In early 2024, Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences announced that the company would be manufacturing an experimental aircraft called X-65 as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. The X-65 uses a specialized technology called active flow control to change and improve aircraft flight. Aurora Flight Sciences believes that active flow control could potentially increase aircraft performance by improving maneuverability and versatility. This technology could have implications for commercial aircraft. But active flow control and unique, futuristic planes like the X-65 could also revolutionize the American military. (Explore the future of military aviation.)
U.S. military aircraft serve different functions: combat, surveillance, logistical support, search and rescue. To continue asserting itself as a global military force, the U.S. heavily invests in its air force. Its aircraft fleet is incredibly diverse. Out of all combat aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II is one of the most recent to enter service. With over 350 units in service, the F-35 forms the backbone of American military air dominance strategy.
Accordingly, the U.S. has built an incredibly diverse fleet of aircraft. Out of all the combat aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II is one of the most recent to enter service. With over 350 units in service, the F-35 forms the backbone of the military’s air dominance strategy. This advanced multirole fighter, developed by Lockheed Martin, combines stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, and networking technology, making it an indispensable tool for maintaining military superiority. (These are the oldest and newest fighter jets in modern air forces.)
The U.S. also employs aircraft like the C-130 Hercules and E-3 Sentry. While these do not serve in combat, they provide incredibly crucial support for U.S. military needs. The C-130 Hercules, with hundreds of units in service, remains the workhorse for mobility and transport in the U.S. military. It also takes on a few different variants across branches. The E-3 Sentry is an airborne early warning and control aircraft, providing critical surveillance and command-and-control capabilities.
24/7 Wall St. referenced the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, to identify all of the planes in active service in the U.S. military. We ranked aircraft by the number of units in active service. We excluded all trainer aircraft and helicopters and all aircraft from the Coast Guard. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft, how many are in active service, and how many are on order also came from FlightGlobal.
Why We’re Covering This
Looking at the scope of U.S. military aircraft provides a better understanding of where the country’s strategic and defense priorities sit. The number of certain active aircraft also show how ready the military is for other tactical or logistical missions. By seeing how many active U.S. military planes are in service, 24/7 Wall St. also gives you the knowledge to situate U.S. military capabilities in the larger global landscape.
Here is a look at every U.S. military plane in active service:
49. DHC-6 Twin Otter
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 1
- On order for the military: 0
48. PA-31 Navajo
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 1
- On order for the military: 0
47. Gulfstream G550
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission, transport
- Active in military: 2
- On order for the military: 9
46. AC-130W Stinger II
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 3
- On order for the military: 0
45. Cessna 208 Caravan
- Branch: Air Force, Army
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 3
- On order for the military: 0
44. de Havilland Canada Dash 7
- Branch: Army
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 3
- On order for the military: 0
43. E-8 Joint STARS
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 4
- On order for the military: 0
42. Boeing E-4
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 4
- On order for the military: 0
41. Boeing C-32
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 4
- On order for the military: 0
40. Douglas C-41
- Branch: Army
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 5
- On order for the military: 0
39. Gulfstream C-20
- Branch: Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 5
- On order for the military: 0
38. Beechcraft 1900
- Branch: Air Force, Army
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 6
- On order for the military: 0
37. Leonardo C-27 Spartan
- Branch: Army
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 7
- On order for the military: 0
36. Bombadier Express E-11
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 7
- On order for the military: 4
35. Martin P-3 Orion
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 8
- On order for the military: 0
34. EP-3 Ares II
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 9
- On order for the military: 0
33. Boeing E-6 Mercury
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 16
- On order for the military: 0
32. B-2 Spirit
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 17
- On order for the military: 0
31. C-40 Clipper
- Branch: Marine Corps, Navy
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 18
- On order for the military: 0
30. Bombadier Dash 8
- Branch: Air Force, Army
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 19
- On order for the military: 0
29. Learjet 35
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 19
- On order for the military: 0
28. KC-10 Extender
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Tanker
- Active in military: 20
- On order for the military: 0
27. C-146 Wolfhound
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 20
- On order for the military: 0
26. E-3 Sentry
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 21
- On order for the military: 0
25. Fairchild C-26 Metroliner
- Branch: Army, Navy
- Type: Special mission, transport
- Active in military: 21
- On order for the military: 0
24. Boeing RC-135
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 22
- On order for the military: 0
23. C-2 Greyhound
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 26
- On order for the military: 0
22. U-2 Dragon Lady
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 26
- On order for the military: 0
21. AC-130J Ghostrider
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 29
- On order for the military: 0
20. U-28A Draco
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Special mission, transport
- Active in military: 35
- On order for the military: 0
19. Citation Encore/Sovereign/Ultra
- Branch: Army, Marine Corps
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 38
- On order for the military: 2
18. B-1B Lancer
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 42
- On order for the military: 0
17. C-5M Super Galaxy
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 52
- On order for the military: 0
16. KC-46 Pegasus
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Tanker
- Active in military: 72
- On order for the military: 99
15. B-52H Stratofortress
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 72
- On order for the military: 0
14. E-2 Hawkeye
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 83
- On order for the military: 25
13. AV-8B Harrier II
- Branch: Marine Corps
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 87
- On order for the military: 0
12. Boeing P-8 Poseidon
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 118
- On order for the military: 10
11. EA-18G Growler
- Branch: Navy
- Type: Special mission
- Active in military: 153
- On order for the military: 0
10. F-22 Raptor
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 178
- On order for the military: 0
9. C-17 Globemaster III
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Transport
- Active in military: 228
- On order for the military: 0
8. Beechcraft C-12 Huron
- Branch: Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps
- Type: Special mission, transport
- Active in military: 255
- On order for the military: 2
7. A-10C Thunderbolt II
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 270
- On order for the military: 0
6. F-35 Lightning II
- Branch: Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 376
- On order for the military: 1,855
5. F-15EX Eagle II
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 377
- On order for the military: 102
4. KC-135 Stratotanker
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Tanker
- Active in military: 377
- On order for the military: 0
3. C-130 Hercules
- Branch: Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy
- Type: Special mission, transport, tanker
- Active in military: 539
- On order for the military: 51
2. F/A-18 Hornet / Super Hornet
- Branch: Marine Corps, Navy
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 561
- On order for the military: 76
1. F-16C Fighting Falcon
- Branch: Air Force
- Type: Combat aircraft
- Active in military: 738
- On order for the military: 0
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The post The Air Force Has 738 of These Powerful Combat Aircraft appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..