When it comes to fighter jets, the American Lockheed Martin F-16 is the most numerous model in the world. This supersonic single-engine jet has over 2,000 units in operation.
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Equivalent to 15% of the combat aircraft on the planet. This number even surpasses the total aircraft of many air forces worldwide. In Latin America, Chile and Venezuela are the only two operators of this model.
Check out the five most numerous fighter jets in the world below. The figures are from World Air Forces 2023.
Most numerous fighter jets in the world:
1 – Lockheed Martin F-16
The jet, which had its maiden flight in February 1974, has been continually updated and remains one of the primary combat aircraft globally, with a total of 2,184 units in operation.
The primary operator of the F-16 is the United States Air Force, which has 775 units of the single-seat “C” version and 147 of the two-seat “D” version.
2 – Sukhoi Su-27
Considered the Russian equivalent to the American F-15, the Sukhoi Su-27 (and its variants 30, 34, and 35) holds the second spot in the ranking of the most numerous fighter jets in the world, with 1,187 aircraft in operation.
Much of this arsenal is in the hands of the Russians, who operate over 500 units of the “27” family. An interesting fact is that the Sukhoi Su-27 is also a primary fighter of Ukraine.
3 – Boeing F-15
The F-15 was supposed to be phased out with the introduction of the F-22 Raptor. However, the 5th generation fighter could never truly replace it, with Boeing’s supersonic jet still being one of the most numerous in the US arsenal.
The model has 961 units in operation. The primary operator is the United States, which has 430 units across all its variants in service.
4 – Boeing F-18
Originally developed as a multirole fighter for the US Navy, the Boeing F-18 had its maiden flight in 1978 and has 828 units operating worldwide.
The main operator is the US Navy, with 599 units in service. This number includes the older Hornets and the newer Super Hornets.
5 – MiG-29
The MiG-29 had its maiden flight in 1977 and had a role equivalent to the American F-16 in the Soviet air force. The jet has also been consistently updated and has an active fleet of 822 units.
The Russian Air Force alone operates over 250 units of this jet. Alongside the Sukhoi Su-27, this jet is also seen on both sides of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.