This European Nation Has Over 220 Fighter Jets - and It Isn't Afraid to Use Them

The F-35 Lightning II, a supersonic stealth strike fighter developed by Lockheed Martin, has long been considered the gold standard of fighter jets thanks to its advanced technology and integrated sensor suite and information processing. This multirole aircraft is also incredibly versatile; it can be deployed for reconnaissance, surveillance, air superiority, and even ground strikes. While several countries around the world, including European nations, have purchased F-35 Lightning II jets from the United States, the landscape is beginning to change, begging the question: is the F-35 still going to be considered the top-tier fighter jet moving forward? NPR explains that 19 allied nations currently fly F-35s — and several countries were planning on purchasing more jets to revamp their fleets. But U.S. President Donald Trump has made several statements during his time in office that have concerned American allies. Allies, now wary of the Trump administration and the potential for conflict, have began searching for alternatives to the F-35. France has even positioned its Dassault Rafale as a possible replacement. (NATO combat aircraft have never been better.)

At this point in time, decisions have not quite been solidifed yet. But amidst the uncertainty, many European powers question whether it would be a good idea to tie their defense capabilities to America — especially as the Trump administration has no longer felt the need to maintain positive relationships with American allies. As we look forward, understanding which European nations have the largest fleets of fighter jets — and which might be building those fleets — provides essential context for how the situation might play out should additional conflict or war arise. Here, 24/7 Wall St. used Global Firepower’s 2025 Military Strength Ranking to identify which European countries have the most fighter jets. Global Firepower assesses over sixty different factors to provide 145 nations with a PowerIndex score — essentially, a breakdown of how powerful their military is. The closer to a perfect zero, the more powerful the military. We listed the countries in ascending order from the least fighter jets to the most fighter jets. In the case of a tie, we broke the tie using supplemental information (also sourced from Global Firepower) on the total number of military aircraft.

This previously published article was updated on March 24, 2025 to reflect updated data from Global Firepower, as well as recent discussions around European nations replacing the F-35 with another aircraft option.

Why Cover This Now?

Historically, Europe has been marked by wars, shifting alliances, and territorial disputes. Yet it still remains a key player on the global stage. Europe is also home to alliances like the European Union or NATO, which can be considered some of the most powerful alliances in terms of global influence. The military forces held by European nations, especially those nations part of these allances, has the potential to tilt the region’s balance of power.

Despite Donald Trump’s criticisms of Europe — and his seemingly large desire to overtake Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark — some countries are not breaking from their plan to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the United States. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius allegedly stated that Germany would continue with its plan to procure F-35s, as this was both important as a defense strategy and as a boon for NATO. However, if Trump continues to clash with NATO nations, it’s uncertain who else (if anybody) might follow suit. Looking at which countries own the most fighter jets shows who is prepared in case tensions between America and Europe worsen.

Currently, these European countries have the largest fighter jet fleets: