24/7 Wall St. Insights
- 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 military strength report from Global Firepower to determine the African countries with the most military aircraft.
- We ranked the list based on which countries had the most aircraft and included supplemental information on air force and military strength.
- Also: 2 Dividend Legends To Hold Forever
Most countries in Africa do not have large air forces with imposing fleets of fighter jets. Some African nations only have a handful of military aircraft, and those are often aging models. However, there are some African countries with high-end aircraft and highly trained pilots. Since World War I, aircraft have been important components of any nation’s defenses. (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.
One of the top 10 nations in the world is the African nation of Egypt. Egypt has an impressive fleet of fighter jets that it has pulled from both the U.S. and Russia. Over the past few decades, Egypt has modernized its fleet and built one of the strongest air forces in the world. Other African nations are following Egypt’s lead. (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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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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