The United States Air Force became a separate military service branch in 1947 after being part of the United States Army since 1907. Since its inception, America’s Air Force has always been the most powerful air power in the world, with a total of 4,211 active aircraft as of Sept. 30, 2021 – among them are some older aircraft. (These are the largest air forces in the world.)
While the Air Force is working to replace planes such as the B-2 Spirit with the Northrop Grumman-developed B-21 Raider, there are still plenty of aircraft that are defying time and remain in service.
To determine the U.S. Air Force’s oldest aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2022 USAF & USSF Almanac: Equipment, published in Air and Space Forces Magazine. We excluded aircraft used as trainers. All information is from the almanac.
All of the aircraft on this list are at least 34 years old. Seven of the 10 oldest planes are intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications aircraft and all are at least 57 years old. Those types of planes account for about half of the 30 oldest Air Force planes in service. (Also see, most expensive planes in the U.S. air force.)
Other categories represented among the oldest aircraft in the Air Force inventory are transport planes and fighter/attack jets. The latter category includes the A-10C Thunderbolt II, with 141 planes in active service, the most on the list. Second-most on the list is the KC-135R Stratotanker with 138 aircraft.
The venerable B-52H Stratofortress is the second-oldest plane on the list at 59.80 years. There are 58 B-52Hs in active service for the Air Force.
Click here to see the U.S. Air Force’s oldest aircraft.
30. B-1B Lancer
> Average age in 2022: 34.40 years
> Aircraft in service: 45
> Active Air Force: 45
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Bomber
[in-text-ad]
29. LC-130H Hercules
> Average age in 2022: 36.06 years
> Aircraft in service: 10
> Active Air Force: 0
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 10
> Type: Transport
24/7 Wall St.
28. C-12F Huron
> Average age in 2022: 36.25 years
> Aircraft in service: 3
> Active Air Force: 3
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Transport
27. QF-16A
> Average age in 2022: 36.27 years
> Aircraft in service: 66
> Active Air Force: 66
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Fighter/attack
[in-text-ad-2]
26. C-21A Learjet
> Average age in 2022: 36.50 years
> Aircraft in service: 19
> Active Air Force: 19
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Transport
25. F-15D Eagle
> Average age in 2022: 36.55 years
> Aircraft in service: 23
> Active Air Force: 9
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 14
> Type: Fighter/attack
[in-text-ad]
24. F-15C Eagle
> Average age in 2022: 36.72 years
> Aircraft in service: 209
> Active Air Force: 87
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 122
> Type: Fighter/attack
24/7 Wall St.
23. KC-10A Extender
> Average age in 2022: 36.79 years
> Aircraft in service: 48
> Active Air Force: 48
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Tanker
22. TU-2S Dragon Lady (trainer)
> Average age in 2022: 36.92 years
> Aircraft in service: 4
> Active Air Force: 4
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
[in-text-ad-2]
21. C-12D Huron
> Average age in 2022: 37.43 years
> Aircraft in service: 6
> Active Air Force: 6
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Transport
20. U-2S Dragon Lady
> Average age in 2022: 38.85 years
> Aircraft in service: 27
> Active Air Force: 27
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
[in-text-ad]
19. A-10C Thunderbolt II
> Average age in 2022: 40.30 years
> Aircraft in service: 281
> Active Air Force: 141
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 140
> Type: Fighter/attack
18. TH-1H Iroquois (trainer)
> Average age in 2022: 40.53 years
> Aircraft in service: 28
> Active Air Force: 28
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Helicopter
17. E-3G Sentry (AWACS)
> Average age in 2022: 41.37 years
> Aircraft in service: 21
> Active Air Force: 21
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
[in-text-ad-2]
16. E-3B Sentry (AWACS)
> Average age in 2022: 43.53 years
> Aircraft in service: 10
> Active Air Force: 10
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
15. C-12C Huron
> Average age in 2022: 45.17 years
> Aircraft in service: 16
> Active Air Force: 16
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Transport
[in-text-ad]
14. EC-130H Compass Call
> Average age in 2022: 47.09 years
> Aircraft in service: 9
> Active Air Force: 9
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
13. E-4B NAOC
> Average age in 2022: 47.38 years
> Aircraft in service: 4
> Active Air Force: 4
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
12. UH-1N Iroquois
> Average age in 2022: 49.59 years
> Aircraft in service: 63
> Active Air Force: 63
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Helicopter
[in-text-ad-2]
11. RC-135U Combat Sent
> Average age in 2022: 56.65 years
> Aircraft in service: 2
> Active Air Force: 2
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
10. RC-135V Rivet Joint
> Average age in 2022: 56.94 years
> Aircraft in service: 8
> Active Air Force: 8
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
[in-text-ad]
9. RC-135W Rivet Joint
> Average age in 2022: 58.08 years
> Aircraft in service: 12
> Active Air Force: 12
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
8. WC-135R Replacement of WC-135C
> Average age in 2022: 58.55 years
> Aircraft in service: 2
> Active Air Force: 2
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
7. TC-135W (trainer)
> Average age in 2022: 59.30 years
> Aircraft in service: 3
> Active Air Force: 3
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
[in-text-ad-2]
6. WC-135W Constant Phoenix
> Average age in 2022: 59.40 years
> Aircraft in service: 1
> Active Air Force: 1
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
5. KC-135R Stratotanker
> Average age in 2022: 59.46 years
> Aircraft in service: 340
> Active Air Force: 138
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 202
> Type: Tanker
[in-text-ad]
4. RC-135S Cobra Ball
> Average age in 2022: 59.47 years
> Aircraft in service: 3
> Active Air Force: 3
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
3. NC-135W (test bed)
> Average age in 2022: 59.50 years
> Aircraft in service: 1
> Active Air Force: 1
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 0
> Type: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance/battle management/command, control, and communications
2. B-52H Stratofortress
> Average age in 2022: 59.80 years
> Aircraft in service: 76
> Active Air Force: 58
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 18
> Type: Bomber
[in-text-ad-2]
1. KC-135T Stratotanker
> Average age in 2022: 61.59 years
> Aircraft in service: 54
> Active Air Force: 30
> Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve: 24
> Type: Tanker
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Get started right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
