Military

This Country Has By Far the Most Fighter and Interceptor Aircraft

Oman+F-16 | Royal Air Force (RAF) Panavia "Tornado GR4s"
Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr

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:

Why Are We Covering This?

sndr / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Understanding which countries have the most fighter and interceptor aircraft gives some context to international relations and geopolitics at large. Countries with these aircraft can better defend their airspace and project power. Understanding this, helps further understand the current balance of power in the world.

30. Sweden

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

U.S. Department of Defense / Public Domain / 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

Ukraine+Sukhoi | The jet has come
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

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

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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

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

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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

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

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

Iran Shahed-136 | Iranian military unmanned aerial vehicle at sunset. Combat drone
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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

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

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

U.S. Department of Defense / Public Domain / 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

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

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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

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

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

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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / 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

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

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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