India Owns More MiG Fighter Jets Than Any Nation, Besides Russia

24/7 Wall St. Insights:

India has the largest fleet of MiG fighter jets outside of Russia
Through constant upgrades and innovation MiGs have remained relevant since their beginning in the 1940s
MiGs were originally developed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union
Also: Dividend legends to hold forever

Outside of Russia, India has the most expansive fleet of MiG fighter jets, making it one of the most powerful militaries on the planet. India’s recent acquisitions and upgrades of MiG fighters are part of its broader strategy to strengthen its military and national defense. While the Indian Air Force (IAF) is adding a number of different aircraft to its ranks, the MiG is perhaps the most notable. (These countries have the most Sukhoi fighter jets.)

Even though the IAF has begun to diversify its fleet with newer aircraft like the Rafale, the MiG series continues to serve as a reliable workhorse. Again, with the introduction of more modern aircraft, the MiGs have remained relevant due to continuous upgrades and their proven combat record over the years.

The MiG series originally began with the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union in the 1940s. These jets improved by leaps and bounds in the coming decades and would prove formidable in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Even past these conflicts more than half-a-century ago, MiGs have continued to improve and refine their tech, making them an incredibly popular fighter jet among world air forces.

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at which world air forces are holding the most MiGs. To identify the countries with the most MiG fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked these countries according to the number of MiGs currently in service, and we excluded countries that had less than 10 MiGs. We included supplemental information from GlobalFirePower regarding each country’s current air force.

Over its history, MiG aircraft have been central to numerous military engagements and are still being used around the world in active conflicts, even now. (These are the biggest and smallest modern fighter jets.)

Here is a look at the countries with the most MiG fighter jets:

Why Are We Covering This?

Venezuela+Sukhoi | Photo by Sergio j. Padrón from the backseat of a Venezuelan Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MkII flying the slot position of a four-ship formation.

MiG fighter jets have been an important component of military aviation for decades, primarily due to their blend of advanced technology, cost-effectiveness, and versatile capabilities. Originating in the Soviet era, MiGs were developed to challenge Western air superiority and offer a reliable, high-performance fighter jet option for the Soviet Union. Over time, their importance grew as they became a staple in numerous air forces around the world, particularly in developing nations that needed effective and affordable military equipment.

23. Croatia

Active MiG aircraft: 11
Variant(s): MiG-21
Total military aircraft: 81
Total attack aircraft: 0
Total fighter aircraft: 11

22. Bulgaria

Active MiG aircraft: 13
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 65
Total attack aircraft: 5
Total fighter aircraft: 11

21. Serbia

Active MiG aircraft: 14
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 112
Total attack aircraft: 17
Total fighter aircraft: 11

20. Azerbaijan

russian+mig | Russian Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29S Naumenko-1

Active MiG aircraft: 15
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 144
Total attack aircraft: 11
Total fighter aircraft: 12

19. Libya

Mig-31+Foxhound | Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound '96 blue'

Active MiG aircraft: 18
Variant(s): MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25
Total military aircraft: 132
Total attack aircraft: 3
Total fighter aircraft: 17

18. Sudan

MiG-21+Fishbed | 7006 over Sajek: Bangladesh Air Force Mig-21 MF Fishbed.

Active MiG aircraft: 18
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 170
Total attack aircraft: 32
Total fighter aircraft: 45

17. Iran

Active MiG aircraft: 24
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 551
Total attack aircraft: 23
Total fighter aircraft: 186

16. Turkmenistan

Active MiG aircraft: 24
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 90
Total attack aircraft: 28
Total fighter aircraft: 24

15. Poland

Active MiG aircraft: 29
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 468
Total attack aircraft: 34
Total fighter aircraft: 59

14. Belarus

Active MiG aircraft: 33
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 183
Total attack aircraft: 51
Total fighter aircraft: 37

13. Myanmar

Bangladesh+MiG | 36502: Bangladesh Air Force Mig-29B Fulcrum.

Active MiG aircraft: 33
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 293
Total attack aircraft: 26
Total fighter aircraft: 58

12. Uzbekistan

Active MiG aircraft: 38
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 191
Total attack aircraft: 13
Total fighter aircraft: 58

11. Algeria

Romania+military+aircraft | Pride of the sky

Active MiG aircraft: 40
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 605
Total attack aircraft: 42
Total fighter aircraft: 102

10. Yemen

MiG-29K+Fulcrum-D | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29K âRF-92324 / 48 blueâ

Active MiG aircraft: 42
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 177
Total attack aircraft: 23
Total fighter aircraft: 53

9. Egypt

Active MiG aircraft: 43
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 1,080
Total attack aircraft: 88
Total fighter aircraft: 238

8. Angola

Active MiG aircraft: 45
Variant(s): MiG-21, MiG-23
Total military aircraft: 297
Total attack aircraft: 26
Total fighter aircraft: 57

7. Cuba

Active MiG aircraft: 46
Variant(s): MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 81
Total attack aircraft: N/A
Total fighter aircraft: 38

6. Ukraine

Active MiG aircraft: 55
Variant(s): MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 321
Total attack aircraft: 30
Total fighter aircraft: 72

5. Kazakhstan

Active MiG aircraft: 58
Variant(s): MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, MiG-31
Total military aircraft: 243
Total attack aircraft: 38
Total fighter aircraft: 81

4. North Korea

Active MiG aircraft: 121
Variant(s): MiG-15, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 951
Total attack aircraft: 132
Total fighter aircraft: 440

3. Syria

Active MiG aircraft: 168
Variant(s): MiG-25, MiG-29
Total military aircraft: 452
Total attack aircraft: 57
Total fighter aircraft: 168

2. India

Active MiG aircraft: 247
Variant(s): MiG-21
Total military aircraft: 2,296
Total attack aircraft: 130
Total fighter aircraft: 606

1. Russia

Active MiG aircraft: 403
Variant(s): MiG-29, MiG-31, MiG-35
Total military aircraft: 4,255
Total attack aircraft: 730
Total fighter aircraft: 809

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