24/7 Wall St. Insights:
- Russia operates the largest military air force in Eastern Europe with over 4,000 aircraft at its disposal
- Coming out of the Cold War, Russia inherited a sizable fleet of combat aircraft from the Soviet Union with a number of MiG and Sukhoi fighter jets
- The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is the newest fifth-generation fighter jet developed by Russia specifically for air superiority and attack roles
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Boasting an air force an order of magnitude greater than any other military power in the region, Russia rules the skies over Eastern Europe. With over 4,000 military aircraft in its employ, the Russian military dwarfs even the second strongest aerial power in the region. Not to mention, Russia’s constant push for air superiority has resulted in some of the most advanced combat aircraft particularly in its MiG and Sukhoi series. (These countries have the most Sukhoi fighter jets.)
Coming out of the Cold War, Russia inherited a sizable fleet of aircraft from the Soviet Union. Many of these were MiGs and Sukhois, which have been drastically improved upon in their latest iterations.
The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is the newest fifth-generation fighter jet developed by Russia specifically for air superiority and attack roles. This jet is complemented by a modernized fleet of Su-35 Flankers and MiG-35 Fulcrums. (Nearly 900 of this stealth fighter jet take to the skies worldwide.)
Comparatively, NATO and other Eastern European countries operate smaller, albeit technologically sophisticated, air forces. While nations like Poland and Romania have invested in modern fighters such as the F-16, not one can match the sheer scale of Russia’s aerial might.
Although Russia’s fleet is massive, some neighbors and NATO allies are purchasing U.S. fighter jets to rival those in the Russian fleet. 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the air forces within this region.
To determine the Eastern European countries with the most military aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 military strength report from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked these countries according to which countries have the most aircraft. We included supplemental information regarding each country’s current air force and overall military strength ranking. Nations that did not have any military aircraft were excluded.
Here is a look at the largest air forces in Eastern Europe:
Why Are We Covering This?
Understanding the military dynamics of Eastern Europe is essential due to the region’s critical geopolitical importance, not to mention the ongoing conflict. Eastern Europe has historically been a focal point of tension, and military power plays an important role in maintaining both political and economic stability. The stability of Eastern Europe remains vital to global security.
11. Moldova
- Total military aircraft: 3
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 2
- Total attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 4.2311 – #144 out of 145
10. Montenegro
- Total military aircraft: 11
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 11
- Total attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 2.9109 – #129 out of 145
9. Slovakia
- Total military aircraft: 37
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 0
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 22
- Total attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.1891 – #69 out of 145
8. Hungary
- Total military aircraft: 62
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 12
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 38
- Total attack helicopters: 8
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.8478 – #54 out of 145
7. Bulgaria
- Total military aircraft: 65
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 11
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 5
- Total helicopters: 27
- Total attack helicopters: 4
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0132 – #62 out of 145
6. Czechia
- Total military aircraft: 88
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 12
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 16
- Total helicopters: 33
- Total attack helicopters: 3
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7706 – #46 out of 145
5. Romania
- Total military aircraft: 131
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 14
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
- Total helicopters: 67
- Total attack helicopters: 0
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.7712 – #47 out of 145
4. Belarus
- Total military aircraft: 183
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 37
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 51
- Total helicopters: 64
- Total attack helicopters: 25
- Military strength score and world rank: 1.0901 – #64 out of 145
3. Ukraine
- Total military aircraft: 321
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 72
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 30
- Total helicopters: 130
- Total attack helicopters: 33
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2598 – #18 out of 145
2. Poland
- Total military aircraft: 468
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 59
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 34
- Total helicopters: 215
- Total attack helicopters: 30
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.2917 – #21 out of 145
1. Russia
- Total military aircraft: 4,255
- Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 809
- Total strike and attack aircraft: 730
- Total helicopters: 1,547
- Total attack helicopters: 559
- Military strength score and world rank: 0.0702 – #2 out of 145
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