the US military.
48. de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 1 (tied)
> First flight: May 1965
> On order for the military: 0
[in-text-ad]
47. Gulfstream G550
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 1 (tied)
> First flight: July 2002
> On order for the military: 0
46. Piper PA-31 Navajo
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 1 (tied)
> First flight: September 1964
> On order for the military: 0
Source: nuttapong / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
45. Cessna 208 Caravan
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 2
> First flight: December 1982
> On order for the military: 0
Source: santirf / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
44. Beechcraft 1900 (C-12J)
> Branch: Air Force, Army
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 3 (tied)
> First flight: September 1982
> On order for the military: 0
43. de Havilland Canada Dash 7
> Branch: Army
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 3 (tied)
> First flight: March 1975
> On order for the military: 0
42. Boeing 747 E-4
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 4 (tied)
> First flight: April 1988
> On order for the military: 0
41. Boeing 757 C-32
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 4 (tied)
> First flight: February 1982
> On order for the military: 0
40. Airbus Bombardier Express E-11
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 4 (tied)
> First flight: August 2007
> On order for the military: 5
39. Sikorsky M-28 Skytruck
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 5 (tied)
> First flight: September 1969
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
38. Douglas C212 (C-41)
> Branch: Army
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 5 (tied)
> First flight: December 1936
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Julian_Mg / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
37. Airbus CN235
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 5 (tied)
> First flight: November 1983
> On order for the military: 0
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
36. Gulfstream IV (C-20G)
> Branch: Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 5 (tied)
> First flight: September 1985
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
35. Boeing Leonardo C-27 Spartan
> Branch: Army
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 7
> First flight: June 2008
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
34. Lockheed Martin EP-3E Ares II
> Branch: Navy
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 11
> First flight: November 2002
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Sundry Photography / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
33. Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion
> Branch: Navy
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 17
> First flight: November 1959
> On order for the military: 0
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
32. Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 18
> First flight: July 1989
> On order for the military: 0
31. Learjet 35 (C-21A)
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 19
> First flight: August 1973
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
30. de Havilland Bombardier Dash 8
> Branch: Air Force, Army
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 20 (tied)
> First flight: June 1983
> On order for the military: 0
29. Dornier 328 (C-146) Wolfhound
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 20 (tied)
> First flight: December 1991
> On order for the military: 0
28. Boeing RC-135
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 22
> First flight: August 1956
> On order for the military: 0
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
27. Lockheed Martin U-2 Dragon Lady
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 26
> First flight: August 1955
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
26. Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound
> Branch: Navy
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 30
> First flight: November 1964
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
25. Fairchild Republic Merlin IV/Metro (C-26)
> Branch: Air Force, Army
> Type: Special mission, transport
> Active in Military: 35 (tied)
> First flight: December 1972
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
24. Pilatus PC-12 (U-28) Draco
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission, transport
> Active in Military: 35 (tied)
> First flight: May 1991
> On order for the military: 0
23. Cessna Citation
> Branch: Army, Marines
> Variants: Encore, Sovereign, Ultra
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 38
> First flight: February 2002
> On order for the military: 2
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
22. Boeing DC-10 (KC-10) Extender
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Tanker
> Active in Military: 40 (tied)
> First flight: July 1980
> On order for the military: 0
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
21. L-3 Communications King Air 350 MC-12W Liberty
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 40 (tied)
> First flight: April 2009
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
20. Boeing B-1B Lancer
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 43
> First flight: December 1974
> On order for the military: 0
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
19. Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 52
> First flight: June 1968
> On order for the military: 0
18. Boeing 707
> Branch: Air Force, Navy
> Variants: E-3 Sentry, Boeing E-6 Mercury, E-8 Joint STARS
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 60
> First flight: February 1972
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
17. Boeing 767 KC-46 Pegasus
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Tanker
> Active in Military: 61
> First flight: September 2015
> On order for the military: 113
24/7 Wall St.
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
16. Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 72
> First flight: April 1952
> On order for the military: 0
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
15. Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
> Branch: Navy
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 73
> First flight: October 1960
> On order for the military: 34
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
14. Boeing AV-8B Harrier II
> Branch: Marines
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 87
> First flight: November 1981
> On order for the military: 0
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
13. Boeing 737
> Branch: Navy
> Variants: C-40 Clipper, P-8 Poseidon
> Type: Special mission, transport
> Active in Military: 133
> First flight: April 2000
> On order for the military: 12
Source: KGrif / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
12. Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
> Branch: Marines
> Variants: A, C, D
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 138
> First flight: November 1978
> On order for the military: 0
24/7 Wall St.
Source: usairforce / Flickr
11. Boeing EA-18G Growler
> Branch: Navy
> Type: Special mission
> Active in Military: 152
> First flight: August 2006
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Ryan Fletcher / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
10. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 177
> First flight: May 1990
> On order for the military: 0
9. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Transport
> Active in Military: 228
> First flight: July 1993
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
8. Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 286
> First flight: October 1975
> On order for the military: 0
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
7. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
> Branch: Air Force, Marines, Navy
> Variants: A, B, C
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 316
> First flight: December 2006
> On order for the military: 1943
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. Beechcraft C-12 Huron
> Branch: Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy
> Type: Special mission, transport
> Active in Military: 324
> First flight: October 1972
> On order for the military: 0
Source: barteq24 / Flickr
5. Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Tanker
> Active in Military: 388
> First flight: June 1957
> On order for the military: 0
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle II
> Branch: Air Force
> Variants: C, E, EX
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 408
> First flight: February 2021
> On order for the military: 136
Source: U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray Jr. /Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
3. Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet
> Branch: Navy
> Variants: E, F
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 416
> First flight: November 1995
> On order for the military: 76
Source: Ryan Fletcher / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
2. Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules
> Branch: Air Force, Marines, Navy
> Variants: Super Hercules, Compass Call, Commando Solo, Combat King II, Combat Talon II, Commando II
> Type: Special mission, tanker, transport
> Active in Military: 548
> First flight: December 1957
> On order for the military: 64
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
1. Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon
> Branch: Air Force
> Type: Combat aircraft
> Active in Military: 775
> First flight: January 1974
> On order for the military: 0
Essential Tips for Investing: Sponsored
A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
