The following is a list of currently active military aircraft in the United States Air Force.
Aircraft
editThis section duplicates the scope of other articles, specifically List of active United States military aircraft#Air Force. (April 2024) |
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter aircraft (1,690) | |||||
| F-15 Eagle | United States | air superiority | F-15C | 145 | 145 F-15C total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
29 F-15C - Active 116 F-15C - Air National Guard Trainer aircraft listed separately. |
| F-15E Strike Eagle | United States | multirole | 218 | 218 F-15E total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac)[1] | |
| F-15EX Eagle II | United States | multirole | 8 (operationals) | As of January 2024: 104(Maximum number of aircraft planned for deployment) | |
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | multirole | F-16C | 726 | 726 F-16C total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
418 F-16C - Active 258 F-16C - Air National Guard 50 F-16C - Reserve 708 F-16C operational (WAF 2025).[2] Trainer aircraft listed separately. |
| F-22 Raptor | United States | stealth air superiority | F-22A | 185 | 185 F-22A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
165 F-22A - Active 20 - Air National Guard 178 F-22A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| F-35 Lightning II | United States | stealth multirole | F-35A | 408 | 408 F-35A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
380 F-35A - Active 28 - Air National Guard 385 F-35A operational, 1,350 on order (WAF 2025).[2] |
| Attack aircraft (291) | |||||
| A-10 Thunderbolt II | United States | attack / CAS | A-10C | 261 | 261 A-10C total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
141 A-10C - Active 66 A-10C - Air National Guard 54 A-10C - Reserve 234 A-10C operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| AC-130 Ghostrider | United States | ground attack / CAS | AC-130J | 30 | 30 AC-130J total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac)[1]
30 AC-130J operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| Bomber (141) | |||||
| B-1 Lancer | United States | strategic bomber | B-1B | 45 | 45 B-1B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
40 B-1B operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| B-2 Spirit | United States | stealth strategic bomber | B-2A | 20 | 20 B-2A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
18 B-2A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| B-52 Stratofortress | United States | strategic bomber | B-52H | 76 | 76 B-52H total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
72 B-52H operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| AWACS (26) | |||||
| E-3 Sentry | United States | AWACS | E-3B/G | 15 | 15 E-3B/G total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
19 E-3B/G operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| E-4 Nightwatch | United States | command and control | E-4B | 4 | 4 E-4B as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
4 E-4B operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| E-9A Widget | Canada | SIGINT / ELINT | E-9A | 2 | 2 E-9A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1] |
| E-11A | Canada | command and control / BACN | E-11A | 5 | 5 E-11A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
6 E-11A operational, 4 on order (WAF 2025).[2] |
| Electronic Warfare (14) | |||||
| EA-37B Compass Call | United States | SIGINT / PSYOP / attack | EA-37B | 3 | 3 EC-37B operational, 7 on order (WAF 2025).[2] |
| EC-130H Compass Call | United States | radar jamming / PSYOP | 6 | 6 EC-130H as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
4 EC-130H operational (WAF 2025).[2] | |
| EC-130 Commando Solo | United States | radar jamming / PSYOP | EC-130J | 5 | 5 EC-130J as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
5 EC-130J - Air National Guard |
| Reconnaissance | |||||
| IPTN CN-235 | Indonesia | SIGINT / ELINT | 5[3] | ||
| MC-12W Liberty | United States | SIGINT / surveillance | W | 40[4] | |
| OA-1K Sky Warden | United States | armed reconnaissance | 3[4] | ||
| P-9 Pale Ale | Canada | Maritime patrol | P-9A | 4 | 4 P-9A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1] |
| RC-135 Rivet Joint | United States | ELINT / surveillance | S/U/V/W | 22[3] | The breakdown is as follows: 1 RC-135S Cobra Ball, 2 RC-135U Combat Sent, 1 RC-135V Rivet Joint, 18 RC-135W Rivet Joint. |
| U-2 Dragon Lady | United States | high altitude reconnaissance | U-2S | 27 | 27 U-2S as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
24 U-2S operational (WAF 2025).[2] Trainer aircraft listed separately. |
| U-28A Draco | Switzerland | ISR / SIGINT | U-28A | 26[3] | |
| Tanker | |||||
| KC-46 Pegasus | United States | aerial refueling | KC-46A | 72 | 72 KC-46A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
88 KC-46A operational, 86 on order (WAF 2025).[2] |
| KC-135 Stratotanker | United States | aerial refueling | KC-135R/T | 376 | 325 KC-135R / 51 KC-135T total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
123 KC-135R / 28 KC-135T - Active 140 KC-135R / 23 KC-135T - Air National Guard 62 KC-135R - Reserve 375 KC-135R / KC-135T operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| KC-130 | United States | aerial refueling / transport | KC-130J | 57 | |
| Transport | |||||
| C-5 Galaxy | United States | strategic airlifter | C-5M | 52[3] | |
| C-12 Huron | United States | utility / transport | 23[3] | ||
| C-12J | United States | transport | C-12J | 3[3] | |
| C-17 Globemaster III | United States | strategic airlifter | 222 | 222 C-17A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
146 C-17A - Active 50 C-17A - Air National Guard 26 C-17A - Reserve 220 C-17A operational (WAF 2025).[2] | |
| C-21A | United States | VIP transport | C-21A | 19[3] | |
| C-32 | United States | VIP transport | 4[3] | ||
| C-37A/B | United States | VIP transport | C-37A C-37B |
13[5] | The breakdown is 12 C-37As and one C-37B (based on the Gulfstream G550). |
| C-40 Clipper | United States | VIP transport | C-40B/C | 12[6] | The breakdown is four C-40Bs and seven C-40Cs. |
| C-130 Hercules | United States | transport | C-130H | 153[2] | |
| C-130J Super Hercules | United States | tactical airlifter | C-130J | 198 aircraft (maximum number of aircraft planned for deployment) | Of these, 172 are in active service and the remaining 26 are on order.[3] |
| C-146 Wolfhound | Germany | transport | C-146A | 20[3] | |
| HC-130J Super Hercules | United States | SAR / transport / tanker | 40[2] | ||
| MC-130J Commando II | United States | EW / transport / tanker | 57[2] | ||
| U-27A Caravan | United States | transport / utility | 2[3] | ||
| U-28A Draco | Switzerland | transport / utility | U-28A | 35[3] | It is primarily used as a small transport aircraft by Air Force Special Operations Command. |
| UV-18B Twin Otter | Canada | utility transport | 3[4] | STOL capable aircraft.It is primarily used as a training aircraft for parachute troops at the military academy. | |
| VC-25 | United States | Presidential transport | 2[6] | ||
| Helicopter | |||||
| HH-60 Pave Hawk | United States | CSAR | UH-60A/HH-60G/U/W | 223(UH-60A x 10, MH-60G x 19, HH-60U x 82, HH-60W x 112) | As of January 2024, four HH-60Ws have been delivered out of a planned total of 112. |
| MH-139 Grey Wolf | Italy | utility | MH-139 | 79 aircraft (maximum number of aircraft planned for deployment) | Of these, 4 are deployed and the remaining 75 are on order.[3] |
| UH-1N Iroquois | United States | utility | 63 | 63 UH-1N total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
64 UH-1N operational (WAF 2025).[2] | |
| V-22 Osprey | United States | CSAR | CV-22B | 52 | 52 CV-22B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
51 CV-22B operational, 2 on order (WAF 2025).[2] |
| Trainers | |||||
| A-29 Super Tucano | Brazil | assessment trainer | A-29C | 3[3] | |
| F-117 Nighthawk | United States | trainer | 4[3] | stealth OPFOR trainer | |
| F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | trainer | F-16D | 136 | 136 F-16D total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
98 F-16D - Active 37 F-16D - Air National Guard 1 F-16D - Reserve 133 F-16D operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| F-15 Eagle | United States | trainer | F-15D | 24 | 12 F-15D total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
1 F-15D - Active 11 F-15D - Air National Guard 17 F-15D operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| G120TP | Germany | basic trainer | 2[3] | contracted by JPAG Aviation | |
| T-1A Jayhawk | United States | multi-engine trainer | T-1A | 127 | 127 T-1A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
98 T-6A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| T-6 Texan II | United States | advanced trainer | T-6A | 442 | 442 T-6A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
442 T-6A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| T-7 Red Hawk | United States | advanced trainer | T-7A | 351 units (maximum number of units planned for deployment) | Of these, one unit is deployed and the remaining 350 units are on order.[3] |
| T-38 Talon | United States | jet trainer | T-38A/C | 495 | 495 T-38A / T-38C / AT-38B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
52 T-38A / 6 AT-38B / 437 T-38C - Active 485 C-17A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| T-41 Mescalero | United States | basic trainer | T-41D | 4 | 4 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1] |
| T-51 Cessna | United States | basic trainer | T-51A | 3 | 3 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1] |
| T-53A Kadet II | United States | basic trainer | T-53A | 24 | 24 T-53A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
25 T-53A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| TC-135 Stratolifter | United States | multi-engine trainer | TC-135W | 3 | 3 TC-135W total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
3 TC-135W operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| TH-1 Iroquois | United States | rotorcraft trainer | UH-1H | 28 | 28 UH-1H total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
39 T-53A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| TU-2 Dragon Lady | United States | high altitude reconnaissance trainer | TU-2S | 4 | 4 TU-2S total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
3 TU-2S operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| UAV | |||||
| MQ-9 Reaper | United States | multi-mission | MQ-9A | 244 | 244 MQ-9A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1]
220 MQ-9A - Active 24 MQ-9A - Air National Guard 244 MQ-9A operational (WAF 2025).[2] |
| RQ-4 Global Hawk | United States | ISTAR / SIGINT | RQ-4B | 9 | 9 RQ-4B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac).[1] |
| RQ-11 Raven | United States | ISR | RQ-11B | 3,000[7] | |
| RQ-20 Puma | United States | ISR | RQ-20B | 60[8] | Puma 3 AE variant is on order[9][10] |
| RQ-170 Sentinel | United States | ISTAR / SIGINT | 20[11][12] | ||
Images
edit-
-
An AC-130J of the 4th Special Operations Squadron flies over Kansas in 2023. -
An F-15C Eagle flies over Japan in 2019 -
An F-15EX from the 40th Test Flight Squadron flies over Florida in 2023 -
An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron -
An F-16C over Iraq in 2008 -
An F-22A Raptor flies over Andrews Air Force Base during an airshow in 2008 -
An F-35A in flight -
A USAF B-52 bomber -
A B-1B in flight over Afghanistan -
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flies over the Pacific Ocean -
An E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft -
One of 4 E-4B Nightwatch airborne command posts -
A new E-11 aircraft being rolled out in 2018 -
A C-146A Wolfhound taking off -
A KC-10 Extender with the 76th Air Refueling Squadron -
A C-17A Globemaster III taking off from Ramstein Air Base -
A VC-25 Air Force One with landing gear down -
The MH-139A Grey Wolf replacement for the Bell UH-1N -
A CV-22 Osprey over RIAT in 2015 -
A T-38 Talon over Edwards AFB -
An MQ-9 Reaper flies over Southern Afghanistan, 2008
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See also
edit- Future military aircraft of the United States
- List of military aircraft of the United States
- List of U.S. DoD aircraft designations
- List of currently active United States naval aircraft
- List of United States Air Force squadrons
- List of active U.S. Air Force aircraft squadrons
- UAVs in the U.S. military
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "2024 USAF & USSF Almanac: Equipment". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Embraer, In association with. "2025 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Embraer, In association with. "2024 World Air Forces directory". Flight Global. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ a b c "World Air Forces 2023". Flight Global. Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ "C-37A/B". www.af.mil. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b "C-40B/C". www.af.mil. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- ^ "RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV)". airforce-technology.com. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Unclassified - Exhibit P-40, Budget Line Item Justification: PB 2020 Air Force" (PDF). dacis.com. February 2019. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Order announced July 2021. Number of units to be determined, order for Puma 3 AEs, Ravens and spares, totalling USD$15.9 million.
- ^ "AeroVironment Receives Puma 3 AE and Raven Unmanned Aircraft System Orders Totaling $15.9 Million from United States Air Force". businesswire.com. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Declassified Docs Offer New Details About A Growing RQ-170 "Wraith" Force". thedrive.com. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Introducing the RQ-170 Wraith". medium.com. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
Bibliography
edit- 2024 World Air Forces (Report). Flight Global. 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2024.