Since its introduction in 1978, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been one of the most popular combat aircraft worldwide. It is favored by many militaries, even over newer aircraft models, because of its cost-effectiveness and exceptional performance.
Just like the F-16, many other military aircraft are more affordable than newer models, making them more accessible for nations seeking to strengthen their military without breaking the bank. Additionally, many of these aircraft mentioned have been in use for decades, which lends credibility to their combat record.
The F-35 Lightning II, produced by Lockheed Martin, is one of the newer models that has been widely adopted by international armed forces. Its popularity is largely fueled by its versatility and advanced stealth capabilities. Numerous NATO nations have incorporated this fifth-generation multirole aircraft into their fleets.
In order to determine the most common military aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. referred to the 2023 World Air Forces report by FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. The aircraft were ranked by the number of units in service across the 163 countries surveyed by FlightGlobal. Additional details regarding the type of aircraft, pending orders, and noteworthy countries using these aircraft were also sourced from FlightGlobal.
It is important to note that the majority of the list is made up of combat aircraft and combat helicopters. Tankers, transports, and special mission aircraft are less common in militaries because their roles are more specialized, whereas combat aircraft are more effective for power projection.
The C-130 Hercules and its various models are the only representatives of transport, tanker, and special mission aircraft on this list. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, this versatile aircraft serves multiple functions on and off the battlefield, including humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and military logistics.
Here are the most popular military aircraft in the world:
25. NH90 Caiman
- Active aircraft: 446
- Aircraft on order: 147
- 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. Bell 206 JetRanger
- Active aircraft: 478
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Argentina, Germany, Iraq, Italy
22. Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
- Active aircraft: 489
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Armenia, Belarus, North Korea, Russia
21. Eurocopter H145
- Active aircraft: 533
- Aircraft on order: 88
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Albania, Germany, United States
20. AH-1 Cobra
- Active aircraft: 573
- Aircraft on order: 46
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Pakistan
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: 575
- Aircraft on order: 36
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Libya, Mali, Russia
17. MD500 Defender
- Active aircraft: 588
- Aircraft on order: 86
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Argentina, Colombia, North Korea
16. F-5 Tiger II
- Active aircraft: 611
- Aircraft on order: 0
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Switzerland
15. F-35 Lightning II
- Active aircraft: 716
- Aircraft on order: 2,758
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Canada, Israel, United States
14. Mil Mi-17 Hip
- Active aircraft: 765
- Aircraft on order: 65
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Bangladesh, India, Venezuela
13. Mil Mi-24 Hind
- Active aircraft: 828
- Aircraft on order: 33
- Type: Combat helicopter
- Notable countries: Armenia, Russia, Ukraine
12. Mikoyan MiG-29
- Active aircraft: 899
- Aircraft on order: 79
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Cuba, Egypt
11. Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker
- Active aircraft: 964
- Aircraft on order: 87
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: China, Kazakhstan, Russia
10. CH-47 Chinook
- Active aircraft: 925
- Aircraft on order: 202
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Notable countries: Australia, Germany, United States
9. T-6 Texan
- Active aircraft: 980
- Aircraft on order: 68
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Thailand, United States, Iraq
8. F-15 Eagle
- Active aircraft: 1,066
- Aircraft on order: 222
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Indonesia, Israel, Japan, United States
7. Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- Active aircraft: 1,105
- Aircraft on order: 33
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: United States, Turkey, South Korea
6. F/A-18 Hornet
- Active aircraft: 1,111
- Aircraft on order: 116
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Canada, Spain, Switzerland, United States
5. C-130 Hercules
- Active aircraft: 1,133
- Aircraft on order: 119
- Type: Combat aircraft, special mission, tanker, transport
- Notable countries: United States, Austria, Israel
4. AH-64 Apache
- Active aircraft: 1,233
- Aircraft on order: 324
- 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: 2,763
- Aircraft on order: 156
- Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
- Notable countries: Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt
1. S-70 Black Hawk
- Active aircraft: 3,909
- Aircraft on order: 806
- Type: Combat helicopter, training aircraft
- Notable countries: United States, Saudi Arabia, Poland
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