The Ultimate Guide to US Air Force Aircraft

24/7 Wall St. Insights

To identify every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal.
Fifth-generation fighter jets are widely used in the U.S. Air Force.
The U.S. has the largest and most powerful air force in the world.
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When World War I broke out in 1914, aviation was just getting its start. However, technological advances in aircraft would change the way that war is waged. Throughout WWI and WWII, the U.S. continued to advance its airpower. Today, the U.S. is known to have the largest and most powerful air force in the world. Read on for a comprehensive list of fighter jets, transport aircraft, special mission planes, and helicopters in the U.S. fleet.

To identify every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft based on how many are currently in active service. We also included supplemental data on type and how many are currently on order. We did not include aircraft used exclusively for training.

The U.S. Air Force uses several different aircraft types to maintain national security. Currently, fifth-generation fighter jets are heavily relied on as they offer agility, stealth, and advanced avionics. Only a handful of nations have access to these jets as it adds significantly to the strength of a nation’s military. Notable examples of these fighter jets include the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, known for their air superiority capabilities and versatility. (These are the most widely used stealth planes.)

Aside from fighter jets, the U.S. Air Force employs a series of aircraft for strategic and tactical lift operations. These aircraft carry troops, cargo, and equipment around the world. The C-130 Hercules, a staple of U.S. military operations, has been fulfilling these transport and tanker roles since the 1950s. (These are the oldest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force.)

Why This Matters

A nation’s defense affects the nation’s economy. In March 2024, the Biden Administration submitted a Fiscal Year 2025 budget request of $849.8 billion for the Department of Defense. A sizable portion of these funds are set aside for the research and development of new military technologies, including aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. When a new F-35 Lightning II is created, its economic reach impacts nearly every U.S. state (through a large network of suppliers, administrators, trainers, etc) and creates jobs both directly and indirectly.

Scroll below to see every aircraft in the U.S. Air Force:

47. 737 (E-7A) (AEW)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 0
Aircraft on order: 26

46. AT-802U

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 0
Aircraft on order: 75

45. B-21

The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony December 2, 2022 in Palmdale, Calif. Designed to operate in tomorrow's high-end threat environment, the B-21 will play a critical role in ensuring America's enduring airpower capability. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 0
Aircraft on order: 100

44. DHC-6

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 0

43. G550 (EC-37B) (SIGINT)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 9

42. Gulfstream G550

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 0

41. Gulfstream IV (C-20H)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 0

40. Mi-171

Type: Combat helicopter
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 0

39. PA-31

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 1
Aircraft on order: 0

38. Cessna 208

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 2
Aircraft on order: 0

37. Beech 1900 (C-12J)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 3
Aircraft on order: 0

36. C295 (L3Harris)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 3
Aircraft on order: 0

35. 747 (E-4B) (Comms)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 4
Aircraft on order: 0

34. 757 (C-32B) (Recce)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 4
Aircraft on order: 0

33. AW139 (MH-139)

Type: Combat helicopter
Active in the Air Force: 4
Aircraft on order: 78

32. CN235 (Recce)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 5
Aircraft on order: 0

31. Global Express (E-11A) (Comms)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 7
Aircraft on order: 4

30. Dash 8-100/200 (Recce)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 10
Aircraft on order: 0

29. EC-130 H/J

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 14
Aircraft on order: 0

28. B-2

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 17
Aircraft on order: 0

27. Learjet 35 (C-21A)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 19
Aircraft on order: 0

26. DC-10 (KC-10)

Type: Tanker
Active in the Air Force: 20
Aircraft on order: 0

25. Dornier 328 (C-146)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 20
Aircraft on order: 0

24. RC-135S/U/V/W (ELINT)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 22
Aircraft on order: 0

23. King Air 200 (C-12)

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 23
Aircraft on order: 0

22. 707 (E-8C/E-3B)

Type: Special mission, training aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 26
Aircraft on order: 0

21. U-2S (Recce)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 26
Aircraft on order: 0

20. AC-130 J/W

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 32
Aircraft on order: 0

19. PC-12 (U-28)

Type: Special mission, transport
Active in the Air Force: 35
Aircraft on order: 0

18. King Air 350 (MC-12W) (Recce)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 36
Aircraft on order: 0

17. HC-130J (SAR)

Type: Special mission
Active in the Air Force: 40
Aircraft on order: 6

16. B-1B

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 42
Aircraft on order: 0

15. C-5M

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 52
Aircraft on order: 0

14. CV-22

Type: Combat helicopter
Active in the Air Force: 52
Aircraft on order: 2

13. MC-130J

Type: Tanker
Active in the Air Force: 57
Aircraft on order: 4

12. UH-1N

Type: Combat helicopter
Active in the Air Force: 64
Aircraft on order: 0

11. 767 (KC-46A)

Type: Tanker
Active in the Air Force: 72
Aircraft on order: 99

10. B-52H

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 72
Aircraft on order: 0

9. S-70/HH-60G/U/W/MH-60G

Type: Combat helicopter
Active in the Air Force: 96
Aircraft on order: 91

8. F-22

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 178
Aircraft on order: 0

7. C-17

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 228
Aircraft on order: 0

6. A-10C

Type: Combat aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 270
Aircraft on order: 0

5. C-130 H/J

Type: Transport
Active in the Air Force: 330
Aircraft on order: 26

4. F-35 A

Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 363
Aircraft on order: 1372

3. KC-135R/T

Type: Tanker
Active in the Air Force: 377
Aircraft on order: 0

2. F-15 C/D/E/EX

Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 395
Aircraft on order: 102

1. F-16 C/D

Type: Combat aircraft, training aircraft
Active in the Air Force: 875
Aircraft on order: 0

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