Militaries Across the World Are Still Buying This 50-Year-Old Attack Aircraft

By Chris Lange Updated Sep 23, 11:57AM EDT · Published Sep 23, 10:56AM EDT

Follow 24/7 Wall St. on Google

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

Militaries Across the World Are Still Buying This 50-Year-Old Attack Aircraft — © gareth patterson / Public Domain / Flickr

Some of today’s military aircraft (e.g., B-52 Stratofortress, KC-135 tanker, or C-130 transport) are based on original designs from the 1950s. They have been updated and improved over the years, but the fundamental structures remain similar to the original versions. However, modern fighters like the F-35, Rafale, Typhoon, J-20, or Su-57 are entirely new designs. Despite the latest technology and military advancements seen in fifth-generation fighter jets, today’s militaries regularly purchase updated or re-manufactured variants of aircraft created more than 50 years ago.

24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at combat aircraft being ordered by world militaries from older models like the L-39 Albatros to newer fifth-generation fighter jets. To identify the oldest combat aircraft (and a few of the newest/future models) of world militaries, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. 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.

This post was updated on September 23, 2025 to clarify generations of select craft, 1950s models, IA-63 Pampa, F-35 numbers, and J-15 description.

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding which combat aircraft are 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 explains relative military capabilities.

Here is a look at the oldest (and newest) combat aircraft on order by the world’s militaries:

24. B-21 Raider

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

23. KF-21 Boromae

Type: 4.5 generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2028
Total aircraft on order: 170
Total active aircraft: 0
Militaries buying this aircraft: Indonesia, South Korea

22. Calidus B-250 Bader

Type: Light attack aircraft
Year introduced: 2021
Total aircraft on order: 24
Total active aircraft: 0
Militaries buying this aircraft: United Arab Emirates

21. Su-57 Felon

Type: Fifth-generation stealth aircraft
Year introduced: 2019
Total aircraft on order: 62
Total active aircraft: 14 (As of 2024, Russia reportedly fielded 20–22, but figures are not confirmed.)
Militaries buying this aircraft: Russia

20. Hurkus C

Type: Counter-insurgency attack aircraft
Year introduced: 2018
Total aircraft on order: 24
Total active aircraft: 0
Militaries buying this aircraft: Turkey

19. F-35 Lightning II

Wisconsin National Guard by The National Guard

Wisconsin National Guard (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

Type: Fifth-generation strike fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2016
Total aircraft on order: 2703
Total active aircraft: over 970
Militaries buying this aircraft: United States, Israel, Poland, Canada

18. HAL Tejas

Type: Fourth-generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2016
Total aircraft on order: 180
Total active aircraft: 32
Militaries buying this aircraft: India

17. Su-34 Fullback

Su-34+Fullback | Sukhoi SU-34 FULLBACK (DEFENDER) (ÃÂ¡ÃÂ-34)

Type: Strike fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2014
Total aircraft on order: 4
Total active aircraft: 134
Militaries buying this aircraft: Russia

16. Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine

Beechcraft AT-6 'Wolverine' experimental aircraft by aeroman3

Beechcraft AT-6 'Wolverine' experimental aircraft (PDM 1.0) by aeroman3

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

15. JF-17 Thunder

Type: Light fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2007
Total aircraft on order: 47
Total active aircraft: 128
Militaries buying this aircraft: Pakistan, Myanmar

14. Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon

Type: Fourth-generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2005
Total aircraft on order: 7
Total active aircraft: 18
Militaries buying this aircraft: Pakistan

13. FA-50 GF/PL Golden Eagle

Type: Light attack aircraft
Year introduced: 2013
Total aircraft on order: 82
Total active aircraft: 2
Militaries buying this aircraft: Poland, Malaysia

12. Eurofighter Typhoon

United+Kingdom+attack+aircraft | Two Eurofighter "Typhoon FGR4 (FGR.Mk 4)" aircraft, flown by 29 (R) Squadron from RAF Coningsby.

Type: 4.5 generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2003 (Development dates back to the 1980s.)
Total aircraft on order: 157
Total active aircraft: 296
Militaries buying this aircraft: Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia

11. Dassault Rafale

Type: 4.5 generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 2001
Total aircraft on order: 362
Total active aircraft: 211
Militaries buying this aircraft: France, Egypt, Croatia, India, United Arab Emirates

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

An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assig... by Official U.S. Navy Page

An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assig... (CC BY 2.0) by Official U.S. Navy Page

Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 1999
Total aircraft on order: 108
Total active aircraft: 421
Militaries buying this aircraft: United States, Kuwait

9. JAS 39 Gripen

JAS-39 Gripen Czechia (CC BY-SA 2.0) by slezo

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

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

Sukhoi+Su-33+Flanker-D | Sukhoi Su-27 (Russian: Сухой Су-27; NATO reporting name: "Flanker")

Type: Strike fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 1996
Total aircraft on order: 50
Total active aircraft: 45
Militaries buying this aircraft: China
J-15 = Chinese carrier-based fighter, introduced in 2013.
Su-30 = two-seat multirole fighter, introduced 1990s.
Su-33 = Russian carrier fighter, introduced mid-1990s

7. AT-802 L/U Air Tractor

Type: Light aircraft
Year introduced: 2000s-2010s
Total aircraft on order: 87
Total active aircraft: 0
Militaries buying this aircraft: Kenya, United States

6. Tu-160 Blackjack

Tupolev Tu-160 (Russian: u0422u0443u043fu043eu043bu0435u0432 u0422u0443-160 u0411u0435u043bu044bu0439 u043bu0435u0431u0435u0434u044c, romanized: Belyy Lebed, lit. 'White Swan'; NATO reporting name: 'Blackjack') (PDM 1.0) by aeroman3

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

5. IA-63 Pampa

Type: Trainer/light attack aircraft
Year introduced: 1988
Total aircraft on order: 5
Total active aircraft: 10
Militaries buying this aircraft: Argentina

4. Su-27/30 Flanker

Sukhoi Su-27, Su-30, Su-34 & S... by Alan Wilson

Sukhoi Su-27, Su-30, Su-34 & S... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Alan Wilson

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

3. MiG-29/35 Fulcrum

Type: Light fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 1984
Total aircraft on order: 68
Total active aircraft: 302
Militaries buying this aircraft: Russia, Algeria, Yemen

2. F-16 Fighting Falcon

Type: Fourth-generation fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 1979
Total aircraft on order: 237
Total active aircraft: 202
Militaries buying this aircraft: Ukraine, Taiwan, Romania, Morocco

1. F-15 Eagle

Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
Year introduced: 1976 (Newer variants like the F-15EX (2021+) are substantially modernized)
Total aircraft on order: 162
Total active aircraft: 410
Militaries buying this aircraft: Indonesia, Qatar, United States

About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.