List of active United States Air Force aircraft

For a list of current aircraft in all branches of the United States Military, see List of active United States military aircraft.
Emblem of the USAF

The following is a list of currently active military aircraft in the United States Air Force.

Aircraft

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]

0 EC-130J - Air National Guard as of September 20, 2024[3]

Reconnaissance
IPTN CN-235 Indonesia SIGINT / ELINT 5[4]
MC-12W Liberty United States SIGINT / surveillance W 40[5]
OA-1K Sky Warden United States armed reconnaissance 3[5]
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[4] 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[4]
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[4]
C-12 Huron United States utility / transport 23[4]
C-12J United States transport C-12J 3[4]
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[4]
C-32 United States VIP transport 4[4]
C-37A/B United States VIP transport C-37A
C-37B 		13[6] 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[7] 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.[4]
C-146 Wolfhound Germany transport C-146A 20[4]
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[4]
U-28A Draco Switzerland transport / utility U-28A 35[4] It is primarily used as a small transport aircraft by Air Force Special Operations Command.
UV-18B Twin Otter Canada utility transport 3[5] 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[7]
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.[4]
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[4]
F-117 Nighthawk United States trainer 4[4] 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[4] 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.[4]
T-38 Talon United States jet trainer T-38A/C

AT-38B

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[8]
RQ-20 Puma United States ISR RQ-20B 60[9] Puma 3 AE variant is on order[10][11]
RQ-170 Sentinel United States ISTAR / SIGINT 20[12][13]

Images

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ ang.af.mil - 193rd SOW Bids Farewell to EC-130J (Sept. 20, 2024) - "Airmen from the 193rd Special Operations Wing bid farewell to the last EC-130J aircraft as they embark on their final flight from Middletown, Pennsylvania, Sept. 18, 2024."
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b c "World Air Forces 2023". Flight Global. Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. ^ "C-37A/B". www.af.mil. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b "C-40B/C". www.af.mil. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. ^ "RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV)". airforce-technology.com. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Unclassified - Exhibit P-40, Budget Line Item Justification: PB 2020 Air Force" (PDF). dacis.com. February 2019. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  10. ^ Order announced July 2021. Number of units to be determined, order for Puma 3 AEs, Ravens and spares, totalling USD$15.9 million.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "Declassified Docs Offer New Details About A Growing RQ-170 "Wraith" Force". thedrive.com. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Introducing the RQ-170 Wraith". medium.com. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

Bibliography