Military

Russia Has 10-Times More Military Aircraft Than Any Eastern European Nation

Sukhoi+Su-33+Flanker-D | Sukhoi Su-27 (Russian: Сухой Су-27; NATO reporting name: "Flanker")
Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr

24/7 Wall St. Insights:

  • Russia operates the largest military air force in Eastern Europe with over 4,000 aircraft at its disposal
  • Coming out of the Cold War, Russia inherited a sizable fleet of combat aircraft from the Soviet Union with a number of MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets
  • The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is the newest fifth-generation fighter jet developed by Russia specifically for air superiority and attack roles
  • Also: Discover the next Nvidia

Boasting an air force an order of magnitude greater than any other military power in the region, Russia rules the skies over Eastern Europe. With over 4,000 military aircraft in its employ, the Russian military dwarfs even the second strongest aerial power in the region. Not to mention, Russia’s constant push for air superiority has resulted in some of the most advanced combat aircraft particularly in its MiG and Sukhoi series. (These countries have the most Sukhoi fighter jets.)

Coming out of the Cold War, Russia inherited a sizable fleet of aircraft from the Soviet Union. Many of these were MiGs and Sukhois, which have been drastically improved upon in their latest iterations.

The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is the newest fifth-generation fighter jet developed by Russia specifically for air superiority and attack roles. This jet is complemented by a modernized fleet of Su-35 Flankers and MiG-35 Fulcrums. (Nearly 900 of this stealth fighter jet take to the skies worldwide.)

Comparatively, NATO and other Eastern European countries operate smaller, albeit technologically sophisticated, air forces. While nations like Poland and Romania have invested in modern fighters such as the F-16, not one can match the sheer scale of Russia’s aerial might.

Although Russia’s fleet is massive, some neighbors and NATO allies are purchasing U.S. fighter jets to rival those in the Russian fleet. 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the air forces within this region.

To determine the Eastern European 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.

Here is a look at the largest air forces in Eastern Europe:

Why Are We Covering This?

Kichigin / iStock via Getty Images

Understanding the military dynamics of Eastern Europe is essential due to the region’s critical geopolitical importance, not to mention the ongoing conflict. Eastern Europe has historically been a focal point of tension, and military power plays an important role in maintaining both political and economic stability. The stability of Eastern Europe remains vital to global security.

11. Moldova

inyucho / Wikimedia Commons
  • 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 and world rank: 4.2311 – #144 out of 145

10. Montenegro

CRNAGORAMNE / Wikimedia Commons
  • Total military aircraft: 11
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
  • Total helicopters: 11
  • Total attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score and world rank: 2.9109 – #129 out of 145

9. Slovakia

U.S. Department of Defense / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Total military aircraft: 37
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
  • Total helicopters: 22
  • Total attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score and world rank: 1.1891 – #69 out of 145

8. Hungary

Admiralis-generalis-Aladeen / Wikimedia Commons
  • Total military aircraft: 62
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 12
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
  • Total helicopters: 38
  • Total attack helicopters: 8
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.8478 – #54 out of 145

7. Bulgaria

sdasmarchives / Flickr
  • Total military aircraft: 65
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 11
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 5
  • Total helicopters: 27
  • Total attack helicopters: 4
  • Military strength score and world rank: 1.0132 – #62 out of 145

6. Czechia

  • Total military aircraft: 88
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 12
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 16
  • Total helicopters: 33
  • Total attack helicopters: 3
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.7706 – #46 out of 145

5. Romania

  • Total military aircraft: 131
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 14
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
  • Total helicopters: 67
  • Total attack helicopters: 0
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.7712 – #47 out of 145

4. Belarus

Public Domain / WIkimedia Commons
  • Total military aircraft: 183
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 37
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 51
  • Total helicopters: 64
  • Total attack helicopters: 25
  • Military strength score and world rank: 1.0901 – #64 out of 145

3. Ukraine

Ministry of Defense of Ukraine / Wikimedia Commons
  • Total military aircraft: 321
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 72
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 30
  • Total helicopters: 130
  • Total attack helicopters: 33
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145

2. Poland

NATO Exercises Take Place In Poland
2022 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Total military aircraft: 468
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 59
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 34
  • Total helicopters: 215
  • Total attack helicopters: 30
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145

1. Russia

Robert Sullivan / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Total military aircraft: 4,255
  • Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 809
  • Total strike and attack aircraft: 730
  • Total helicopters: 1,547
  • Total attack helicopters: 559
  • Military strength score and world rank: 0.0702 – #2 out of 145

Find a Qualified Financial Advisor (Sponsor)

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.