Military

The F-35 Lightning II Is By Far the World's Most Ordered Combat Aircraft

F-35+Lightning+II | Lockheed Martin F-35 'Lightning II' Heritage Flight Team
Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr

24/7 Wall St. Insights:

  • The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world
  • The cost for each fighter jet ranges between $110 million and $136 million depending on the variant
  • Only 20 countries have ordered or use F-35 Lightning II fighter jets
  • Also: Discover the next Nvidia

The F-35 Lightning II is one of the newest and most technologically advanced fighter jets to enter service in the last decade. It was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin in partnership with BAe Systems and Northrop Grumman. Considering it’s position as one of the top fighter jets in existence, militaries around the world are ordering these jets en masse. (This is every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force.)

These jets do not come cheap, the cost for the F-35 ranges depending on the variant and is fairly high compared to other fighter jets. The F-35A is the stock standard variant and costs roughly $110 million per unit. The B variant costs slightly more at around $136 million per unit but it incorporates a short take-off and vertical landing system, which allows it to take off from extremely short runways as well land vertically. The C variant is designed to be launched from aircraft carriers and costs about $117 million per unit.

What makes the F-35 Lightning II special is that it brings next-level features like stealth, maneuverability, and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburners. Also, it’s versatile with its weapons load, and capable of carrying up to 18,000 pounds of munitions.

So far, only 20 countries, all allies of the U.S., have ordered or use these jets. This means it’s pretty unlikely that rivals like China or Russia will get their hands on an F-35 anytime soon. (These are the stealth aircraft used by global superpower air forces.)

24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at military aircraft on order by the world’s militaries. To identify the combat aircraft of the future, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft by how many are currently on order by militaries around the world. We also included supplemental data on the type of aircraft, how many of these aircraft are in active service, and what militaries employ these aircraft.

Here is a look at the combat aircraft on order by the world’s militaries:

Why Are We Covering This?

Sgt. Donald R. Allen, U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia Commons

Understanding the combat aircraft used by the militaries around the world provides insight into joint military capabilities and defense strategies. Also knowing what other countries have in their arsenals further explain relative military capabilities.

25. Aero L-39 Albatross

  • Type: Light attack aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1972
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 4
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Hungary

24. Su-34 Fullback

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Type: Strike fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2014
  • Total aircraft on order: 134
  • Total active aircraft: 4
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Russia

23. IS-64 Pampa

IA-63 Pampa
Argentina.gob.ar (Government of Argentina) / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Light strike aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1988
  • Total aircraft on order: 10
  • Total active aircraft: 5
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Argentina

22. Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2005
  • Total aircraft on order: 18
  • Total active aircraft: 7
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Pakistan

21. Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine

  • Type: Light attack / close-air support aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2013
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 12
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Thailand, Tunisia

20. Calidus B-250 Bader

Mztourist / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Light attack aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2021
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 24
  • Militaries with this aircraft: United Arab Emirates

19. Hurkus C

Anna Zvereva / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Counter-insurgency attack aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2018
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 24
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Turkey

18. JF-17 Thunder

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Type: Light fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2007
  • Total aircraft on order: 128
  • Total active aircraft: 47
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Pakistan, Myanmar

17. J-15/Su-30/33 Flanker

Venezuela+Sukhoi | Photo by Sergio j. Padrón from the backseat of a Venezuelan Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MkII flying the slot position of a four-ship formation.
my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
  • Type: Strike fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1996
  • Total aircraft on order: 45
  • Total active aircraft: 50
  • Militaries with this aircraft: China

16. Tu-160 Blackjack

  • Type: Strategic long-range bomber aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1989
  • Total aircraft on order: 15
  • Total active aircraft: 50
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Russia

15. Su-57 Felon

Dmitry Potashkin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Type: Fifth generation stealth aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2019
  • Total aircraft on order: 14
  • Total active aircraft: 62
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Russia

14. MiG-29/35 Fulcrum

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Type: Light fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1984
  • Total aircraft on order: 302
  • Total active aircraft: 68
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Russia, Algeria, Yemen

13. FA-50 GF/PL Golden Eagle

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Light attack aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2005
  • Total aircraft on order: 2
  • Total active aircraft: 82
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Poland, Malaysia

12. AT-802 L/U Air Tractor

Mztourist / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Light aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1990
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 87
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Kenya, United States

11. Su-27/30 Flanker

  • Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1985
  • Total aircraft on order: 781
  • Total active aircraft: 94
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, India

10. B-21 Raider

  • Type: Strategic long-range stealth bomber aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2028
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 100
  • Militaries with this aircraft: United States

9. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
  • Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1999
  • Total aircraft on order: 421
  • Total active aircraft: 108
  • Militaries with this aircraft: United States, Kuwait

8. Eurofighter Typhoon

  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2003
  • Total aircraft on order: 296
  • Total active aircraft: 157
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia

7. F-15 Eagle

usairforce / Flickr
  • Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1976
  • Total aircraft on order: 410
  • Total active aircraft: 162
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Indonesia, Qatar, United States

6. JAS 39 Gripen

  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1997
  • Total aircraft on order: 6
  • Total active aircraft: 164
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Brazil, Sweden

5. KF-21 Boromae

KF-21A / Wikimedia Commons
  • Type: Fifth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2028
  • Total aircraft on order: 0
  • Total active aircraft: 170
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Indonesia, South Korea

4. HAL Tejas

  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2015
  • Total aircraft on order: 32
  • Total active aircraft: 180
  • Militaries with this aircraft: India

3. F-16 Fighting Falcon

Aqeela_Image / Shutterstock.com
  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 1978
  • Total aircraft on order: 202
  • Total active aircraft: 237
  • Militaries with this aircraft: Ukraine, Taiwan, Romania, Morocco

2. Dassault Rafale

  • Type: Fourth generation fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2001
  • Total aircraft on order: 211
  • Total active aircraft: 362
  • Militaries with this aircraft: France, Egypt, Croatia, India, United Arab Emirates

1. F-35 Lightning II

  • Type: Fifth generation strike fighter aircraft
  • Year introduced: 2016
  • Total aircraft on order: 661
  • Total active aircraft: 2,703
  • Militaries with this aircraft: United States, Israel, Poland, Canada

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