Owning the newest and most advanced technology is paramount in military doctrine, especially when it comes to combat aircraft. Old outdated air forces can hardly compete with the newest generation of fighter jets, why the United States is considered a powerhouse when it comes to its fleet of combat aircraft. However, the United States also employs some of the oldest aircraft in the world for these combat missions. (These are the oldest and newest stealth aircraft still flying.)
Although the U.S. Air Force utilizes some aircraft introduced back in the 1950s, there have been many upgrades and advancements that keep these on par with other more up-to-date aircraft. The B-52 strategic bomber is one example of these older combat aircraft still fielded by the U.S. Air Force that still serves next to the newest iterations of the F-35 Lightning II.
To identify the oldest and newest combat aircraft in the United States military, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these aircraft according to when they entered service with data from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft. We also included supplemental data on how many of these aircraft are in active service or on order, the type of aircraft, as well as what military branches they serve in.
Another example of an older aircraft that has proved resilient over the years is the F-15 Eagle which was first introduced to service in 1976. Currently there are over 375 of these fighter jets in active service in the U.S. Air Force, with more than 100 on order.
In keeping with its aspirations to maintain a technologically advanced fleet, the U.S. military is adding a significant number of F-35s to its arsenal. Along with this, the new B-21 Raider is currently in the works to join the U.S. Air Force later this decade. Although the Raider is not in service yet, it has passed preliminary test flights and the U.S. Air Force has a few in stock but this number is undisclosed. (These countries are buying the most F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.)
Here is a look at the oldest and newest combat aircraft currently serving in the U.S. military:
14. B-52H
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1955
- Type: Long range strategic heavy bomber
- Active aircraft: 72
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
13. F-15 C/E/EX
- Year entered service: 1976
- Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
- Active aircraft: 377
- Aircraft on order: 102
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
12. A-10C
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1976
- Type: Close-air support / forward air control
- Active aircraft: 270
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
11. F-16C
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1978
- Type: Multirole 4th generation fighter aircraft
- Active aircraft: 738
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
10. AV-8B/+
Source: iyoupapa / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1985
- Type: Short take-off and vertical landing strike aircraft
- Active aircraft: 87
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Marine Corps
9. B-1B
Source: usairforce / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1986
- Type: Strategic heavy bomber
- Active aircraft: 42
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
8. AT-802U
- Year entered service: 1990
- Type: Multirole light aircraft
- Active aircraft: 0
- Aircraft on order: 75
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
7. B-2
- Year entered service: 1997
- Type: Strategic stealth heavy bomber
- Active aircraft: 17
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
6. F/A-18 A/C/D/E/F
- Year entered service: 1999
- Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
- Active aircraft: 561
- Aircraft on order: 76
- Military branches in service: United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
5. F-22
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
- Year entered service: 2005
- Type: 5th generation air dominance fighter aircraft
- Active aircraft: 178
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
4. AC-130W
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 2010
- Type: Special operations fixed-wing gunship
- Active aircraft: 3
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
3. F-35 A/B/C
- Year entered service: 2016
- Type: Multirole 5th generation aircraft
- Active aircraft: 376
- Aircraft on order: 1,855
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
2. AC-130J
Source: ajw1970 / Flickr
- Year entered service: 2017
- Type: Ground attack / close-air support
- Active aircraft: 29
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
1. B-21
Source: U.S. Air Force
- Year entered service: Expected 2028
- Type: Long range strategic stealth bomber
- Active aircraft: 0
- Aircraft on order: 100
- Military branches in service: United States Air Force
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