The following is a list of currently active military aircraft in the United States Air Force.
![]() | This 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 (1,666) | |||||
F-15 Eagle | United States | air superiority | F-15C | 108 | 108 F-15C total force as of September 2024 [1] 108 F-15C - Air National Guard |
F-15E Strike Eagle | United States | multirole | 218 | 218 F-15E total force as of September 2024 [2] 218 F-15E - Active | |
F-15EX Eagle II | United States | multirole | 8 | 8 F-15EX total force as of September 2024 [3] 8 F-15EX - Active (program of record increased to 129 aircraft in June 2025) [4] | |
F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | multirole | F-16C | 704 | 704 F-16C total force as of September 2024 [5]
257 F-16C - Air National Guard 47 F-16C - Reserve |
F-22 Raptor | United States | stealth air superiority | F-22A | 185 | 185 F-22A total force as of September 2024 [6] 165 F-22A - Active 20 F-22A - Air National Guard |
F-35 Lightning II | United States | stealth multirole | F-35A | 443 | 443 F-35A total force as of September 2024 [7] (USAF Visual in May 2025 indicates 471 aircraft) [8] 400 F-35A - Active 43 - Air National Guard (program of record of 1,763 aircraft), between 161 and 189 aircraft on order [9] |
Attack aircraft (249) | |||||
A-10 Thunderbolt II | United States | attack / CAS | A-10C | 219 | 219 A-10C total force as of September 2024 [10] 141 A-10C - Active 31 A-10C - Air National Guard 47 A-10C - Reserve |
AC-130 Ghostrider | United States | ground attack / CAS | AC-130J | 30 | 30 AC-130J total force as of September 2024 [11] 30 AC-130J - Active |
Bomber (142) | |||||
B-1 Lancer | United States | strategic bomber | B-1B | 46 | 46 B-1B total force as of September 2024 [12] 46 B-1B - Active |
B-2 Spirit | United States | stealth strategic bomber | B-2A | 20 | 20 B-2A total force as of September 2024 [13] 18 B-2A - Active |
B-52 Stratofortress | United States | strategic bomber | B-52H | 76 | 76 B-52H total force as of September 2024 [14] 58 B-52H - Active 18 B-52H - Reserve |
AWACS (26) | |||||
E-3 Sentry | United States | AWACS | E-3B/G | 15 | 15 E-3B/G total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 19 E-3B/G operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
E-4 Nightwatch | United States | command and control | E-4B | 4 | 4 E-4B as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 4 E-4B operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
E-9A Widget | Canada | SIGINT / ELINT | E-9A | 2 | 2 E-9A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] |
E-11A | Canada | command and control / BACN | E-11A | 5 | 5 E-11A as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 6 E-11A operational, 4 on order (WAF 2025). [16] |
Electronic Warfare (14) | |||||
EA-37B Compass Call | United States | SIGINT / PSYOP / attack | EA-37B | 3 | 3 EC-37B operational, 7 on order (WAF 2025). [16] |
EC-130H Compass Call | United States | radar jamming / PSYOP | 4 | 4 EC-130H as of September 204 (USAF Almanac) [17] 4 EC-130H operational (WAF 2025). [16] | |
EC-130 Commando Solo | United States | radar jamming / PSYOP | EC-130J | 5 | 5 EC-130J as of September 2024 (USAF Almanac). [18] 0 EC-130J - Air National Guard as of September 20, 2024 [19] |
Reconnaissance | |||||
IPTN CN-235 | Spain/Indonesia | SIGINT / ELINT | 5 [20] | ||
MC-12W Liberty | United States | SIGINT / surveillance | W | 40 [21] | |
OA-1K Sky Warden | United States | armed reconnaissance | 3 [21] | ||
P-9 Pale Ale | Canada | Maritime patrol | P-9A | 4 | 4 P-9A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] |
RC-135 Rivet Joint | United States | ELINT / surveillance | S/U/V/W | 22 [20] | 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). [15] 24 U-2S operational (WAF 2025). [16] Trainer aircraft listed separately. |
U-28A Draco | Switzerland | ISR / SIGINT | U-28A | 26 [20] | |
Tanker | |||||
KC-46 Pegasus | United States | aerial refueling | KC-46A | 89 | 89 KC-46A total force as of September 2024 [22] 58 KC-46A - Active 19 KC-46A - Air National Guard 12 KC-46A - Reserve |
KC-135 Stratotanker | United States | aerial refueling | KC-135R/T | 376 | 325 KC-135R / 51 KC-135T total force as of September 2024 [23] 123 KC-135R / 28 KC-135T - Active 140 KC-135R / 23 KC-135T - Air National Guard 62 KC-135R - Reserve |
HC-130J Super Hercules | United States | SAR / transport / tanker | 39 | 39 total force as of September 2024 [24] 21 HC-130J - Active 12 HC-130J - Air National Guard 6 HC-130J - Reserve | |
MC-130J Commando II | United States | EW / transport / tanker | 62 | 62 MC-130J total force as of September 2024 [25] 60 MC-130J - Active 2 MC-130J - Air National Guard | |
Transport | |||||
C-5 Galaxy | United States | strategic airlifter | C-5M | 52 [20] | |
C-12 Huron | United States | utility / transport | 23 [20] | ||
C-12J | United States | transport | C-12J | 3 [20] | |
C-17 Globemaster III | United States | strategic airlifter | 222 | 222 C-17A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 146 C-17A - Active 50 C-17A - Air National Guard 26 C-17A - Reserve 220 C-17A operational (WAF 2025). [16] | |
C-21A | United States | VIP transport | C-21A | 19 [20] | |
C-32 | United States | VIP transport | 4 [20] | ||
C-37A/B | United States | VIP transport | C-37A C-37B | 13 [26] | 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 [27] | The breakdown is four C-40Bs and seven C-40Cs. |
C-130 Hercules | United States | transport | C-130H | 122 | 122 C-130H total force as of September 2024 [28] 0 C-130H - Active 91 C-130H - Air National Guard 31 C-130H - Reserve |
C-130J Super Hercules | United States | tactical airlifter | C-130J | 154 | 154 C-130J total force as of September 2024 [29] 102 C-130J - Active 40 C-130J - Air National Guard 12 C-130J - Reserve (program of record for 198 aircraft) |
C-146 Wolfhound | Germany | transport | C-146A | 20 [20] | |
U-27A Caravan | United States | transport / utility | 2 [20] | ||
U-28A Draco | Switzerland | transport / utility | U-28A | 35 [20] | It is primarily used as a small transport aircraft by Air Force Special Operations Command. |
UV-18B Twin Otter | Canada | utility transport | 3 [21] | 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 [27] | ||
Helicopter | |||||
HH-60G Pave Hawk | United States | CSAR | HH-60G | 27 | 27 HH-60W total force as of September 2024 [30] 8 HH-60G - Active 16 HH-60G - Air National Guard 3 HH-60G - Reserve |
HH-60W Pave Hawk | United States | CSAR | HH-60GW | 54 | 54 HH-60W total force as of September 2024 [31] 32 HH-60W - Active 15 HH-60W - Air National Guard 7 HH-60W - Reserve (maximum order volume of 113, current program of record of 96 aircraft [32] ) |
MH-139 Grey Wolf | Italy | utility | MH-139 | 8 | 8 MH-139 total force as of September 2024 [33] 8 MH-139 - Active (Maximum order volume of 79 aircraft) |
UH-1N Iroquois | United States | utility | 63 | 63 UH-1N total force as of September 2024 [34] | |
V-22 Osprey | United States | CSAR | CV-22B | 52 | 52 CV-22B total force as of September 2024 [35] 52 CV-22B - Active |
Trainers | |||||
A-29 Super Tucano | Brazil | assessment trainer | A-29C | 3 [20] | |
F-117 Nighthawk | United States | trainer | 4 [20] | stealth OPFOR trainer | |
F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | trainer | F-16D | 134 | 136 F-16D total force as of September 2024 [36] 98 F-16D - Active 36 F-16D - Air National Guard 0 F-16D - Reserve |
F-15 Eagle | United States | trainer | F-15D | 24 | 12 F-15D total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 1 F-15D - Active 11 F-15D - Air National Guard 17 F-15D operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
G120TP | Germany | basic trainer | 2 [20] | 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). [15] 98 T-6A operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
T-6 Texan II | United States | advanced trainer | T-6A | 442 | 442 T-6A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 442 T-6A operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
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. [20] |
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). [15] 52 T-38A / 6 AT-38B / 437 T-38C - Active 485 C-17A operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
T-41 Mescalero | United States | basic trainer | T-41D | 4 | 4 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] |
T-51 Cessna | United States | basic trainer | T-51A | 3 | 3 total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] |
T-53A Kadet II | United States | basic trainer | T-53A | 24 | 24 T-53A total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 25 T-53A operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
TC-135 Stratolifter | United States | multi-engine trainer | TC-135W | 3 | 3 TC-135W total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 3 TC-135W operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
TH-1 Iroquois | United States | rotorcraft trainer | UH-1H | 28 | 28 UH-1H total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 39 T-53A operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
TU-2 Dragon Lady | United States | high altitude reconnaissance trainer | TU-2S | 4 | 4 TU-2S total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] 3 TU-2S operational (WAF 2025). [16] |
UAV | |||||
MQ-9 Reaper | United States | multi-mission | MQ-9A | 230 | 230 MQ-9A total force as of September 2024 [37] 206 MQ-9A - Active 24 MQ-9A - Air National Guard |
RQ-4 Global Hawk | United States | ISTAR / SIGINT | RQ-4B | 9 | 9 RQ-4B total force as of September 2023 (USAF Almanac). [15] |
RQ-11 Raven | United States | ISR | RQ-11B | 3,000 [38] | |
RQ-20 Puma | United States | ISR | RQ-20B | 60 [39] | Puma 3 AE variant is on order [40] [41] |
RQ-170 Sentinel | United States | ISTAR / SIGINT | 20 [42] [43] |