The African Nations with the Most Military Aircraft

Military

Published: June 13, 2024 10:50 am

Modern military doctrine leans heavily on the concept of air superiority, meaning for nations to be successful in military operations they must control the skies. Although most think of the United States, China and Russia when it comes to superior air forces. However, African nations have been making an effort in fleet modernization in recent years, and some are quite formidable now. (This African country has the most military manpower, and it’s not even close.)

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at African nations that have the most military aircraft. To determine the African countries with the most military aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 military strength report from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked these countries according to which countries have the most aircraft. We included supplemental information regarding each country’s current air force and overall military strength ranking. Nations that did not have any military aircraft were excluded.

Egypt ranks as one of the top 10 nations in the world in terms of its fleet of fighter jets. It has pulled from both the United States and Russia in terms of modernizing its fleet over the past few decades. The air force that Egypt has built now is easily one of the strongest, and more African nations are following its example. (These are the strongest militaries in Africa.)

As these African nations seek to maintain or extend their strategic influence, the role of acquiring more fighter jets and military aircraft will continue to be a top priority.

Here is a look at the African countries with the most military aircraft:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the military dynamics of Africa is important due to the continent’s strategic geopolitical significance. The continent is known for some instability, and military power is one way of ensuring stability both political and economic. Many of these African nations are growing rapidly and the continued stability of this region is crucial.

36. Benin

Tunisia+Black+Hawk+helicopter | 150831-Z-AL508-062

Total military aircraft: 3
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 2
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 3.8912 – #141 out of 145

35. Sierra Leone

Total military aircraft: 4
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 4
Total attack helicopters: 2
Military strength score: 3.5433 – #138 out of 145

34. Madagascar

Total military aircraft: 5
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 5
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 3.0655 – #133 out of 145

33. Central African Republic

Total military aircraft: 6
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 0
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 3.5316 – #137 out of 145

32. Ivory Coast

Total military aircraft: 9
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 2
Total attack helicopters: 1
Military strength score: 1.9869 – #98 out of 145

31. Republic of the Congo

Exercise Kwanza Angola 06-2010... by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Exercise Kwanza Angola 06-2010... (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Total military aircraft: 14
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 2
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 8
Total attack helicopters: 1
Military strength score: 2.7282 – #122 out of 145

30. South Sudan

Total military aircraft: 16
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 15
Total attack helicopters: 6
Military strength score: 2.4376 – #119 out of 145

29. Ghana

UGANDA ADAPT 2010 by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

UGANDA ADAPT 2010 (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Total military aircraft: 20
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 11
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.2358 – #113 out of 145

28. Eritrea

Total military aircraft: 20
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 13
Total attack helicopters: 6
Military strength score: 2.4152 – #117 out of 145

27. Mozambique

Total military aircraft: 21
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 8
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 8
Total attack helicopters: 2
Military strength score: 1.8377 – #92 out of 145

26. Burkina Faso

Total military aircraft: 21
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 3
Total helicopters: 11
Total attack helicopters: 2
Military strength score: 2.8501 – #127 out of 145

25. Niger

Total military aircraft: 24
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 2
Total helicopters: 13
Total attack helicopters: 1
Military strength score: 2.5988 – #121 out of 145

24. Mauritania

Mauritanian Air Force plane la... by John Atherton

Mauritanian Air Force plane la... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by John Atherton

Total military aircraft: 24
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 4
Total helicopters: 4
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.9277 – #131 out of 145

23. Gabon

Total military aircraft: 24
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 6
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 15
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.9517 – #132 out of 145

22. Namibia

Total military aircraft: 32
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 9
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 7
Total attack helicopters: 2
Military strength score: 2.7652 – #124 out of 145

21. Cameroon

Total military aircraft: 35
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 21
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.0599 – #104 out of 145

20. Tanzania

Total military aircraft: 39
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 14
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 12
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.0587 – #103 out of 145

19. Senegal

Total military aircraft: 39
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 21
Total attack helicopters: 5
Military strength score: 2.9117 – #130 out of 145

18. Chad

Total military aircraft: 41
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
Total strike and attack aircraft: 7
Total helicopters: 15
Total attack helicopters: 3
Military strength score: 1.8607 – #93 out of 145

17. Mali

Total military aircraft: 42
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 9
Total strike and attack aircraft: 12
Total helicopters: 10
Total attack helicopters: 7
Military strength score: 2.1115 – #106 out of 145

16. Democratic Republic of Congo

Total military aircraft: 46
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1
Total strike and attack aircraft: 6
Total helicopters: 32
Total attack helicopters: 8
Military strength score: 1.2491 – #73 out of 145

15. Botswana

Total military aircraft: 46
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 11
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 16
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 2.8353 – #126 out of 145

14. Uganda

Total military aircraft: 55
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 11
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 26
Total attack helicopters: 6
Military strength score: 2.2405 – #114 out of 145

13. Zimbabwe

Total military aircraft: 90
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 10
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 28
Total attack helicopters: 6
Military strength score: 2.0352 – #101 out of 145

12. Ethiopia

Total military aircraft: 91
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 23
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 31
Total attack helicopters: 6
Military strength score: 0.7938 – #49 out of 145

11. Zambia

Total military aircraft: 99
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 8
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 28
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 1.9851 – #97 out of 145

10. Libya

Total military aircraft: 132
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 17
Total strike and attack aircraft: 3
Total helicopters: 32
Total attack helicopters: 7
Military strength score: 1.4449 – #79 out of 145

9. Nigeria

Total military aircraft: 147
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 14
Total strike and attack aircraft: 24
Total helicopters: 53
Total attack helicopters: 15
Military strength score: 0.5619 – #39 out of 145

8. Tunisia

Total military aircraft: 155
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 10
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 101
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 1.2881 – #74 out of 145

7. Kenya

Total military aircraft: 158
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 17
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 87
Total attack helicopters: 2
Military strength score: 1.7629 – #89 out of 145

6. Sudan

Darfur support, U.S. Army Afri... by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Darfur support, U.S. Army Afri... (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

Total military aircraft: 170
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 45
Total strike and attack aircraft: 32
Total helicopters: 64
Total attack helicopters: 35
Military strength score: 1.4119 – #76 out of 145

5. South Africa

Total military aircraft: 194
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 2
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 91
Total attack helicopters: 12
Military strength score: 0.4632 – #33 out of 145

4. Morocco

Total military aircraft: 255
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 83
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total helicopters: 70
Total attack helicopters: 0
Military strength score: 1.0081 – #61 out of 145

3. Angola

Total military aircraft: 297
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 57
Total strike and attack aircraft: 26
Total helicopters: 116
Total attack helicopters: 15
Military strength score: 0.8702 – #55 out of 145

2. Algeria

Total military aircraft: 605
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 102
Total strike and attack aircraft: 42
Total helicopters: 298
Total attack helicopters: 75
Military strength score: 0.3589 – #26 out of 145

1. Egypt

Total military aircraft: 1,080
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 238
Total strike and attack aircraft: 88
Total helicopters: 338
Total attack helicopters: 100
Military strength score: 0.2283 – #15 out of 145

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